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Apparently, British Airways didn't go far enough when it devalued American and Alaska Airlines awards last December. As uncovered by One Mile at a Time, British Airways took another hack at short-haul awards — and the results are gruesome.
Here's what you need to know about the latest no-notice British Airways devaluation, plus what you can expect to pay the next time you redeem Avios for an AA or Alaska award ticket.
Short-Haul AA and Alaska Awards Now Cost up to 56% More Avios
British Airways called the same play this time as in December 2023. The airline dramatically hiked the pricing on short-haul awards in four distance bands — and by no small margin. To make matters worse, British Airways didn't provide advance notice and just loaded the new pricing into its systems.
So, yes, you'll see much higher prices the next time you redeem Avios for American Airlines or Alaska Airlines flights. Here's a comparison of the old and new prices and the percent change for good measure:
| Distance/Zone | Old Economy | New Economy | % Increase | Old Business/Domestic First | New Business/Domestic First | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 650 miles (Zone 1) | 8,250 | 12,000 | 45% | 16,500 | 24,000 | 45% |
| 651 to 1,151 miles (Zone 2) | 11,000 | 16,000 | 45% | 20,500 | 32,000 | 56% |
| 1,152 to 2,000 miles (Zone 3) | 14,500 | 18,000 | 24% | 29,000 | 40,000 | 37% |
| 2,001 to 3,000 miles (Zone 4) | 16,000 | 20,000 | 25% | 42,000 | 50,000 | 19% |
Awards that cover more distance in excess of the 2,001 to 3,000-mile distance band were unimpacted by this slate of changes. And a recent cursory search suggests that other Avios-centric programs, such as Qatar Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus, haven't followed suit in any capacity — at least not yet.
But to be on the safe side, you should book sooner rather than later if you're eyeing a partner award on one of the aforementioned carriers.
Final Thoughts
The short-haul end of British Airways' partner chart was a honey hole for budget-friendly domestic awards — even after the December 2023 changes. Now, maybe not so much. The prices aren't so cheap anymore, and that's likely by design. Compared to this time last year, most short-haul American Airlines and Alaska Airlines awards require over 60% more Avios!
This devaluation is a good reminder that loyalty programs can devalue at any time. And this news should renew your focus on transferable points — to protect yourself against the downside risk of your points or miles becoming instantly worth less. British Airways has shown you time and time again it'll devalue without notice. It's probably past time the airline is taken seriously.
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