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Now through November 21, British Airways Executive Club members can book award flights at up to a 50% discount. Travel by April 30, 2020, to score great redemptions on British Airways metal. The steepest discounts are for economy and premium-economy travel, but even small discounts apply to business and first-class cabins.
The Details
To take advantage of this limited-time award discount, note the following restrictions:
- No registration required
- Award flight discounts will automatically price when booking
- Discounts apply only to flights on British Airways metal
- Bookings must be completed by November 21, 2019
- Travel must occur by April 30, 2020
- Discounts are on Avios only
- Enjoy 10% off Avios requirements for business and first-class travel
- Enjoy 50% off Avios requirements for economy and premium-economy travel
How to Book
Head to the British Airways award website to get started booking your discounted travel. This promotion applies to both peak- and off-peak travel pricing. For example, a one-way flight in economy between 3,000 and 4,000 miles in distance would normally cost 20,000 Avios on peak dates and 13,000 Avios on off-peak dates. Flight from London to cities such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and even Chicago fall into this range.
Flying against the jet stream, London to Chicago likely represents the longest routing of the group. On off-peak dates, this nine-hour flight can be booked right now for just 6,500 Avios!
Economy Pricing
Booking the same flight in premium economy would normally cost 26,000 Avios. Under this promotion, that figures drops to just 13,000 Avios. Note that the surcharges on this award are $121.48 higher than for the economy award too. Regardless of the class of service, you'll pay higher fees in the eastbound direction, thanks to London's steep airport taxes. If possible, consider originating your return flight in a European city served by British Airways to reduce costs.
Premium Economy Pricing
You can cut down the out of pocket cost expense of these award surcharges with the British Airways Visa Signature® Card. If you already have the card, make sure to use it to pay your taxes and fees to score a statement credit of up to $100 per economy- and premium-economy ticket, and up to $200 per business- and first-class ticket. Here's our full post on the British Airways Visa Card statement credit for taxes and fees.
If you don't have the card yet, you won't be able to benefit on this trip (due to the limited time to book this flash sale), but it's still well worth considering for future trips.
Our Take
This promotion drastically reduces the number of Avios required to travel between North America and Europe. A round-trip journey from Chicago or the East Coast to London costs as low as 13,000 Avios (plus taxes and surcharges). Even in premium economy, the same trip requires as few as 26,000 Avios, or the normal cost of round-trip economy flights. By utilizing the perks of the British Airways Visa Card, you can reduce the total outlay of this kind of trip even further.
Additionally, one-way flights between Europe and North America often cost thousands of dollars on full-service carriers. With award bookings, you won't find the same cost increase to book a one way instead of a round trip. Travelers can save big by redeeming Avios for travel in economy or premium economy, especially for daytime flights from London to North America when a standard seat is more palatable.
- Earn 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
- Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL.
- Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel. Plus earn 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- 10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
- Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you'll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
- Simply tap to pay with your contactless British Airways Visa Signature Card. Just look for the contactless symbol at checkout. It's fast, easy and secure!
- Member FDIC
- 3X Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL
- 2X Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations
- 1X Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
It’s always going to be the extortionate taxes applied to BA flights in and out of the U.K. when compared with U.S. carriers that make Avios less appealing than the U.S. equivalent.
My family and I just traveled to England last winter. Anytime I see a good deal for travel there, I am interested. The weather was cold but not bone-chilling. Highly recommend visiting London during the holidays!
I love to visit various places and enjoy the changing scenery. It becomes very hard to find good accommodation at a good price every time. But, this time I got British Airways Coupons from MyCoupons, & got 24% Off on my Travel package booking.
Excellent. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for this – although I’m signed up for the BA emails I never seem to get these ones!
Hope this is repeated soon and for more than 10% off in a premium cabin…
I’d rather use avios for partner flights not on BA. I just redeemed for flights to the Carribean without outrageous taxes and fees on American Airlines using avios. I can buy a transatlantic economy ticket from London to my city outright for less than the fees of and Avios ticket on AA metal.
I like that they are doing something. I think this might offset the higher taxes. We’ll see. I have heard some rumblins in on blogs that prem econo can be good across the pond too. You get more comfort but don’t use a ton of points. A lot of airlines are having some good amenities kits in prem econo too. So many of us focus on biz seats and they are nice but maybe prem econo can be a great consideration too.
Taxes and charges are generally so high on BA (apart from flights within Europe only) that is rarely makes sense to redeem even at 50% off.
