This is a gem on top of a bargain…
There’s a fare sale going on right now from Dublin, Inverness and Zurich which brings premium economy to New York City from £530 round trip. By any account – that’s a complete and total flight bargain worth booking even if you don’t have any Avios points, and yes – even if you don’t live in any of those cities! But, thanks to British Airways extremely friendly upgrade policy, you can take this a step further, locking in a round trip business class upgrade (while earning points back) for as few as 40,000 Avios points…
When you cash in your Avios Points for a redemption ticket you earn no Avios or “tier points”, which are the points that help you earn elite frequent flyer status. It’s great to get a seat on the cheap, but it’s no fun to miss out and thanks to this opportunity you shouldn’t. In this instance, it’s actually cheaper to buy a normal premium economy ticket and upgrade using Avios points. You’ll earn tons of miles back too! You’ll spend less than half the points and roughly the same amount of cash as you would’ve if you were just redeeming points. #winning.
The British Airways Premium Economy Deals
British Airways is offering aggressive sales from a few European cities, and great prices from London, but there’s no better starting point than Dublin. From Dublin, Ireland, there are £530 ($671) round trip premium flights to the Big Apple. Inverness is just above at £550 ($700) and Zurich is close behind at £571 ($720). London is also available for £740 ($945). Not every single date will be available, so play around using the British Airways seven day window to see lowest dates.
These deals are available for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday departures from January 16th to March 21st, 2019 and a Sunday stay is the only requirement. Six day trips seem to offer the very lowest prices. If you leave on Saturday you can come back Monday, not that you’d want to. It’s New York! You must book directly with British Airways to upgrade using Avios. You can’t book through American, Iberia or any partners.
Find Avios Upgrade Space First Before Booking
If you want to be a total pro, you’ll want to find flights where upgrades are available before you actually book. This way you can just call up immediately, hand over your booking details and confirm your business class flights long before departure. To find availability, you just search as if you’re using miles. Upgrades and seats in business class using miles are one in the same with British Airways. Here’s a really handy tool to search. If no business class upgrade availability exists, you can set free alerts.
The best way to upgrade is to call British Airways once you’ve found flights where you know they’re available. You’ll pay a small difference in surcharges, which will bring the overall trip price to around £600 return. If you’re quoted a much higher number ask for a “manual calculation” of the additional surcharges to upgrade. Sometimes, they get it wrong. Here’s more on that. 20,000 Avios each way should get the job done for the long haul. There’s no point in upgrading for the short hop from Dublin, Inverness or Zurich to London…
If the BA product was competitive and genuinely premium, matching their fares they wouldn’t need these frequent offers.
BA’s buisness class is like any other airlins ecconamy class comprising of poor food dirty aircraft and crew who are totally word down the only reason they can call it biss class alis they have a bed. I fly with them alot with work and my hart sinks when i have to use them avoid BA like the plague just come back from Honk kong with then poor poor poor. If u have to pay for your BA flight ,that is,its not work then choose another airline youtube the product and u will see what i mean.
Yeah that’s just not accurate by any account.
Wow David you are very wrong !
BA’s CW is pretty poor compared to some other business class offerings but it is significantly better than economy. Can’t disagree on the cleanliness of some planes though.
I am quite comfortable slagging off CW but only with accurate, truthful points. You don’t need to exaggerate or make things up in order to say it’s not a great business class seat/cabin.
Saying it is like other airlines economy is just wildly false !
I think his accuracy of the spelling speaks volumes?
Unfortunately the only upgradable seats I’m seeing anywhere near my dates are on the wretched LGW service to JFK. No thank you.