Are you ready for another TPOL spreadsheet? My best was the $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which was followed by Tahiti Triumph and the Quest Around the Globe. Those trip reports have one thing in common: I haven’t finished writing any of them.
In the spirit of procrastination, I am embarking on another great points trip but not to typical points places. I am starting my trip by visiting Napoli in coach on Air France for 18k points. In addition to Europe, I am also going to Morocco. And that’s where I ran into points trouble.
Morocco is only 2 hours from Spain but is considered Africa on award charts. This makes sense because it is in Africa. The issue is that award flights to Africa are 75k on American in business as opposed to 57.5k from Europe. I’ll save my AA miles for my Mt. Kilimanjaro trip in the fall. (Spreadsheet coming soon.) Instead, I found a flight from Marrakech to Madrid on Iberia for $104, a value that trumps the 7500 Avios + $19 price tag. That got me thinking about a mythical way of flying home from Europe to the US using Avios while avoiding British metal.
And wouldn’t you know it, like the M&M Santa commercial, it does exist! I found two flights, one to Chicago, and one to Boston on Iberia in business. Since Chicago provides two more hours of business for the same price, I went with the longer flight.
It only cost 34k Avios + a reasonable $245 in taxes. Compare this to these head scratchers: LHR-ORD for 50k Avios + $450 or MAD-LHR-ORD for 62,750 Avios + $275.
Why does BA even offer these silly routes? Who would be foolish enough to take them? What am I missing?
Isn’t it even cheaper booked with Iberia Avios (as far as surcharges go)?
Ah shit u may be right!!
Great find 🙂 I am also frustrated with BA surcharges, but sometimes i have to use them for last minute Business class flight to/from Europe. Have you flown Iberia Business before?
no, this would be the first time
Yeah, like Lack said, u could transfer Avios to Iberia if u have an activated Iberia Plus account, and probably save $150 on the surcharges vs booking through BA
yes you are completely right. i am an idiot. time to call BA which is always a treat
The missus and I (and her mother) also booked three in business class ord-mad using Iberia Avios several months ago for a Mother’s Day trip. The “Thought Leader” had an article regarding lots of availability and he was indeed correct. Couldn’t get her to let me cancel and rebook in economy last week when the Spain specials came up. Note to self – don’t get spouse spoiled on lie-flat seats.
Lol the though leader. Love Gary but that’s cultish. I’m trying to rebook on Iberia but transfer issues. Account has been open too long they said with no use. Opened it 5 years ago and forgot about the benefit
Account needs to be ‘active’ in order to transfer in, which means it has earned 1 Avios. Amex MR transfer would do it.
I did that but there was an error. I called iberia which had to reactivate it on their end even though i could still log in on mine. I hope the flight is there in the 7 business days they say it will take.