Book British Airways Award Flights Like a Pro: Part 9 – How to Find Award Availability

  • Million Mile Secrets

    • Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money.

    I get a lot of questions on British Airways Avios points, and started a series on how to use British Airways Avios points 2 years ago and finally finished writing it.

    You can use the British Airways website to find and book award tickets.

    You Can Book British Airways Award Flights on Partner Airlines Such as Air Berlin. You Won’t Pay Fuel Surcharges to Fly to Dusseldorf, Germany.

    Book British Airways Award Flights Like a Pro:

    Airlines Where You Can Use British Airways Avios Points

    Using the British Airways website (sign-in required), you can book award seats on the following airlines:

    However, you can NOT book the following airlines online:

    How to Find Available Award Seats Using BritishAirways.com

    Link:   Book flights with British Airways Avios points (sign-in required)

    Step 1 – Log In

    Log into your British Airways Executive Club account.

    Step 1 – Log Into your British Airways Account Here

    Step 2 – Click “Spending Avios”

    Once you are logged in, hover over the “Executive Club” area at the top and click “Spending Avios.”

    Step 2 – Click on “Spending Avios”

    Step 3 – Click “Book Flights With Avios”

    Once on the next page, you can click “book flights with Avios” on the left side of the screen.

    Step 3 – Click “Book Flights With Avios”

    Step 4 – Search Each Segment Individually

    We’ll look for a 1-way coach award ticket from New York to Rome, Italy, on April 9, 2015, using British Airways Avios points.

    You will pay fuel surcharges for flights on American Airlines, British Airways, and Iberia.  But you do NOT pay fuel surcharges on Air Berlin, so let’s look for flights there!

    You should search for each segment individually because the British Airways award search engine isn’t that smart.

    A.   New York to Dusseldorf, Germany

    This means we should search for flights from New York to Dusseldorf, Germany, and from Dusseldorf, Germany, to Rome, Italy.

    Step 4 – Search Each Segment Individually

    There’s 1 coach award seat available on April 9, 2015.  You’ll pay 20,000 British Airways Avios points + ~$6 to fly 1-way in coach from New York to Dusseldorf, Germany.

    If there weren’t coach award seats on April 9, 2015, you could click on the date tabs to search other days.

    You Can Fly 1-Way Coach From New York to Dusseldorf, Germany, for 20,000 British Airways Avios Points + ~$6
    B.   Dusseldorf, Germany to Rome, Italy

    After finding the flight from New York to Dusseldorf, Germany, we can look for the flight from Dusseldorf, Germany, to Rome, Italy, on April 10, 2015.

    Search for Coach Award Seat From Dusseldorf, Germany to Rome, Italy

    There are coach award seats available on April 10, 2015.  You’ll pay 7,500 British Airways Avios points + ~$38 to fly 1-way in coach from Dusseldorf, Germany, to Rome, Italy.

    If there weren’t coach award seats, you could click on the date tabs to search other days.

    The Coach Award Ticket From Dusseldorf, Germany, to Rome, Italy, Costs 7,500 British Airways Avios Points + $38

    Step 5 – Book Separately or Call British Airways

    Although there are coach award seats on the New York to Dusseldorf, Germany, and the Dusseldorf, Germany, to Rome, Italy, flights, you can NOT book them together on the British Airways website.

    You could book them separately, but if you have to make changes or cancellations, you’ll pay change or cancellation fees for both itineraries.

    So you have to call British Airways at 800-247-9297.  You’ll pay a $25 phone booking fee, but you can ask the agent to waive it because the award wasn’t available online.

    Note:  If you pay for flights separately, you could stopover in Dusseldorf, Germany, for as long as you want and book a later flight to Rome!

    How to Find Award Seats on Alaska Airlines

    Link:   Search for flights on Alaska Airlines using British Airways Avios Points

    You can NOT book Alaska Airlines flights on the British Airways website.  However, you can use the American Airlines website, the Delta Air Lines website, or ExpertFlyer to search for Alaska Airlines award tickets.

