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Home  >  American Express • British Airways  >  I’m Suspicious of the Big AMEX Transfer Bonus to British Airways
American ExpressBritish Airways

I’m Suspicious of the Big AMEX Transfer Bonus to British Airways

Matthew Klint Posted onJuly 18, 2017July 18, 2017 3 Comments

In the last few days we’ve seen a huge change in balance between American Express Membership Reward points and British Airways Avios. First, transfers went from 1.25 AMEX to 1 BA Avios to 1:1. Now AMEX is offering a 40% transfer bonus through September 17, 2017. In other words, you get 75% more Avios for your AMEX points this week over last week. I’m suspicious.

Make no mistake, this is good news. Tiffany wisely lays outs why you should think carefully before transferring points, but hopefully you can take advantage of some of the sweet spots in the British Airways Avios award chart during this promotion.

As a reminder, I lay out my top five redemptions here. I should add that shorthaul redemptions in Asia and Australia also tend to be extremely lucrative, but that’s the key: shorthaul.

Just remember that the distance-based award chart becomes progressively punitive for premium cabin redemptions:

Zone // Flight Distance Economy
Off Peak // Peak
Premium Economy
Off Peak // Peak
Business
Off Peak // Peak
First
Off Peak // Peak
Zone 1
1-650 miles
4,000 // 4,500 5,750 // 6,750 7,750 // 9,000 15,500 // 18,000
Zone 2
651-1150 miles
6,500 // 7,500 9,500 // 11,250 12,750 // 15,000 25,500 // 30,000
Zone 3
1151-2000 miles
8,500 // 10,000 12,750 // 15,000 17,000 // 20,000 34,000 // 40,000
Zone 4
2001-3000 miles
10,000 // 12,500 20,000 // 25,000 31,250 // 37,500 42,500 // 50,000
Zone 5
3001-4000 miles
13,000 // 20,000 26,000 // 40,000 50,000 // 60,000 68,000 // 80,000
Zone 6
4001-5500 miles
16,250 // 25,000 32,500 // 50,000 62,500 // 75,000 85,000 // 100,000
Zone 7
5501-6500 miles
19,500 // 30,000 39,000 // 60,000 75,000 // 90,000 102,000 // 120,000
Zone 8
6501-7000 miles
22,750 // 35,000 45,500 // 70,000 87,500 // 105,000 119,000 // 140,000
Zone 9
7001+ miles
32,50 // 50,000 65,000 // 100,000 125,000 // 150,000 170,000 // 200,000

For most longhaul premium cabins redemptions, there are other and better programs, especially if you have flexible points currency like American Express or Starwood. Remember that all partner airlines (non-BA) are always charged the peak price.

But I’m suspicious.

We know that the many different Avios programs will eventually be merged into a single program. We know that is supposed to happen some time this year.

I have a feeling this promotion is the swan song: the calm before the coming storm. While I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong, the last British Airways devaluation was significant. Incredibly significant.

Virgin Atlantic has eliminated nearly all the sweet spots in its loyalty program and I expect British Airways to follow.

Sometimes we are pleasantly surprised. United’s autumn devaluation will not be nearly as bad as I feared. Maybe we’ll be similarly fortunate with BA.

But heed this warning: do not make speculative transfers into your Avios account. Try to only transfer in what you can book immediately or at least in the next few weeks.

I say this for your own protection. If I am wrong, I’ll take the blame, but if I am right you will thank me later. No speculative transfers for me.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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3 Comments

  1. henry LAX Reply
    July 18, 2017 at 1:52 pm

    lots of the natural scenery fun in Greenland lies inside those deep ice caves unspoiled by human activity – I’d say go for it if you can find a way to safely carry an infant inside those ice caves with you.

  2. henry LAX Reply
    July 18, 2017 at 2:22 pm

    *sorry that was meant for your other post about choosing between the flight itineraries, not about the BA Avios one.

  3. Kacee Reply
    July 20, 2017 at 11:10 am

    I agree this has the feel of an impending devaluation.

    Would be really dirty pool, but that’s SOP from BA.

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