Maximize Your Savings: Booking Cheap American Airlines Flights with Avios
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Why Use British Airways Avos for American Airlines flights?
- Step 1: Using Google Flights to Search for Non-stop American Airlines Flights
- Step 2: Pre-searching Award Availability on Qantas
- Step 3: Comparing Award Calendar with Google Flights
- Step 4: Book the Flight with British Airways Avos
- Alternative Method: Using Built Rewards for Availability Search
- Pros and Cons of using British Airways Avos for American Airlines flights
- Conclusion
- Resources
Article:
💺 How to Book American Airlines Flights Using British Airways Avos
Are you planning a trip to New York City and wondering how to book a flight on American Airlines? In this guide, I will walk you through the process of booking American Airlines flights using British Airways Avios. This method allows you to maximize the value of your points and potentially save on travel expenses. So, let's get started!
Introduction
When it comes to booking flights, most major banks' rewards programs are not directly transferable to American Airlines, except for one major exception - British Airways Avios. By utilizing British Airways Avios, you can book flights on American Airlines and potentially get more value out of your points compared to using other banks' travel portals. So, if you're looking to fly to New York City, this guide is for you!
Why Use British Airways Avos for American Airlines flights?
Before we dive into the step-by-step process, let's understand why we choose to use British Airways Avios for booking American Airlines flights. The main reason is that British Airways charges points based on distance, rather than a fixed mileage chart like other airlines. This means that if you book a non-stop flight, you will generally require fewer points compared to a flight with connections. By using British Airways Avios, we can aim for non-stop flights and potentially save on points.
Step 1: Using Google Flights to Search for Non-stop American Airlines Flights
To begin the process, we will start by searching for non-stop American Airlines flights on Google Flights. This will give us an overview of the available flight options from our departure city to New York. By applying filters for non-stop flights and selecting American Airlines as the preferred airline, we can narrow down the search results. Make sure to select the month you intend to travel to get accurate availability information.
Step 2: Pre-searching Award Availability on Qantas
To further refine our search and identify specific dates with award availability, we will use Qantas' award calendar. As Qantas is part of the One World Alliance, which includes British Airways and American Airlines, they share award availability data. By using Qantas' multicity search option and entering the desired travel dates, we can see a calendar that displays available award flights. This step helps us identify potential dates for booking on British Airways.
Step 3: Comparing Award Calendar with Google Flights
Now that we have the award availability information from Qantas, we can compare it with the non-stop flight dates we found on Google Flights. This step ensures that we find the best possible combination of non-stop flights and available award seats. By cross-referencing the dates and selecting the most suitable ones, we are ready to proceed to the next step.
Step 4: Book the Flight with British Airways Avos
To book the selected flights, we will go to the British Airways website and create an account if we don't have one already. After logging in, we navigate to the booking section and choose the option to book a flight with Avios. Entering the flight details, we will be presented with available flights and their corresponding point costs. By selecting the desired non-stop flights, we can proceed to confirm the booking and provide passenger information. Finally, we transfer the required points from our chosen bank's rewards program to British Airways.
Alternative Method: Using Built Rewards for Availability Search
If you are looking for additional options or want to double-check your work, an alternative method is to use Built Rewards. Built is a credit card company that offers its own rewards program and provides a tool to search for award availability. By logging in to Built Rewards and accessing their Transfer Partners section, you can utilize their search tool to find flights on American Airlines. This can be helpful if you prefer a more comprehensive search or if you have limited date options.
Pros and Cons of using British Airways Avos for American Airlines flights
Using British Airways Avios to book American Airlines flights offers several advantages, such as the ability to maximize point value, potential savings on non-stop flights, and access to a wide range of flight options. However, it also has a few limitations, including availability constraints, the need to transfer points, and the potential for limited award inventory during peak travel periods. Consider these pros and cons before deciding to book through this method.
Conclusion
By following this step-by-step guide, you now have a clear understanding of how to book American Airlines flights using British Airways Avios. Remember to utilize Google Flights for initial search, Qantas for award availability, and British Airways for booking the flights with Avios. Additionally, consider Built Rewards as an alternative method for availability search if needed. With these tips, you can make the most out of your points and enjoy a seamless booking experience.
Resources
