[GreenScot]

Generally, I find OneWorld Emerald benefits significantly better than Star Alliance Gold and SkyTeam Elite Plus. I am currently BA GGL and A3 Miles & Bonus Gold, junked SkyTeam for good reason. I do find the Star Gold easy to reach and maintain through A3 but you can do the same via BA if you can be bothered with some crazy routings mainly on AA in the US or taking QR it seems. Overall for me access to First Class Check-in and lounges and better onboard recognition (ex BA mind you!) and fantastic redemptions in Europe win the day for me with BA even if their hard product is a bit meh particularly in J but I always sleep well in that seat which has to be a key point. Also BA service even on an average day is much better (and closer attuned) to British needs that nearly every other carrier I fly.

But to help you out there are two things you can do that help:

If you book direct you need to have availability on a reward revenue code which would be Z in First. However, the way round this here is if you book via a travel agent you just need to have availability in the lowest available revenue class, so for First this would be A which will have more seats available than Z. You can then do one of two things: at the time of booking ask the Travel Agent to apply your voucher giving the voucher number (to find it click on “More Voucher Information” on the eVoucher section of you BA Exec Club Main page); alternatively phone the BA Exec Club up beforehand and they will do it for you. I generally do the latter as it is faff for TAs to do this and not all know how to. I use Expert Flyer to find out award and revenue availability, it requires a subscription but you can always

The other thing that may help is BA will extend vouchers for up to 6 months if you phone them, they will also split 2 for 1 into separate solo vouchers.(and extend too).

[stevescoots]

Where I found it useful was taking advantage of other Ow carriers benefits for Ow Emerald. However after dropping to silver this year because I did not do enough BA flights (plenty of OW ones) the only other benefit was using avios earned on OW and Amex for short haul in Europe and asia but do not fly in Europe anymore and noticed availability on CX booked through BA on points close to nothing. With that in mind I have moved over to Marco polo for my OW points and looking to see if I can get a CX Amex without a HK address

[Montysaurus]

What was “inappropriate” about GreenScot’s posting? As Private Eye might say, I think we should be told!

1 user thanked author for this post.

GreenScot

[capetonianm]

I do wish people who report something as ‘inappropriate’ would state why they have done so, or that they’ve done so in error, which is easily done. At least we would know. Yes, we should be told!

3 users thanked author for this post.

ASK1945, Montysaurus, GreenScot

[Author]

Posts