4 occasions it’s higher to ebook American Airways award flights with British Airways Avios

American Airways is among the largest and hottest airways on the planet. Nonetheless, once you go to ebook an award ticket on AA, do not robotically assume your AAdvantage account would be the greatest loyalty program to make use of. Do you know that you may ebook American Airways flights on associate carriers? And that it could price you fewer miles?

Since British Airways is a fellow Oneworld alliance member, members of the British Airways Government Membership can redeem Avios, BA’s loyalty foreign money, on associate airways; this consists of American Airways and Alaska Airways. Since you’ll be able to switch most bank card factors to British Airways, it’s value contemplating which program you must ebook with.

Listed here are some situations the place it will possibly make sense to ebook an American Airways award flight with British Airways Avios slightly than American’s personal AAdvantage miles.

Associated: British Airways Government Membership: Information to Avios, elite standing and switch companions

Brief-haul flights in peak durations

AAdvantage nonetheless operates utilizing an award chart. Nonetheless, in 2023, it shifted its charts to mirror extra of a dynamic pricing mannequin with flights on AA “ranging from” 7,500 miles inside the U.S. and Canada. Nonetheless, American will typically have award flights priced decrease than the award chart.

In the meantime, Avios redemptions for home AA flights begin from 8,250 Avios factors, every means in economic system as follows:

• Zone 1 (as much as 650 miles): 8,250 Avios
• Zone 2 (651-1,151 miles): 11,000 Avios
• Zone 3 (1,152-2,000 miles): 14,500 Avios
• Zone 4 (2,001-3,000 miles): 16,000 Avios

On off-peak dates, like midweek in winter, you’ll be able to usually discover flights by means of AAdvantage for as little as 7,500 (or typically decrease). It is a higher choice than the 8,250 Avios BA would cost.

Nonetheless, if you need a flight at a particular time or must fly to a particular airport, utilizing Avios is a less expensive choice as soon as the AA costs begin to rise dynamically.

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For instance, flights from Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) to New York space airports in September begin from an affordable 8,500 AAdvantage miles.

Nonetheless, if you wish to take the primary flight of the day and fly into LaGuardia Airport (LGA), AA costs this flight at 12,000 miles.

You possibly can ebook the identical Zone 2 flight by means of British Airways for 11,000 Avios (plus the identical taxes and costs AAdvantage expenses), saving you 1,000 miles.

In case you are seeking to ebook this identical flight in top notch, you’ll pay greater than 83,000 miles. For those who ebook this identical flight on British Airways utilizing Avios, you’d pay simply 20,500 Avios.

Associated: A assessment of American Airways in top notch on the Airbus A321neo from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Nonstop economic system flights to Hawaii

One other candy spot within the Avios versus American Airways battle is nonstop flights between the West Coast and Hawaii on both American- or Alaska-operated flights. Reserving one-way, nonstop award flights lower than 3,000 miles lengthy by means of British Airways will price simply 16,000 Avios plus $5.60 in taxes and costs every means.

American Airways provides flights between the U.S. and Hawaii beginning at 20,000 miles every means, so it can save you not less than 4,000 miles by reserving by means of BA’s Government Membership slightly than AA’s AAdvantage program.

Notice that these costs apply to flights on each American and Alaska Airways, so in both case, you are doubtless higher off redeeming Avios for awards to Hawaii from a number of West Coast gateways. Keep in mind, too, that the Avios pricing solely applies to nonstop flights; when you begin including connections, you may wish to evaluate costs in every program earlier than deciding which provides one of the best worth.

Associated: The very best time to go to Hawaii for good climate, smaller crowds, offers and extra

Nonstop flights to South America

Like home flights, yow will discover some candy spots with shorter worldwide flights utilizing Avios slightly than AAdvantage miles.

Taking a look at routes like:

• MIA to Ernesto Cortissoz Worldwide Airport (BAQ) in Barranquilla, Colombia
• MIA to Rafael Nunez Worldwide Airport (CTG) in Cartagena, Colombia

They’re simply lower than 1,150 miles lengthy and value 11,000 Avios in economic system class.

These flights begin at 12,000 miles every means when booked with AAdvantage miles; reserving with Avios as a substitute saves just one,000 miles. Nonetheless, with American’s dynamic pricing, on the pattern date of Dec. 4 above, the identical flights are priced at 20,500 (plus the identical charges and taxes) — nearly twice the variety of factors.

Nonstop flights to Japan in economic system

When reserving with AAdvantage miles, flights from the West Coast to Japan in economic system price 35,000 miles every means.

Nonetheless, Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) requires simply 25,750 Avios that will in any other case price 35,000 AA miles.

You may also ebook Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW) to Tokyo’s Narita Worldwide Airport (NRT) and HND for 31,000 Avios as a substitute of 35,000 AA miles.

Sadly, the enterprise and first-class awards aren’t cheaper with Avios than AAdvantage miles.

The best way to earn Avios

The simplest option to earn a significant variety of Avios for on a regular basis spending is by making use of for the British Airways Visa Signature® Card.