topic Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges in Credit Cards

UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

wasCB14 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 14:11:08 GMT

Does anyone have a favorite UR transfer partner for minimizing taxes and surcharges on award flights from the US to the UK (and back)?

United looks better than British Airways, but I'm not sure if there are better options.

I may close my CSP soon (or PC to FreeU). My current plan is 100k to United and 30k to Hyatt, but I'm exploring alternatives.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

nyancat — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 07:39:27 GMT

If you're willing to fly with United (to be fair, they aren't much worse than BA anymore as BA has gone downhill a lot), United is probably the best you can do.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

wasCB14 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 15:32:20 GMT

@nyancat wrote:
If you're willing to fly with United (to be fair, they aren't much worse than BA anymore as BA has gone downhill a lot), United is probably the best you can do.

Am I right in thinking BA codeshare partners (like AA, if I hadn't used up my miles already) charge the same surcharges on award flights on BA metal?

And if I do go with BA, an off-peak Avios price would be pretty low, making the surcharge not too bad on a cpp basis.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

nyancat — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:53:34 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@nyancat wrote:
If you're willing to fly with United (to be fair, they aren't much worse than BA anymore as BA has gone downhill a lot), United is probably the best you can do.
Am I right in thinking BA codeshare partners (like AA, if I hadn't used up my miles already) charge the same surcharges on award flights on BA metal?

And if I do go with BA, an off-peak Avios price would be pretty low, making the surcharge not too bad on a cpp basis.

To be honest, I consider BA as bad as United these days, and worse in some ways. So it's been awhile since I looked at prices, but I don't remember ever seeing a time where the 'fuel surcharge' wasn't nearly as high as the cash fare on another airline...

And yes, same surcharges on other programmes.

Personally, I pretty much stick to Delta these days, but UR obviously are useless there.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:10:41 GMT

I have at least 5 friends in real life that PC'd CSP to FU recently becaues they said that URs are really becoming impossible to use well and efficiently, thereby destroying the value of the CSP in my mind.

Since I fly subprime CreditOne type airlines (Spirit and Frontier mostly), I don't need airfare domestically. I fly international a few times a year but even there I generally book off-peak odd days and get a slamming deal that I doubt URs would really help with.

Gives me pause to sit and wait for CSP prequal!

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

wasCB14 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:49:37 GMT

@nyancat wrote:
To be honest, I consider BA as bad as United these days, and worse in some ways. So it's been awhile since I looked at prices, but I don't remember ever seeing a time where the 'fuel surcharge' wasn't nearly as high as the cash fare on another airline...

And yes, same surcharges on other programmes.

Personally, I pretty much stick to Delta these days, but UR obviously are useless there.

16250 Avios (off peak) + ~$180 isn't hugely different from 30k United (direct) or 30k Delta (with a stop). If I go Delta, though, I can quickly put together plenty of points (existing miles, MRs, a cobrand card, a fidelity promo) so that's covered. I can certainly believe the Delta flight is nicer, but direct is certainly simpler. OTOH, if I have to stop, the JFK T4 Sky Club is a nice place to have a layover.

@Anonymous wrote:
I have at least 5 friends in real life that PC'd CSP to FU recently becaues they said that URs are really becoming impossible to use well and efficiently, thereby destroying the value of the CSP in my mind.

Since I fly subprime CreditOne type airlines (Spirit and Frontier mostly), I don't need airfare domestically. I fly international a few times a year but even there I generally book off-peak odd days and get a slamming deal that I doubt URs would really help with.

Gives me pause to sit and wait for CSP prequal!

My problem isn't really with UR value, though that has suffered. It's more that the marginal reward value from my limited spend on UR cards is low, and primary rental insurance from Amex is cheap in CA.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:56:58 GMT

When I looked quite a while back, there were a number of instances where awards of the form

X Avois + $Y

often had Y > cash price for the same flight (on BA). So for those who want conspicuous consumption, pay more AND use some miles too!

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

wasCB14 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 21:19:57 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
When I looked quite a while back, there were a number of instances where awards of the form

X Avois + $Y

often had Y > cash price for the same flight (on BA). So for those who want conspicuous consumption, pay more AND use some miles too!

Maybe it's just the season I'm looking at, but a lot of BA nonstop flights (out of LAX) cost $2k+ (economy, one way, per person). Same for Virgin Atlantic and United.

