One of the best value areas of the British Airways Avios redemption scheme is Reward Flight Saver. It is available if you have earned at least one Avios in the past 12 months. These are priced much lower than the taxes and charges would normally be. They also include baggage. Executive Club members can travel to and from Europe from as little as £1 plus 18,500 Avios, or to a long-haul destination, such as New York, from £100 plus 50,000 Avios in economy.
Up to now, it was only available on British Airways operated flights short haul for economy and business class (Club Europe) and economy on some long haul flights. From today it will be available on ALL long haul flights and in Club World (business class) as well as Premium Economy (World Traveller Plus) and economy (World Traveller).
British Airways has doubled the number of long-haul destinations available with RFS, with 100% of its route network now on offer to Members, including destinations such as New Orleans, Nashville, Austin, Sydney, Bermuda, Buenos Aires and St Kitts and Nevis.
Return Club World RFS flights are available from as little as £350 plus 160,000 Avios, while return World Traveller Plus RFS flights are available from £280 plus 85,000 Avios. Further pricing examples have been included below, and one-way tickets will be half of these cash and Avios amounts. For comparison, the lowest rate currently for a return to New York is 110000 Avios + £ 853.01. So yes, you will pay more Avios, but you will save a lot of cash. Some routes are better value than others with New York offering a £500 saving for 50,000 Avios whereas Singapore is less good value at a £350 discount for 45,000 Avios.
Most importantly, they become great value when you use RFS with BA Amex companion vouchers which lessens the amount of Avios needed. New style vouchers can even be used for solo travellers to get 50% off. Upgrade vouchers can also be used with RFS.
BA also guarantees that a minimum number of Reward Seats are available to book on every flight to and from London Heathrow and London Gatwick;
- Eight in Euro/World Traveller
- Two in World Traveller Plus
- Four in Club Europe/World
For the first time, RFS bookings are now available to Executive Club Members based in the US. Return flights are available to London Heathrow and London Gatwick from $200 plus 50,000 in World Traveller, and $700 plus 160,000 Avios in Club World.
Ian Romanis, Director of Retail and Customer Relationship Management, said: “Offering more choice than ever, this is an exciting development for our Executive Club programme and great news for our Members. We know they value flexibility, so we’ve also ensured plenty of opportunity to lower their cash spend by using more Avios.
“We listen to our Members’ feedback and continue to heavily invest in our Executive Club in recognition of their loyalty, offering as many options as possible for our customers to travel the world affordably.”
Off-peak pricing
| Destination (from London, return) | Cabin | Avios required | Cash required |
| New York | World Traveller | 50,000 | £100 |
| World Traveller Plus | 85,000 | £280 | |
| Club World | 160,000 | £350 | |
| Los Angeles | World Traveller | 60,000 | £150 |
| World Traveller Plus | 95,000 | £330 | |
| Club World | 180,000 | £450 | |
| Barbados | World Traveller | 60,000 | £150 |
| World Traveller Plus | 95,000 | £330 | |
| Club World | 180,000 | £450 | |
| Dubai | World Traveller | 50,000 | £100 |
| World Traveller Plus | 85,000 | £280 | |
| Club World | 160,000 | £350 | |
| Cape Town | World Traveller | 60,000 | £150 |
| World Traveller Plus | 95,000 | £330 | |
| Club World | 180,000 | £450 | |
| Singapore | World Traveller | 80,000 | £250 |
| World Traveller Plus | 110,000 | £430 | |
| Club World | 220,000 | £600 | |
| Sydney | World Traveller | 100,000 | £300 |
| World Traveller Plus | 160,000 | £480 | |
| Club World | 290,000 | £750 | |
| Origin (to London, return) | |||
| New York to London Heathrow | World Traveller | 50,000 | $200 |
| World Traveller Plus | 85,000 | $560 | |
| Club World | 160,000 | $700 | |
| Los Angeles to London Heathrow | World Traveller | 60,000 | $300 |
| World Traveller Plus | 95,000 | $660 | |
| Club World | 180,000 | $900 |
| Buenos Aires/Santiago | World Traveller | 80,000 | £250 |
| World Traveller Plus | 110,000 | £425 | |
| Club World | 220,000 | £600 |
2 comments
Just an additional point for any US based members. The flight MUST be on BA Metal. You will not be able to book RFS sectors on AA even if the flight is a code share.
This is due to BA not having the inventory for these flights on other carriers.
Last minute/ late notice equipment swap outs which left you rebooked on AA metal would still enable you to take the flight and to claim for ORC afterwards if the system didn’t apply it.
This is a devaluation/price increase. The option to redeem the same number of avios and pay the same amount in fees that would have been applied before this change does not exist. One can redeem the same amount of avios but the amount of fees payable has increased. For example, in October, I used a Chase companion voucher for (2) Club Word tickets from the US east coast to Africa (250,000 Avios plus USD 5,100). Under the new scheme (assuming use of the companion voucher and a 50% reduction in avios required) the cost is 225,000 Avios plus $7,220. This is an increase of $2,100 in fees. I understand that prices go up but to advocate that this change is not a price increase is factually inaccurate. Current pricing options for this booking are as follows (assuming the 50% reduction in required avios).
340,000 Avios plus $3,200
282,000 Avios plus $4,778
225,000 Avios plus $7,220
196,000 Avios plus $9,400
154,000 Avios plus $1,120
112,500 Avios plus $3,760
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