Brian

The 2024 Avios peak date calendar is here – https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/07/25/2024-british-airways-peak-and-off-peak-avios-flight-dates/

I’m a newbie collector. Not a biz traveller but accumulating points as smartly as I can. One thing that I have picked up on are peak times for flights don’t just mean ‘school holiday times’. So I can forward plan with some flexibility when I get to the ‘flat-bed business class treat seat’ but how best to understand peak times for different destinations?

Sally B

Yes, that whole series needs to be updated – the scale of work intimidates us a bit to be honest, but we’ll get there! Behind the scenes we are currently spending virtually all of our time on the Head for Points Travel & Loyalty Awards ceremony at the end of the month.

Isabel Friedlander

I added a link elsewhere in these comments to a pirated version.

Harry T

Of course. But for newcomers there are so many unknowns, assumptions, pitfalls, “I didn’t know that “, etc.etc. I only showed that as an example as I for one, would certainly never pay that sort of price…there are of course, far easier, less expensive ways to do a round trip for cash as we all know.

meta

Thanks for that info, only just realised Diamond is the top of Hilton so pleased with that, thought there was one more level, probably got confused with Titanium! That’s really useful info on the PH Kyoto thanks. Might stick with a traditional ryokan and get the kaiseki meal instead.

Sharon

and remember if London isn’t available try starting from the regions with your BA 241.

Mikeact

Pricing for a return for cash is going to be very different to a one way, perhaps not the best basis for a direct comparison with an Avios flight. There certainly good value to be had with Avios though, I agree.

Mark

That’s an excellent tip which I’m going to steal… Thank you!

Rob

Thanks so much, Rob, that’s really helpful – as always!

David W

I raised a similar point on the recent 241 post. I’ll continue to do long haul RFS and use a standard 241 voucher until prices dramatically fall. Most the additional benefits listed in this article also apply to an economy redemption too.

RV

Agree totally with you. People ask me about hobbies, I reply “air miler”, to which they replay “what’s that?”

BA Flyer IHG Stayer

Yes, wouldn’t do it on holiday – but certainly have when I’ve just been driving back and forth to an office/site and only really need a place to sleep overnight. Used to optimise the hotel selections to get the cheapest hotel for each night of a different brand. 🤣

Swifty

Which flights did u get? QR?

RV

I’m talking about long haul – but short haul also good

Rob

The problem with a booking from a regional airport is these flights tend together the first to be cancelled in the event of weather, ATC issues etc. One of the most common complaints against BA is the frequency at which they cancel regional flights, or they arrive so late that you miss your connection, Not sure I would want to risk that on an Avios (aka annual holiday) flight if I could avoid it.

This ability is so undervalued. A few weeks ago we moved to Qatar from Dubai as our visa was running out. We booked two one-way business tickets to Doha for 42,000 Avios plus £172.2. Then out the blue we had an email from our cruise ship saying they were running a repositioning cruise from Dubai to Doha and we bought two tickets eventually for £51 p.p. I immediately cancelled our flights and got all the points back plus £100 after they kept a £70 penalty. Ok it cost £70 in penalty fees but where else could you get 42,000 Avios for £70?

Tom

Thanks for the replies, I usually don’t have a specific choice on where to go and just see where I can go, but seems there may be more choices I’ll have to check aa well.

BA Flyer IHG Stayer

@Robert but Hilton Diamond is top tier there is nothing above (except lifetime, but if you just started that will take a decade at minimum). Same with IHG, Diamond Elite is top tier (you might qualify for Royal Ambassador, but that requires high spend at Intercontinentals only).

With PH Kyoto, it’s really difficult to book on points at peak periods, so you’ll need to go at unfavourable times of the year if you want to try it or monitor daily from 13 months out. They only have 9 suites available and 70 rooms in total. Even Globalists rarely now score suite upgrades even when booking cash.

I also don’t think it’s worth cashing too many statuses. Realistically you can’t profit from them all. 2-3 are good enough to give you choice. I also like to throw into the mix a few independent luxury hotels as there are some which are much better than any of the chain ones.

RV

**The author… not the reader

The reader puts a very frugal spin to all of this. “I’d rather top up my pension and ISAs than spend on lifestyle”. Well I also top my pensions and invest on ISAs, and keep the same spend I’d normally have – but choose to get rewarded instead!

Loads of people commenting nonsense like “if you watch points you’re not rich enough” or “credit cards will make you spend more”.

I had the same in the past when trying to explain to some people the benefits of using a paid budgeting app to help you plan (I use YNAB).

It’s a good reminder that collecting points is also a nice hobby. As well as keeping on track of my finances and tracking spend/setting financial goals…

Good thing we are all different!!

David W

I agree. I had some decent savings in 2023 flying to Portugal, Turkey and Morocco when using avios + cash.

If you add the value of flexibility + baggage it makes total sense for short breaks.

Rob

Thanks, that’s worked.

The bit about the ‘lifestyle spend’ is a bit odd though, you can easily put through a weekly food shop which will work out to several hundred quid a month towards your spending goals. The idea of putting your everyday spend on an Amex instead of a debit card to earn points/Avios seems to have been missed.

BA Flyer IHG Stayer

Thanks meta, I’m going to work to those nights required thresholds. I done quite a bit of ‘hopping’ between Hilton brands and whilst disruptive it did get me to Diamond and a LOT more points, it’s just those top tiers that are proving allusive. With the opening of Hyatt in Leeds I’ll try for Globalist later this year. Ultimate goals for me are PH Kyoto and JW Marriott Venice, usually around £1k per night. I also got the 20 nights suite upgrade reward with IHG so looking at how to use that wisely this year, Kimpton or IC in Paris maybe.