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British Airways firms up A380 winter routes
BA has been firming up its winter schedule, and it has now scheduled some changes with its A380. The good news is that due to the size of it (97 seats in Club), you may find there are some more reward seats available. When searching, I’d currently suggest using Reward Flight Finder or SeatSpy as the initial search or looking for a specific date on ba.com as the tools on the BA app when you search by month or year are showing incorrect results that suggest there is no return availability.
A380 will operate daily from 29 October to Los Angeles on the BA269/268. It will also operate three times a week to Boston. The other changes mean that instead of twice a day to Johannesburg, it will only fly once a day but instead fly twice a day to Miami.
However, if you are flying in Club, you will be highly unlikely to get Club Suites on an A380 any time soon as there is no time frame to refurbish the A380s with the new suites (if at all). Personally, I really like First Class on the A380 due to the large individual wardrobes and privacy. You can read my latest A380 first class review here.
HT: Simple Flying
New huge American Express Platinum sign-up offer
American Express has launched a limited time offer on The Platinum Card, offering boosted Membership Rewards points and a £200 travel credit.
Until 13 June 2023, new Platinum Cardmembers will be able to earn up to 60,000 Membership Rewards points, double the usual 30,000 points, when they sign up for the Card and spend £6,000 in their first six months. Cardmembers will also earn a bonus £200 travel credit to spend with Amex Travel Online.
Cardmembers can use Membership Rewards points to shop online or transfer into gift cards (60,000 points =£200 gift card), but the reason I like the Platinum card so much is the number of travel partnerships that they have. You can transfer membership reward points into BA’s Executive Club, Finnair, Flying Blue, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Hilton, Marriott and Radisson, to name but a few.
New Platinum Cardmembers that meet the spend requirement will also be eligible for a £200 Travel Credit to spend with Amex Travel Online to put towards flights, hotels and car rentals at destinations across the world. This is only a benefit for new cardholders who sign up by 13 June, and you only get it once you have hit the spend target. You also have to spend at least £200 in one transaction when using the credit.
Cardmembers who are referred by a friend can receive an enhanced bonus of 65,000 Membership Rewards points plus the £200 travel credit (when they spend £6,000 in six months), while the friend who refers them will receive 18,000 points, up from the usual 12,000, once they are approved.
Although the Platinum card is not cheap at £575 a year, billed monthly, I find that the net cost is zero. In fact, I reckon I make a bit of money, too on my card, and that excludes the points I earn. I’d advise anyone to look at the benefits and decide whether they would use them or not and also consider the regular offers, which usually include Hilton and Marriott hotels money-off offers in a number of European countries. Here is an example of the latest offer.
Here are the fixed benefits:
- £100 Harvey Nichols (2 x £50 credit)
- £300 dining credit (2 x £150 credit)
This gives a total of £400 from the £575 annually. If you then assumed you used Priority Pass a couple of times a year, I’d value that at around £120, assuming you guest someone with you versus paying for lounge access twice for two people. In the first year, if you meet the minimum spend, then obviously you’d have the £200 travel credit too.
I’d say I generally earn a minimum of £200-300 back from various other offers, too, such as hotels and shopping. So I’m usually making a profit every year. But obviously, you need to keep on top of the offers and remember to use them!
Platinum benefits in detail
Platinum Cardmembers get a Priority Pass membership for lounge entry and can also guest one person free with them. You can also receive Worldwide Travel Insurance for the whole family.
Platinum Cardmembers also receive up to £150 each year to spend in selected UK restaurants, plus a further £150 to spend abroad, at over 1,400 restaurants globally. They receive up to £50 in Harvey Nichols statement credits every six months (as they spend at the store or online) and earn 1 Membership Rewards point on every £1 they spend, and 2 points on every £1 spent with Amex Travel.
Extra benefits at Wembley Arena
Following the popularity of the American Express Lounge and onsite benefits at The O2, American Express has officially unveiled a range of unique experiences and benefits at OVO Arena Wembley. The American Express Lounge is now open at Wembley Arena venue along with the launch of additional onsite benefits for American Express® Card Members, including two new premium seating options within the arena.
Visible from the main concourse, the Amex Lounge, will offer Card Members and their guests a space to mingle before the main event. The new space is serving complimentary signature Pink Gin Spritz and Passion Fruit non-alcoholic Mojito cocktails on arrival. The space has been designed to make visitors feel like they’re backstage.
Other onsite benefits for Amex Card Members attending events at the OVO Arena Wembley include:
- Two options of seat packages in the arena offering some of the best seats in the house:
- The American Express Terrace Suite: A section of 8 luxury seats with tables offering premium food and drink service, inspired by the favourite backstage meals of artists who’ve performed at Wembley.* Moreover, a dedicated staff member will be on point to take orders and deliver all night
- The American Express Club Seats: 3 sections of 10 luxury seats (in sections N8, N10 and N12) to the side of the stage*
- 10% off food and beverages when using any Amex Card to pay for purchases at in-arena concessions*
21 comments
97 Club seats not 76
Hi Michele, does the loss of one a380 on the JNB route mean less seats (ie higher fares) or is there a second flight with a different aircraft?