If only this deal priced out correctly flights that started in say DUB to lower the tax bill and avoid APD
So, is this for everyone or for “British Airways Executive Club members” only?
You need to be a BA member. If you have Chase, Marriott or Amex points you can create a free BA account and transfer points to BA Avios.
Thanks for the information! We are plannig a trip and it is an option to consider.
very good offer, thanks for sharing!
It’s great that British Airways is offering a 50% discount of avios points for some flights but the surcharges is more than I’ve paid for some flights to europe.
Excellent! They fuel surcharges are still atroucious though!
It very rarely makes sense to use Avios for long haul Y or W on BA metal. The surcharges can actually be higher than a cash fare.
There are exceptions, however. HKG-LHR for example often has low taxes/fees.
Great deal!! I transferred my Avios from IB to BA and I booked Genoa-Las Vegas-Genoa in Y.
Thank you!!!
Wow, what a great deal!. Thanks for the heads up.
A great deal! There’s always discounts going to Europe in the winter months but this one is especially good. I’m jumping on this & taking advantage while it lasts. Thank you for this post, I didn’t know about this one!
Lets go to London!
Discounts are always good. I wish this had been available for BA partner airlines.
Any conversation about Avios on BA metal should include a disclaimer about the extremely high fuel surcharges one can expect to incur.
Here’s wishing the other airlines follow suit
If only this would have worked also on the partner awards…
Just 10% off for premium cabins?
I guess it’s still better than nothing but…
Thanks for the blog post. I appreciate the promo, but the fees are a killer.
Awesome! BA miles can be good , I’ve used them on one ways, which you can’t buy at any decent price.
Thanks for the heads up, planning a trip to London after the new year.
10% for business and first is disappointing.
Darn, I already booked a cash fare for travel to Gibraltar! Oh well, at least I’ll earn some Avios for next time 🙂
Might be worth it even with the high taxes
It is important to say the fligjt between America and Europe are expensive. It is an amazing deal
Definitely some sweet spots to be had here. Thanks for the alert.
The promo is good even though there are high fuel surcharges ans the travel dates are before the summer.
It’s always the taxes on British Airways that are the killer.
This is true, but a) consider that the total price for the ticket is still less than buying one outright (in most cases), and b) try to depart from places that have lower taxes (i.e. Inverness in the UK to avoid the APD, or some of the European cities with BA service). You’ll pay a little bit more for the additional segment, but in principle, you could be saving hundreds of dollars of taxes (and get to visit another city).
can I use AA miles to book BA flight from TLV to Europe?
Yes. https://www.aa.com/booking/find-flights?tripType=roundTrip&awardBooking=true
This looks great! I will have to see if I can use my points for this.
How can I use AA miles to book a BA flight from TLV?
Just search AA.com. The 50% discount only applies if you’re using BA Avios, so you won’t get a cheaper ticket using AA miles.
Thanks for the heads up. Looks like it may be time to get the tickets for my anniversary trip.
I love this promo – going London on Christmas and still searched for best option.
and you found one? figured availability would be limited
Great deal! Do you know if the Avios discount applies also to partner redemptions? I often use Avios to book shorthaul on Oneworld partners.
Actually it’s UK departure taxes that increase when you go from Economy to a “premium” cabin, which includes Premium Economy…
Is this only for outbound flights?
It is an excellent promotion, although British rates were always the highest … to analyze the offer well, unless the miles are to be overcome and one wants to take advantage of the offer.
I especially appreciate the fact that one way flights here between Europe and North America can cost thousands of $ on many carriers. With this award booking, I won’t get a cost increase if I book a one way instead of a round trip. hmmm
If this works for inter-Euro flights, what a great deal! You’ll pay half of 7500 or so for most flights.
I always thought that BA is very useful in accumulating points in Household Account, but their taxes and fees kills this advantage.
You’re the second negative comment about fees, and I predict there will be more down below, unfortunately.
50% off a PE award certainly isn’t the worst deal going, especially on the short hop from the EC to the UK, but it sure would have been nice to see, say, a 25% offering at least on Biz & F.
Great deal for those who basically live in Europe.
Although BA has a great rewards programme it is not as common as the ones from American legacy airlines.
Gonna consider transferring my Iberia Avios to BA in order to get a good deal.
Thanks!
It would be nice if the fees were also at a 50% discount.
Bingo!
Thanks for the heads up. I have a stash of British Airways points looking for a good redemption.