Single Vs Multi Carrier Award Chart

[Matt]

Just a quick heads up for Avios, this is something that I encountered way back in the day and had forgotten about, but if you use two partners on an Avios award you will have to pay at a higher award chart rate. We were talking about this over the weekend on twitter.

Here is the regular Avios Distance Based Chart


And here is the chart you use if you have two or more carriers (prices for economy)



Worth noting now in the US this will emerge more frequently as US Air and AA trigger this, so if you have an itinerary that links together both of these, while some might think their Avios are worth more (and they are) there is also a cost to the added options...

 

[Mountain Trader]

Matt-

I forgot (if I ever knew) about that. So the second, higher chart applies for 2 carrier itineraries, but not for only one carrier, even if that one carrier is not BA. I'm trying to imagine the logic for that set-up.

 

[Matt]

Not sure off the top of my head if it applies like that- definitely when two partners- I don't fly BA but think maybe not when BA+partner

 

[redtop]

That really shouldn't be a big deal. Since Avios is distance based, you can just book each leg separately. If the two partners are both in oneworld, the alliance has a policy that contiguous reservations on fellow oneworld partners are treated seamlessly wrt checking in, irops, etc. (at least that's my understanding).

 

[Matt]

That really shouldn't be a big deal. Since Avios is distance based, you can just book each leg separately. If the two partners are both in oneworld, the alliance has a policy that contiguous reservations on fellow oneworld partners are treated seamlessly wrt checking in, irops, etc. (at least that's my understanding).

I think the only real issue here is baggage fees... otherwise I agree (baring perhaps some nuanced routing)

 

[NickPFD]

Matt-

I forgot (if I ever knew) about that. So the second, higher chart applies for 2 carrier itineraries, but not for only one carrier, even if that one carrier is not BA. I'm trying to imagine the logic for that set-up.

That is correct, the Avios chart we all know and love applies for one carrier redemptions even if that carrier is not BA.

Another thing to note: a one-way may cost as much as a roundtrip. It did in my case when I priced it out: CLT-MGA was 35K when split between USAir and AA, and that was for both one-way and roundtrip. Normally it's 15K each way when redeeming with AA only.

 

[NickPFD]

Hey, looking at the chart something occurs to me: it says 50K miles for up to 100,000 miles. So does that mean it would be theoretically possible to book a round-the-world itinerary (or something close to it) with a single partner for only 50K miles?

 

[Matt]

Hey, looking at the chart something occurs to me: it says 50K miles for up to 100,000 miles. So does that mean it would be theoretically possible to book a round-the-world itinerary (or something close to it) with a single partner for only 50K miles?

I don't think so, you can't book multicity online, but I think you can on the phone... the best option you would have would probably be a really long route but once you start going RTW then I think it wouldn't work anymore... but I'd be happy to be proven wrong!