I was checking the availability of flights for NYC to Dublin in late May using Googles
ITA search engine and the cheapest I could find per person for non-stop was $930
|
| Ticket cost per passenger | $929.97 |
|
|
| Ticket cost per passenger | $123.20 |
|
| Total cost for 3 passengers | $1,983.14 |
and $730 with a connection
|
| Ticket cost per passenger | $729.00 |
|
|
| Ticket cost per passenger | $105.20 |
|
| Total cost for 3 passengers | $1,563.20 |
Add a lap infant and it all adds up to be not exactly a bargain. I needed to find another way as cash is a little tight right now and I refuse to rack up debt on a credit card.
Even after using miles to splurge on
first class to Argentina back in December, I still have almost a million miles spread among the various airline accounts of the missus and I.
I checked
pointhub (which can hit or miss) for award availability but it was giving me outlandish 120K+ award availability for coach?
I doubled checked on several airline sites directly and sure enough it was 100K+ for Delta and US Airways.
American wanted 90K although I could have got it for 40K if I was flexible on the dates but alas I am not and I don't have enough miles anyway.
United was 60K but I didn't have enough miles although I could swap in some Ultimate Reward points but I'd rather hold onto them for a rainy day.
I have 400K Avios (British Airways) points but they are notorious for exorbitant fuel surcharges of $500+. Searching the BA site is also a frustratingly slow waste of time.
It's been widely publicized on the forums and travel blogs that you can book Boston to Dublin return for only 25K Avios points flying with Aer Lingus who remarkably charge minimal fuel surcharges. You can search for availability using the United or Qantas websites (partner award availability). Once you find the flights you want you need to call BA to make the booking. So I gave it a shot and it worked like a luck Irish Charm!
I got Boston to Dublin direct for 2 adults & 1 lap child for 52,500 points + $274 in taxes/fees. I still needed to get a return from NYC to Boston which I found for $156 x 2 on United. Total outlay for the trip is $586 + 52,500 Avios points.
That is still more than I'd ideally like to pay because of the connecting flight and I could possibly have used those Avios for multiple short hop US flights but I still have a nice little nest egg for that. Sure ain't easy getting from A to B for a reasonable amount of points & taxes these days.
Tags: ..Avios British Airways Aer Lingus Avoid Fuel Surcharge..
If you like what you've read, why not subscribe to updates click here
