Wow! Amazing Avios award availability to Hawaii this summer.
I just booked a trip to Maui this summer using Avios, and lemme tell ya, I am thrilled.
While I’ve often tried to book these legendary flights (prized because of their low points cost – only 25,000 Avios for a roundtrip from the West Coast to Hawaii), I have never actually succeeded, as they are notoriously rare. In fact, each time I’ve called British Airways to try to figure out a Avios to Hawaii booking, the agent has audibly tsk-ed and tutted his or her way through the lengthy conversation, all which have ended in disappointment (on my end, at least).
NOT THIS TIME!
On a whim, I checked the American Airlines site for the months of July and August to see what goodies might be available. Specifically, I was searching for Oakland – Maui flights that had “MileSAAaver” award availability. (This is because you need to find Saver award availability on American or Alaska in order to book the flights using Avios. You also need to find a direct flight).
Tons of availability!
Imagine my shock when I saw this on the American site:
And this on the Alaska site:
I was electrified with excitement, but tried to remain calm, as I knew that sometimes the return flights can be the deal-killer. However, here’s what I saw:
I could not dial the British Airways number fast enough. Of course, then I was on hold for about 45 minutes, but I wisely used that time to check award availability for the Andaz Maui and a few random Airbnbs.
I waited breathlessly while the agent checked my chosen dates. Again, this took forever, so I struck up a conversation about Manchester, England (which is the location of the British Airways call center and the hometown of the agent to whom I was speaking). After what seemed like an eternity, I yelled with delight when the agent was able to confirm that SEVEN award seats were available! Especially since I only needed four. 🙂
How much did it cost?
Each flight priced out at 12,500 Avios + $5.50 each way, so all told, these four roundtrip flights cost me a total of 100,000 Avios + $44.
The best part was checking what the flights would have cost if I purchased them with cash instead of miles: $2,872!!
You can do it, too!
A few tips:
- Since Avios is a distance-based award currency, the number of miles you need depends on how many miles your flight is. You can use the Wandering Aramean’s Avios calculator tool to check the points cost of a flight.
- You need to find award availability for the lowest tier of award prices.
- Try calling a different call center (Singapore is supposedly a good one – Tel: +65 6823 2095) for shorter wait times.
- Make sure that you ask the agent to waive the phone booking fee of $25, as these award seats aren’t possible to book online.
Good luck and aloha!
Is anyone else planning to snap up these great award flights?
OMG, you are alive.
Gene – I miss you! I keep hoping to run into you and First Class Queen in a lounge somewhere. Call me!!
How does this work if you have American miles. Do you need to transfer to avois and then call?
Kelly – If you need Avios points, you can transfer Amex points to Avios. For the future, you can get the British Airways Visa, which currently has a sign up bonus of 50K Avois. Hope that helps!
Congratulations!!! Cherri g you win with you.
Thank you!!
I already booked my flights using Avios for next June few months ago for the whole family of 5 flying out of SJC to Maui and back from Kauai. I literally booked it the day award seats were loaded to the system. Of course Alaska only release two seats in coach and one seat in business out of SJC. I had to be creative there in order to have five seats booked. From the various booking I have done I learned that AA often sells Alaska’s flight to Maui at $229 when schedule just open, that is 13800 thank you points with the Citi Prestige card, so I got 3 tickets using TY points. Coming back from Kauai is I took the 2 coach seats using Avios, 1 biz seat using AA miles (since we have a ton to burn), and bought two more using AS companion fare (added to the itinerary that I have for Xmas to mexico). I was able to book 3 nights at Grand Wailea at 80k each, 5 nights at westin maui for 48k before the category change, and then we have a two bedroom timeshare unit booked in Kauai for a week.. Two weeks in Hawaii next June is all set!! A graduation gift to our oldest daughter who will be leaving for college next fall.
Sharon – AWESOME. Love this so much!!
Oh btw I usually call the Hong King office at night when I have to book Avios over the phone, it is morning there when I call here at night. There is usually not a wait.
Sharon – Thanks for this tip!
How come they’re not available to book online? i’ve booked numerous avios flights on britishairways.com, including a LAX-HNL one a few months ago.
Tony, Alaska is not oneworld partner that is why their flight is not bookable on BA.com. Your LAX-HNL flight is probably operated by American Airline whose flights are bookable on BA.com.
Thanks for helping out 🙂
Congrats on getting 4 award roundtrip seats on AA with Avios. AA doesn’t offer MileSaver for the summer out of LAX to Maui. I had to use Korean Skypass Miles with Delta for 100,000 pts + $44, but I was able to do an open jaw LAX – OGG (Maui); LIH (Kauai) – LAX. It’s so exciting to hear of someone getting a great deal for their family!!!
Stephanie – Ooohh, you are good! That is awesomely creative.