Air New Zealand can be in the $700 range some days. Aeroflot is cheaper but requires a Moscow layover.

Some days have cheap and direct Norwegian Air flights.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 05:04:14 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
When I looked quite a while back, there were a number of instances where awards of the form

X Avois + $Y

often had Y > cash price for the same flight (on BA). So for those who want conspicuous consumption, pay more AND use some miles too!
Maybe it's just the season I'm looking at, but a lot of BA nonstop flights (out of LAX) cost $2k+ (economy, one way, per person). Same for Virgin Atlantic and United.

Air New Zealand can be in the $700 range some days. Aeroflot is cheaper but requires a Moscow layover.

Some days have cheap and direct Norwegian Air flights.

When are you looking? In June for example, I see BA non-stop for 1400 round trip

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

wasCB14 — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 06:09:41 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
When I looked quite a while back, there were a number of instances where awards of the form

X Avois + $Y

often had Y > cash price for the same flight (on BA). So for those who want conspicuous consumption, pay more AND use some miles too!
Maybe it's just the season I'm looking at, but a lot of BA nonstop flights (out of LAX) cost $2k+ (economy, one way, per person). Same for Virgin Atlantic and United.

Air New Zealand can be in the $700 range some days. Aeroflot is cheaper but requires a Moscow layover.

Some days have cheap and direct Norwegian Air flights.
When are you looking? In June for example, I see BA non-stop for 1400 round trip

I do see 1400 round trip. I tend to search for one-way flights, and BA's one-way prices are higher than both legs of round-trips! That's also true for United metal.

So looking at a round trip, cash prices look a lot saner!

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

iced — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:35:49 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
Does anyone have a favorite UR transfer partner for minimizing taxes and surcharges on award flights from the US to the UK (and back)?

United looks better than British Airways, but I'm not sure if there are better options.

I may close my CSP soon (or PC to FreeU). My current plan is 100k to United and 30k to Hyatt, but I'm exploring alternatives.

My personal preference is United, but I'm happy if others didn't transfer to them. More inventory for me, I say.

As for the taxes and surcharges, bear in mind that the largest percentage of that charge isn't set by the airline but rather the airport. LHR has a higher runway fee than most other airports because of its volume and demand, so if you can book a flight to the UK that doesn't leave from LHR, you'll save a lot that way. As a quick example, on United I can book an award flight TO LHR right now on almost any day of the week for miles + $5.60. The return segment from LHR is miles + $166.06.

Some airlines also charge a fuel surcharge for international award flights. United does not. I don't know if BA does.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 13:56:20 GMT

Yea, BA is terrible for surcharges. United is good and so is KLM / Air France Flying blue when using points to fly on Delta/KLM. Less availability than United though.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 13:57:20 GMT

What city are you flying out of?

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

wasCB14 — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 14:29:18 GMT

@iced wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
Does anyone have a favorite UR transfer partner for minimizing taxes and surcharges on award flights from the US to the UK (and back)?

United looks better than British Airways, but I'm not sure if there are better options.

I may close my CSP soon (or PC to FreeU). My current plan is 100k to United and 30k to Hyatt, but I'm exploring alternatives.
My personal preference is United, but I'm happy if others didn't transfer to them. More inventory for me, I say.

As for the taxes and surcharges, bear in mind that the largest percentage of that charge isn't set by the airline but rather the airport. LHR has a higher runway fee than most other airports because of its volume and demand, so if you can book a flight to the UK that doesn't leave from LHR, you'll save a lot that way. As a quick example, on United I can book an award flight TO LHR right now on almost any day of the week for miles + $5.60. The return segment from LHR is miles + $166.06.

Some airlines also charge a fuel surcharge for international award flights. United does not. I don't know if BA does.

I'll consider other airport options as the details become clearer.

@Anonymous wrote:
What city are you flying out of?

Los Angeles, so LAX or ONT...maybe SNA.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 16:18:06 GMT

Good availability on delta via Flying blue miles from LAX to LHR. Fees in the $25-$60 range. Usually 1 stop though and cost is as low as 25k miles for economy each way.

Re: UR allocation, minimizing USA-UK flight surcharges

wasCB14 — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 16:32:09 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Good availability on delta via Flying blue miles from LAX to LHR. Fees in the $25-$60 range. Usually 1 stop though and cost is as low as 25k miles for economy each way.

True. I could even transfer some hard-to-use TYs.