Help me make sense of BA Avios

[NatterNatter50]

Hello! Hope someone can help as I’m new to this. I’ve just earned my first companion voucher and also have 55,000 avios accumulated. Want to book a trip for me, DH and our 5-year old (stuck with going in UK school holidays). What are my options? I have no idea what I can even get with this and how to find out as I believe that to use companion voucher I have to pay for the other adult seat in avios and can’t part pay that in cash. My app states that the companion voucher ends by August 2026 so assume I have to book by then. Not bothered about business class which I guess is just as well as I don’t have enough avios for business class I think. Also what if I book outbound seats and then can’t get the return seats? I’m so confused, help! xx

It’s 1am in British summer time @elizabethcharlotte

@MeetMeOnTheCorner- this is exactly what I’m worried about - booking the outbound flights and then not securing the return flights. I am just booking 2 x economy reward flights though so hoping I’ll be ok

In order to get more Avios do make sure you are doing any online shopping via the Avios app - so for example Booking.com gives 6avios a £ spent (you get Avios after stay), plus you can link u er account to Avios - I use to book trains. Loads of others shops on the app - John Lewis etc. Basically I do not spend money unless I am getting Avios for it. I also have an Avios Barclaycard I use if they don’t take Amex. Sign up for Head for points as they will tell you when offers are on. You can buy Avios all the time - Avios boost is the cheapest way to- check head for points on how to do. You might see the difference in buying extra Avios cost vs price of flights. Once you decide to go for it, they are fairly easy to collect using Avios app!

Thanks @ZoeyBartlett. I’ve only just downloaded the avios app and linked the other apps I use to it. Wish I’d done this sooner.

The website isn't the most user friendly but worth persevering. We're using a companion voucher and some Avios to fly to Barcelona Club Europe for £60 return for both of us later this week.

Not correct

Flights are released 355 days before the date you wish to fly

You must travel out and return before the expiry date of the companion voucher

London to Cape Town and return in business class for 2 people for £950 and a heap of Avios and a companion voucher.

The BA site states:
Outbound travel must take place before the expiry date of the Companion Voucher however inbound travel can take place after the expiry date of the Companion Voucher, provided it is booked at the same time as the outbound travel.

Thanks, that’s good. Probably because I never book the outbound and the inbound at the same time due to not wanting to miss availability of the outbound flight before the inbound flight is released 355 days before. So it’s only ok if booking both legs at the same time on the same ticket.

How do you book them and use for both legs? I’ve managed on popular routes

Sorry not sure I understand your question?

You say you never book outbound and inbound together, but I’ve always waited to see both legs and can miss out. With only 1 voucher, how do you do that. Sorry if I’m being thick!

Thank you so much! It worked! I have my outbound flight so now I need to wait a while before booking the return flight. Can you guide me through the process please? So I set my alarm and book a reward flight? Use more Avios? Or pay for a flight in full? Then phone BA to ask them to match it with my companion voucher? I don’t want to mess it up!

Sorry I get it now. No you are not being thick!

You book the outbound flight online using the companion voucher on the day it’s released

On the day the inbound flight is released, you phone BA Exec Club to add the inbound flight to your original booking and apply the companion voucher to both legs.

There is a way of booking both legs online but that’s a whole new conversation and requires enough Avios to book the return flight using all Avios and then phone BA to request a 50% refund of Avios and to link the 2 bookings on one ticket.

Well currently on hold to BA now and if it takes this long to get through to them then I’m definitely at risk of not securing any return flights

Brilliant, thank you. We are trying to go to LA so i doubt we'll have any luck, but I may as well try! Outside usual school holidays so you never know

That's weird I've got an older user name

It’s all so stressful and complicated! I hope you get the flights you are hoping for!

@elizabethcharlotte do exactly the same for the return online at 1am, use your points to pay for the return then the next day phone BA and ask them to link the two flights and apply the companion voucher. They then refund the Avios back to you

@elizabethcharlottethanks. Managed to book the outbound flights online. Fingers crossed return leg will be easier. Hope you manage to sort yours x

Also if you need more points use the app
pm me for a referral and we’ll both get 500 Avios