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Airmiles, joyous wondorous Airmiles

il_principeil_principe Posts: 9,146
edited April 2009 in Commuting chat
So I've been meaning to book a flight to Turkey for a while now (off to a wedding). Was chatting to my Mum the other day and she said: "I think I've got some airmiles somewhere, you're welcome to use them."

Anyway she dug out her account details and I logged on to discover she has 11000 of the things. I'd imagined these were a bit like nectar points and assumed that 11000 would probably fund about 5 minutes of a flight from London to Southampton. Turns out I was wrong. 2500 Airmiles has just bought me a return to Antalya. What a result!

I love my Mum, I love airmiles. That's £300 odd saved (to be spent on something bike related and some flowers!).

:D
2015 Canyon Aeroad CF SLX
2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
2020 Canyon Inflite SL 7
On the Strand
Crown Stables

Posts

  • woodyonthebeachwoodyonthebeach Posts: 583
    Its all about American Express BA credit card. I let my parents use mine, OK its practically there's. Got me and the GF Business class return to the Caribbean.

    Airmiles are the way forward. You can even get them when ordering bike parts.

    Game on
    The doctor said I needed to start drinking more whiskey. Also, I’m calling myself ‘the doctor’ now
  • biondinobiondino Posts: 5,990
    Bibshorts are go again then, Jash?

    That's excellent!
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
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  • il_principeil_principe Posts: 9,146
    woodyonthebeach wrote:
    Its all about American Express BA credit card. I let my parents use mine, OK its practically there's. Got me and the GF Business class return to the Caribbean.

    Airmiles are the way forward. You can even get them when ordering bike parts.

    Game on

    Cue a frenzied American Express application.*

    *thinks about all the lost airmiles.

    :cry:

    Oh and yep Blondie, Bibs are a GO.
    2015 Canyon Aeroad CF SLX
    2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
    2020 Canyon Inflite SL 7
    On the Strand
    Crown Stables
  • artaxerxesartaxerxes Posts: 612
    OMG I have 63012 air miles with BA! Never realised you could actually get flights to places you might want to go with such few miles :D
  • the_hundredth_idiotthe_hundredth_idiot Posts: 813
    BA Miles <> Airmiles. Airmiles are very roughly mile for mile so spend 1,000 miles to travel 1,000 miles.

    I had about 35,000 BA Miles at one point and I think that was just about enough to get me a flight to Paris. :( Mind you, BA Miles accrue at a much quicker rate than Airmiles - probably about 20 times as quick.
    Never be tempted to race against a Barclays Cycle Hire bike. If you do, there are only two outcomes. Of these, by far the better is that you now have the scalp of a Boris Bike.
  • mattybainmattybain Posts: 115
    Yes BA airmiles are like most of the big carriers loyaltly cards. I have about 120,000 miles with the Star Alliance which is ~ 4 return trips to Europe, 2 to the US, SA or India and 1 to Australia.

    Mind you for small trips to Europe I have found that it is often cheaper to get a cheap flight as you still have to pay the tax and excess charges with on of the big carriers when using airmiles.
    26km each way commute on a Decathlon Comp 1 2006 Road Bike

    2009 Communting Totals - Car 112 miles Bike 2,765 miles
  • mattybainmattybain Posts: 115
    jashburnham wrote:
    woodyonthebeach wrote:
    Its all about American Express BA credit card. I let my parents use mine, OK its practically there's. Got me and the GF Business class return to the Caribbean.

    Airmiles are the way forward. You can even get them when ordering bike parts.

    Game on

    Cue a frenzied American Express application.*

    *thinks about all the lost airmiles.

    :cry:

    Oh and yep Blondie, Bibs are a GO.

    And isn't there an annual fee on the BA Amex card ? I am sure it used to be about £100 (but with other benefits like 1 free flight for every flight earned)
    26km each way commute on a Decathlon Comp 1 2006 Road Bike

    2009 Communting Totals - Car 112 miles Bike 2,765 miles
  • woodyonthebeachwoodyonthebeach Posts: 583
    mattybain wrote:
    jashburnham wrote:
    woodyonthebeach wrote:
    Its all about American Express BA credit card. I let my parents use mine, OK its practically there's. Got me and the GF Business class return to the Caribbean.

    Airmiles are the way forward. You can even get them when ordering bike parts.

    Game on

    Cue a frenzied American Express application.*

    *thinks about all the lost airmiles.

    :cry:

    Oh and yep Blondie, Bibs are a GO.

    And isn't there an annual fee on the BA Amex card ? I am sure it used to be about £100 (but with other benefits like 1 free flight for every flight earned)

    Dont know I havent checked for a long time. Parents just transfer the money to me as and when.

    Considering I will fly to turkey about 5-6 times a year it works quit well
    The doctor said I needed to start drinking more whiskey. Also, I’m calling myself ‘the doctor’ now
  • lost_in_thoughtlost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    No annual fee on the BA Amex, I have had one for a while now.

    However, a word of warning - I have nearly 200,000 of the pesky miles, but still couldn't get a business class return to oz (150,000) because there were 'no miles seats available'.

    Lame.

    But for europe hops they're great - just have to remember to use the bloomin' things, and fly out of Stansted to avoid the massive taxes at LHR.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Greg TGreg T Posts: 3,266
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    No annual fee on the BA Amex, I have had one for a while now.

    However, a word of warning - I have nearly 200,000 of the pesky miles, but still couldn't get a business class return to oz (150,000) because there were 'no miles seats available'.

    .


    This is the truth - you are better off waiting for Tectonic drift to take Britain to Australia than for BA to let you use your points and upgrade / give you a flight.
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • artaxerxesartaxerxes Posts: 612
    This is the truth - you are better off waiting for Tectonic drift to take Britain to Australia than for BA to let you use your points and upgrade / give you a flight.

    Damn, I was hoping to get a business class ticket on one of those new double decker Airbus planes (if BA have them).
  • woodyonthebeachwoodyonthebeach Posts: 583
    linoue wrote:
    This is the truth - you are better off waiting for Tectonic drift to take Britain to Australia than for BA to let you use your points and upgrade / give you a flight.

    Damn, I was hoping to get a business class ticket on one of those new double decker Airbus planes (if BA have them).

    BA are not getting any of the Airbus 380's. They have one of the largets fleets of Boeing 747's and possibly one of the newest. So they wont be having them for while
    The doctor said I needed to start drinking more whiskey. Also, I’m calling myself ‘the doctor’ now
  • lost_in_thoughtlost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    linoue wrote:
    This is the truth - you are better off waiting for Tectonic drift to take Britain to Australia than for BA to let you use your points and upgrade / give you a flight.

    Damn, I was hoping to get a business class ticket on one of those new double decker Airbus planes (if BA have them).

    I went to and from oz on one of those with Singapore Airlines in Business. Very nice it was too!
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • artaxerxesartaxerxes Posts: 612
    I had to fly to Malaysia for work a couple of weeks back on economy as there was no premium economy class, and the business class ticket was too expensive. 14 hours in front of a screaming baby is no fun :cry:
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