Possible Avios Devaluation?

Matt

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
I saw some chatter on Twitter originating from @Free-quent Flyer regarding the Iberia Avios program may be devaluing partner awards. As you might know, Iberia and BA run very similar programs, their points are interchangeable via transfer and their award charts identical other than fees.

It is possible that this might be an early indication of an award chart devaluation from BA, with this in mind it might be wise to book any outstanding awards that you have been procrastinating on.

In the US American Airlines is a great partner for Avios, but check out the new Iberia Award chart for AA redemptions:

American.PNG

note that the zone distances have reduced slightly, while the award prices have increased significantly.

Note that this pricing may apply to all partner awards.

Earn and burn folks.
 
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F

f0xx

Level 2 Ninja
Seeing as how all the bloggers have been pimping out Avios posts as of late... (For example, The Miles Professor has two 2 posts for the month of Aug pimping out the program.) It was bound to happen.

Sad to see happen. Because this was a program I used a lot for travel on AA. (As a broke college student.)
 
smittytabb

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
So, I am trying to decide whether to book a few flights pronto. Way too much overexposure on this one. If you are looking to book something and have a lot of points, consider Latin America. Like domestic flights, surcharges are not out of sight, like to EU.
 
F

f0xx

Level 2 Ninja
Seeing as Iberia has devalued. (There goes cheap fee + Avios) It's certain that British Airways does too.
Better start booking your Avios on Aer Lingus while you can to get across the pond for cheap.
 
R

Rusdude

New Member
Really, really hope this is not true. The strength of Avios is their short-haul redemptions rates. For example, right now it's only 4,500 for Houston-Dallas flights on AA (one-way). The above chart would more than double (!) that - 9,750 one-way. I also use Avios for flights on S7 within Russia so hope that OW partners are not affected.

P.S. BA can decrease the sting a TINY bit by stopping charging x3 (first-class) for two-cabin flights on AA/US and by not charging on per-segment basis but rather by a total distance of all segments.
 
Matt

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
I'm currently searching for seats right now, here is how I do, perhaps this will help anyone else burning - remember it may be nothing, but I am ready to book some vacation time anyway, so what the heck!

I use the AA search engine, with avios, you can book indirect flights, but if you do you pay for each leg, so its best to search for non stops - here is the three step process to doing that:

Step 1 Search AA.com for awards ( I only do one ways)
AA.PNG

Step 2 hit 'full award calendar so you can see all the space for the month

Page 2.PNG

Step 3 select non stops only

Page 3.png

Once you have found dates that show up as Milesaaver prices, go back to BA.com to book.

I find this a lot easier than the BA engine, and should save you some time too.
 
smittytabb

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Matt said:
I'm currently searching for seats right now, here is how I do, perhaps this will help anyone else burning - remember it may be nothing, but I am ready to book some vacation time anyway, so what the heck!

I use the AA search engine, with avios, you can book indirect flights, but if you do you pay for each leg, so its best to search for non stops - here is the three step process to doing that:

Step 1 Search AA.com for awards ( I only do one ways)
View attachment 313

Step 2 hit 'full award calendar so you can see all the space for the month

View attachment 311

Step 3 select non stops only

View attachment 312

Once you have found dates that show up as Milesaaver prices, go back to BA.com to book.

I find this a lot easier than the BA engine, and should save you some time too.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is definitely the best procedure for sure.
 
Miles to the Wild

Miles to the Wild

Level 2 Member
Most of the bloggers (VFTW, MV, MProf) who posted it don't realize that IB only allows round-trips on partners so BA one-ways would be half the amount on Iberia's chart. Still around double the cost!
 
smittytabb

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Of course, the feeding frenzy means that even if it is just a rumor, the seats are flying, so it has the same effect. AA is showing little milesaver for J or F for anything I am looking for.
 
F

f0xx

Level 2 Ninja
smittytabb said:
Of course, the feeding frenzy means that even if it is just a rumor, the seats are flying, so it has the same effect. AA is showing little milesaver for J or F for anything I am looking for.
Click to expand...
Bloggers create panic. People eat up the award space to liquidate Avios before it's too late.

Sounds about right to me.
 
SigCon

SigCon

New Member
This is my first post here. :) I just wanted to say thanks, Matt! The email alert caught by attention faster than Twitter would have. I booked two South American flights I've been working on, just in case.
 
Katstarr

Katstarr

Level 2 Member
hmmm, maybe I'll run the Dallas Marathon and the Pittsburgh Marathon..... I can just book and cancel later.
 
Chum

Chum

Level 2 Member
I hope it remains as a rumor even if i do not have lots of Avios points. We use avios to fly sfo to lax to visit Mickey. I might need to look at virgin america as another option.
 
richklhs

richklhs

Level 2 Member
Flown intra-Japan 19 roundtrips on JAL in my 18 months living here. This is one of few affordable ways to travel across Japan. I will be devastated if BA changes their chart - booking a lot of JAL flights today.
 
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