BA Amex companion voucher

[sbchannel]

I am looking to book a 2021 trip in September. I have earned a companion voucher through my AmEx (the premium card so it’s valid for 24 months) and will have enough Avios for business flights!

However, I am really confused about how I use it!

How far in advance can I book? We are looking to be away for 3 weeks - can you book the outward journey then the return part later?

So we have to fly in and out of the same airport to use it? Eg, could I fly into MCO but fly back from Miami? Or even fly into MCO and fly back from Vegas (if we wanted to do a couple of states in 1 trip and just pay for internal flights?)

I’m finding it all really confusing, so any help would be appreciated!

[howerd]

Hi!

You can book reward flights 355 days in advance. Ba guarantee to release 2 business and 4 economy seats per flight. If you are flying in peak time it’s generally best to book them straight away.

You can book the outbound one way when it is released (at 355) and then ring up to add on the return leg once it is released.

We have used them for different airports before, there are some terms regarding the distance between the 2 airports and if it’s a different country I think may throw up some issues. The executive club number will be able to confirm if there is any issue with the route you are looking to book.

Hope this helps.

Amy

[Sandraoh40]

Hi!,
I have just done all of this.
I had enough avios for CW and wanted to go to the west coast. You can book pretty far in advance. If you have a look you can see when you are able to book just now, and it moves on a day at a time.
We booked our outbound journey as soon as it was released. We booked online and used our 2-4-1. We had to pay the taxes at the time. We were able to secure our CW flights to LA.
I gave them a call to confirm that we could phone and add on our return journey, using the same 2-4-1 and also only costing us the taxes for a return trip and not 2 singles. This was all fine. We also had the issue of the flight back up from London to Glasgow, which wouldn’t be released until the following day again. This was fine to call up the next again day and get it added on. ( I hope you can follow all this)
So when my dates for the return came on I called the Uk call centre bang on 7:30 am. I had looked online to see what flights were available and we were able to get first class flights back from Vegas, which we booked. I called again the following day and added on the regional flight.
Taxes were finalised on the second call once the regional flights were added.
So all in all a pretty easy thing to do and we got what we wanted. We fly out on Sunday 13/12 and return on Boxing Day.

[Guest]

I am using a companion voucher and avios for both of my trips this year, first class to NY in April and business class to Orlando in December.

I normally wait until the usual eleven months or so mark, however something made me check on 1st January for my December trip and I managed to book out on 5th and return on 20th, which seemed a bit early. Just as well I looked as I got the only two seats in club for ten days.

I have heard about people booking one leg and then ringing to do the other. I don’t like BA call centre though and try to avoid ringing them so have never done that, I book both legs on line when the return is available.

I have never spotted a way of doing the outward and return to / from different airports online. However if you decided to ring for your return, maybe you will be able to do that. Hopefully someone else can confirm if they have managed it.

[Peko]

You have to call to book an open-jaw (different airports) return using a 2-4-1, it can’t be done online. With an open jaw, the surface sector has to be a shorter distance than either of the two flights booked in order to use a 2-4-1. That is, if you are flying out LHR-ABC and returning XYZ-LHR, the distance ABC-XYZ must be shorter than both LHR-ABC and LHR-XYZ.

For business class seats to popular destinations over peak dates, it’s advisable to book as soon as seats are released. This is 355 days before travel date, at midnight GMT (so 01:00 BST in the summer). Be online or on the phone at that time, to be certain of availability.

Just in case you weren’t aware, 2-4-1 vouchers can only be used on BA operated flights, codeshares operated by other airlines are ineligible.

[stanleycamel]

Originally Posted by kadiekaismummi

Hi, less than a week ago I made a booking fir one night HRH in kct club level for 4 of us, but my daughter & her boyfriend didn’t book at the same time as us! they decided yesterday they would book too, makes sense really! But it seems I cant find it anything near the price we booked for £329 club level in oct, nearest I can find for her & her boyfriend is £450! Just seems a really massive jump in proces over the last few days, anyone have any ideas where to book to bring the prices down, shes now saying shes not paying that! When last week if shed booked was £298! But seems silly us 4 booking & having folp & her & her boyfriend not? Dont really want to cancel our stay there either any idea guys xx

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Think you have posted this in the incorrect thread kadiekaismummi

[kadiekaismummi]

Originally Posted by stanleycamel

Think you have posted this in the incorrect thread kadiekaismumm

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Sorry, i have silly me thank you x

[Guest]

Originally Posted by kadiekaismummi

Hi, less than a week ago I made a booking for one night HRH in club level for 4 of us, but my daughter & her boyfriend didn’t book at the same time as us! they decided yesterday they would book too, makes sense really! But it seems I cant find it anything near the price we booked for £329 club level in oct, nearest I can find for her & her boyfriend is £450! Just seems a really massive jump n prices over the last few days, anyone have any ideas where to book to bring the prices down, shes now saying shes not paying that! When last week if shed booked was £298! But seems silly us 4 booking & having folp & her & her boyfriend not to have? Do you think these prices will come down over the coming days/weeks ? Dont really want to cancel our stay there either been looking so much to the 6 of us experiencing HRH & folp at club level together! any idea guys xx

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I am not sure why you have posted on this thread, you probably needed a new one. Anyway what day do you want, I find hotel prices are up and down all month so people would need to know you date in order to make suggestions, find good prices.

[Procrastinator]

Baredemptionfinder is the most useful site for avios.

And the £3 a month search you can do is well worth it too.

We had nabbed 4xecon return to orlando in summer hols. But then a month later i got the notification from baredemption finder 4xbusiness seats had popped up at the end of August. I called and booked them changing dates slightly, but then had PE out to TPA and Business back from MCO for £2k. Bargain.

You do have to call to do the open jaw flights (different in and out airports), but it is no problem for them.

[chelynnah]

For the return do not wait to call the UK centre at 7:30am. Instead call the US number (you can find it online), at midnight GMT or 1am BST. Be on the phone with them a minute or two before so they can get the seats as soon as they’re released. If you wait they’re likely to be gone. Even when I’ve been on the phone in time they’ve literally watched them disappear as they were trying to get them.

I used to hear about people doing this but was nervous to try it. The first time I did it I called an hour too early. The agent was fantastic and actually said he would book them if he could as soon as they came up and would email to confirm. Instead he called to let me know. He went above and beyond. I’ve done it this way ever since.

Even though it’s the US number I do believe it’s a foreign call centre, but the customer service is excellent. Unlike some foreign call centres their agents are well trained and really know what they’re doing.