Last year when LHR-JNB was only serviced by 1xA380, the J fares topped £10k !!!!!
No they still have a second service on a b787
Nope! They have 2 A380s on the JHB leg. Cape Town gets the B787.
They do currently, but for the winter 23 schedule it is definitely showing as one A380 and one B787 for JNB. This has also been reported elsewhere.
So basically “you’re still not getting a Club suite Gordy “ 😂
We recently flew to San Francisco on a 380, in Club. The IFE screens were both faulty on both mine and my husband’s seats. Speaking to the crew they told us to avoid the 380 at all costs since they were being neglected by BA and faults were appearing everywhere. Our return trip on a brand new 777 with club suites proved this point as it was far superior.
Yes there are numerous faults on the A380 but to be fair to BA a lot of the problems getting them fixed are supply chain issues with the seat parts.
We’ve taken a number of flights on BA A380’s over the last 12 months and there were problems on all of them either with the seats or the IFE or the aircraft itself causing delays or annoyed customers. I would personally avoid them if flying in club wherever possible.
I understand the logic of using them on the big revenue routes because of the number of first and club seats onboard but the product is pretty shoddy for routes where people are paying a premium. Not a good look for BA.
It looks like the overall schedule for the season keeps 9-10 of 12 aircraft working which should allow for the cabin refits to be done. I guess until then the numerous defects on that aircraft that account for a lot of dissatisfaction, delay and some cancellations will just roll on until it’s all refurbished.
BA has no capacity for sustaining programs or initiatives.
Something gets launched and is then left to a favouring wind to keep going.
The number of A380s in use is also down to the number of type trained cabin crew available. So far I have not heard that BA has definitely agreed to refurbish the A380s at any particular point. I can’t see them doing them until the B787s are done. The defects are in part down to supply chain issues for parts to fix them so it’s not completely BA’s fault.
Hi Michele
I already have the Amex Gold & BA Amex card, would I still be eligible for the Platinum card bonus of 60,000 points?
Thanks Peter
No unfortunately not. It’s the usual rules where if you have had a membership rewards card in the last 24 months you won’t get it.
Interesting article on Flyertalk that 11,000 flights have been cancelled in New York and Washington this summer. American will make the most cuts, dropping nearly 4,800 flights arriving or departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia International Airport (LGA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and Washington Reagan. United will drop around 4,300 flights from their New York and Washington operations.
The FAA is also encouraging airlines to use bigger aircraft with fewer take-offs and landings. So it may be the reason why BA have decided to use their A380 instead of a 350/777. I fear that flying up the front will become even more expensive, in the forthcoming months, hence it is becoming only affordable to the few.
Yes there is a shortage of air traffic controllers in the US which is what is behind the request by the FAA.
I’ve checked Reward Flight Finder for availability of seats from October onwards:
London – Los Angeles has great availability in Economy and Premium Economy in October and November. There are some Business Class seats popping up in December and in January, February and March there’s dates where you can book 4 First Class seats.
London – Boston has an abundance of availability from November onwards in all classes. In November there are lots of dates with 6 Business Class and 4 First Class. That trend runs through to March too!
London – Miami seems to be in higher demand. November has strong Premium Economy and Business Class availability, The Christmas period is pretty spotty for seat availability, But from mid January there’s a nice Business Class availability, with some dates showing 4 or 6 Business Class seats up for grabs.
Happy flying everyone! Kayleigh, Reward Flight Finder
Is the A380 still BA’s premium aircraft? Surely not if they are still unbothered about serving up the crappy ying yang seating and so many are broken.
Fancy having to check which aircraft to pick to avoid disappointment 4 years after the introduction of Club World Suites. No, me neither.
I definitely wouldn’t describe it as their premium aircraft. But I do like the First class on the A380 and some people fly on it for the novelty factor. Yes it’s annoying that there are still so many aircraft that have the yin and Yang which I really dislike. My next flight does sadly 😢
AVOID the A380 at all costs. Broken seats, outdated seats, the works! I think N Korea has a superior airline.
Thanks for the article on the Platinum card.
Couple of points that weren’t clear for me and wonder if you can help.
If I am currently Amex Gold and I am looking into the Platinum can I:
1) get the 60k points that are on offer
2) hold onto the current points that I have under my Amex Gold account if I am going to cancel that when I upgrade (I won’t want both Gold and Platinum)
Thank you
No it does not apply if you already have the Gold card or have held it in the last 24 months. Yes you can upgrade and keep the membership rewards but you’d need to speak to Amex to do it rather than apply online.
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