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British Airways to Launch Nonstop Service Between New Orleans and London

Emily McNutt
Emily McNutt
Contributor
Oct. 20, 2016
•
2 min read
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British Airways to Launch Nonstop Service Between New Orleans and London
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Beginning March 27, 2017, British Airways will launch new 4x weekly service between New Orleans (MSY) and London (LHR). This will be the only nonstop flight connecting The Big Easy with Europe — something the city hasn't had since 1982.

Here's the schedule, which will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays:

  • BA0224 — New Orleans (MSY) 9:20pm Departure ⇒ London (LHR) 12:00pm (+1) Arrival
  • BA 0225 — London (LHR) 3:40pm Departure ⇒ New Orleans (MSY) 7:40pm Arrival

The 10-hour and about 4,629-mile journey will be operated by one of BA's 787-8 Dreamliners. The aircraft has three cabins: World Traveller (154 seats), World Traveller Plus (25 seats) and Club World (35 seats).

As of this writing, the flights are currently bookable on BA's website. You can fly on the inaugural from MSY to LHR from $952 round-trip in economy. Or, you can book a one-way ticket on the inaugural for $477.

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There seems to be pretty good award availability on this route — in both economy and business. A one-way trip in business class will cost you 62,500 Avios + $442, while a one-way ticket in economy will cost you 16,250 Avios + $287. There's also availability with round-trip awards — a round-trip in business will cost 137,500 Avios + $1,140, and an economy ticket will cost you 41,250 Avios + $732. As you can see, and as is standard with BA award tickets, there are some pretty substantial surcharges.

Ultimately, this is an interesting addition to BA's route network, making it the only nonstop option between New Orleans and London — and on a larger scale, all of Europe. Keep in mind that you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Avios at a 1:1 ratio, so award tickets on this route could be much more attainable after earning a 100,000-point sign-up bonus from the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

H/T: nola.com

Featured image by JT Genter

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.