New British Airways Avios Sweet Spots From Nine US Cities to Ireland
Last week we shared the unfortunate news that the Boston (BOS) - Dublin (DUB) sweet spot using Avios isn't quite as attractive anymore. British Airways is following Aer Lingus' new award chart and treating BOS-DUB as part of Zone 5, even though the mileage between the two cities should make it a Zone 4 redemption. This change raises the standard one-way redemption cost on this route by 7,500 Avios in economy and a whopping 22,500 Avios in business.
But there's a silver lining to this change. Concurrent with British Airways' move to follow the Aer Lingus chart, BA also started allowing Aer Lingus award flights to be redeemed with Avios at "off-peak" pricing. Formerly, only British Airways and Iberia flights were eligible for the off-peak pricing.
For the BOS-DUB route, this means that award flights on off-peak dates cost just 500 Avios more each direction than before. In business class, the difference isn't as minor. Off-peak Zone 5 costs 12,500 more Avios each way than the standard Zone 4 business-class redemption.
However, this off-peak change now opens 10 new routes at cheaper rates. Previously, you'd have to pay 20,000 Avios each way to book an Aer Lingus economy award flight on routes between 3,001 and 4,000 miles. Now, if you fly during Aer Lingus' off-peak dates (caution: PDF link), you'll pay just 13,000 Avios each way on these routes. For these off-peak dates, that's a savings of 14,000 Avios round-trip thanks to this change.
For routes between 4,001 and 5,500 miles, the standard Zone 6 award rate is 25,000 Avios. But, you'll pay just 16,250 Avios each way during off-peak dates.
Figuring the off-peak dates are super restrictive? Good news. The off-peak dates stretch through much of the year — excluding the winter holidays, the middle of April and peak summer travel. The exact off-peak dates are January 5-April 6, April 24-June 16 and September 11-December 15.
| City | Route | Flight Miles | Standard Rate (economy) | Off-Peak Rate (economy) | Savings (one-way) | Approximate Value of savings* (one-way) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hartford | BDL-DUB | 3,078 | 20,000 | 13,000 | 7,000 | $105 |
New York | JFK-SNN | 3,095 | 20,000 | 13,000 | 7,000 | $105 |
New York | JFK-DUB | 3,179 | 20,000 | 13,000 | 7,000 | $105 |
Newark | EWR-DUB | 3,193 | 20,000 | 13,000 | 7,000 | $105 |
Toronto | YYZ-DUB | 3,279 | 20,000 | 13,000 | 7,000 | $105 |
Washington DC | IAD-DUB | 3,404 | 20,000 | 13,000 | 7,000 | $105 |
Chicago | ORD-DUB | 3,674 | 20,000 | 13,000 | 7,000 | $105 |
Orlando | MCO-DUB | 4,072 | 25,000 | 16,250 | 8,750 | $131 |
Miami | MIA-DUB | 4,165 | 25,000 | 16,250 | 8,750 | $131 |
San Francisco | SFO-DUB | 5,098 | 25,000 | 16,250 | 8,750 | $131 |
Los Angeles | LAX-DUB | 5,181 | 25,000 | 16,250 | 8,750 | $131 |
*Based on the latest TPG valuation of British Airways Avios
There's similar savings for award redemptions in business class. During off-peak dates, Aer Lingus flights between 3,001-4,000 miles drop from 60,000 Avios each way to 50,000 Avios. Meanwhile, 4,001-5,500 mile flights drop from 75,000 Avios to 62,500 Avios.
Interested in booking off-peak Aer Lingus flights using Avios? First, you need to figure out generally when you'd like to travel. To get the off-peak rates, you'll need to travel between January 5-April 6, April 24-June 16 and September 11-December 15. Next, search for Aer Lingus award availability using United's website. Finally, call British Airways (1-800-247-9297) to complete the booking.
Bottom Line
While we're still bemoaning the loss of year-round 25,000-Avios transatlantic round-trips, we can now celebrate 26,000-Avios transatlantic round-trips from six North American cities — and 33,000-Avios round-trips from four other cities — during eight months of the year.
H/T: Travel Miles 101
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.