    In addition, the British Airways website can NOT search for Finnair flights across the Atlantic, but you can use the American Airlines website to search for Finnair flights.

    You can also use the American Airlines website to search for flights on:

    Step 1 – Enter Travel Information

    Let’s search for 2 award seats from San Jose, California, and Honolulu on October 3, 2014, using the American Airlines website.  Alaska Airlines flies this route nonstop.

    Go to aa.com and enter your travel information.  Make sure to select “Redeem miles.”

    Step 1 – Enter Travel Information

    Step 2 – Uncheck Hawaiian Airlines

    After clicking on October 3, 2014, you can choose from flights on several airlines.

    You have to uncheck Hawaiian Airlines because while they are partners with American Airlines, they are NOT partners with British Airways!  You can keep the results for American Airlines, US Airways and Alaska Airlines because they are British Airways partners.

    Step 2 – Uncheck Hawaiian Airlines

    Your results show connecting flights via Seattle.

    Your Search Reveals Flights From the San Jose Area to Honolulu Are Connecting Flights

    Step 3 – Search for “Non-Stop Only” Flights

    Because you have to pay for each flight separately with British Airways Avios points, you would pay ~ 17,000 to 20,000 British Airways Avios points per person.  So you search again but search for “Non-stop only” flights.

    Step 3 – Search for “Non-stop only” Flights

    Step 4 – Search for MileSAAver Award Seats

    Because there weren’t any non-stop flights on October 3, 2014, you check the next day, October 4, 2014.

    If there are MileSAAver award seats, you can book the flight using British Airways Avios points.

    There are 2 coach award seats on the non-stop Alaska Airlines flight from San Jose to Honolulu.  You should pay 12,500 British Airways Avios points per person.

    Write down the flight number and call British Airways at 800-247-9297 to book.

    Step 4 – Search for MileSAAver Award Seats

    ExpertFlyer

    Link:   ExpertFlyer

    You can also use ExpertFlyer, a paid subscription service, to search for award tickets.  You can set up alerts if award seats become available.  However, many features are reserved for those who pay for Premium Service.

    You can use ExpertFlyer to search for award tickets on the following British Airways partners:

    Here’s how to use ExpertFlyer to search for Alaska Airlines space.

    Step 1 – Click on “Awards & Upgrades”

    After signing into your ExpertFlyer account, click “Awards & Upgrades.”

    Step 1- Click “Awards & Upgrades”

    Step 2 – Enter Your Travel Information

    Using your example from above, you search for flights from San Jose (SJC) to Honolulu (HNL).  Enter your travel information to include:

    Then click “Search.”

    Step 2 – Enter Your Travel Information

    Step 3 – Search for Saver Awards

    Because you can only use British Airways Avios points on Saver awards, you have to search for Saver Awards.  So you search for “First – Saver Award (A)” for First Class seats, and “Coach – Saver Award (W)” for coach seats.

    There are 2 First Class award seats but no coach seats on October 3, 2014.

    On October 4, 2014, there are no First Class award seats and 2 coach seats.

    Step 3 – Search for Saver Awards

    Step 4 – Click to Set Award Alert

    You can also set award alerts if award seats become available.

    Because you want 2 coach seats on October 3, 2014, you set an award alert to notify you if Alaska Airlines releases more award seats.  ExpertFlyer keeps track of these changes for you!

    Click the “!” icon to set an award alert.

    Step 4 – Click to Set Award Alert

    A “Create Flight Alert” pop-up box will appear.  You can set an alert for coach or First Class, and you will get an email when award seats become available.

    Create Your Flight Alert

    Bottom Line

    You can use the British Airways website, American Airlines website, and ExpertFlyer to search for award tickets.

    You have to call British Airways at 800-247-9297 to book flights on Alaska Airlines.

    You can set an award alert on ExpertFlyer to let you know when award seats become available for your travel dates.

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)
    Exit mobile version