# Help with British Airways CC offer



## DeniseM (Nov 7, 2009)

I just got a targeted offer from BA for a CC-



> You can earn 2 transatlantic reward flights in record time.
> Apply for the British Airways Visa Signature® Card1 and, before you know it, you will be using your 2 transatlantic reward flights to explore a world of face-to-face opportunities. Start with 50,000 bonus
> BA Miles after your first purchase, good for a transatlantic reward flight.2 Spend $2,000 within the first 3 months of your card membership and get 50,000 additional bonus BA Miles — enough for a second transatlantic reward flight.3



It seems like a great offer to me - and there is a 20 day grace period for paying your bill - it's not one of those cards that charge from the first day of purchase.  The yearly fee is $75.

Is it hard to book FF flights with BA?

Anything else I'm not seeing here?


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## sml2181 (Nov 7, 2009)

That sounds like a very good deal to me - wish I had that here.

BA is easy to use. Just register online (free) and search for flights. But - you have to pay the taxes which can be very high although I don't know how that would work out flying FROM the US.


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## DeniseM (Nov 7, 2009)

The taxes are high, and yes, we have to pay them in the US, too.


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## sml2181 (Nov 7, 2009)

Do you also have to pay their tax rates when using them for AA flights? (I understand that you have to pay taxes too, but AA taxes are less.)

Personally I like their cash/miles option especially during high season. Then it's like paying low season rates during high season and that is (sometimes for some itineraries) good enough for me.


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## DeniseM (Nov 7, 2009)

I don't know about AA taxes, but the tax is usually as much or more than the airfare itself when I have bought tickets from San Francisco to the UK.


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## sml2181 (Nov 7, 2009)

Oops. Then it may not be the best offer for you after all.

I recently reserved tickets from Brussels to Chicago on AA and the tax rate is approximately 100 Euro per person. 

Sometimes it is shocking (to me at least-) how low the actual fares are. Then when you see the taxes... .
I also recently booked tickets to China - rates were 70 Euro, but taxes and fuel were over 350 Euro. Still, these tickets were "cheap".


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## DeniseM (Nov 7, 2009)

Since I'm a teacher, and have to fly during high season, so I never see any cheap tickets, so even if I have to pay the tax, if the airfare is free, that saves me a lot of money.


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## Jimster (Nov 7, 2009)

*BA card*

Yes, I got the offer too and I have been mulling it over.  I am not sure I am going to bite but that's because I just became a UA 1k and it is hard to fly somewhere and not use UA for fear that next year you might not qualify. OTOH a free trip is a free trip.


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## Keitht (Nov 8, 2009)

It's also worth considering just how long the offer will have any value.  British Airways are in a major financial mess and have serious concerns about strikes, yet again!  There is talk of them either merging with, or being taken over by, Iberia.  If that happens who knows what will become of any deals offered through credit cards.


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## GetawaysRus (Nov 8, 2009)

There's much discussion regarding this offer on FlyerTalk:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/1013709-100-000-miles-new-ba-chase-visa.html

Also look at the View from the Wing blog.  There are posts dated November 3, 4, and 5.  Scroll down to read his comments.

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/

If I understand what Gary (View from the Wing) is suggesting, this offer can become 2 free trips in business class if both spouses get a card and with a total of $32,000 in credit card spending (2K on one card and 30K on the other card) over the course of a year.


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## DeniseM (Nov 8, 2009)

Thank you!  I should have thought of Flyertalk!

Here is a link to the CC offer, if anyone else wants to apply.

If you don't have a BA Executive membership number - just leave it blank.  If you have one, but don't know it, you can also leave it blank.

If you and you spouse both apply (separately) and qualify (2 accounts) you will get 100K ff miles - enough for 2 RT tix to the UK.  If you each charge 2K in 3 mos, you will get 100K more ff miles - a total of 200K miles and enough for 4 steerage class tickets!

According to FT, once the miles are in your BA Acct., you can cancel the card before the end of the year, and avoid paying the $75 fee for next year.

The miles are good for 3 years after the last Acct. activity and you can keep it activite by buying something small on the BA online shopping site.


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## Conan (Nov 8, 2009)

BA isn't a good choice in the long run if, like me, you mostly buy the cheap seats.  Cheap seat purchases only earn 1/4 point per mile.

So once you've fulfilled the requirements of the card offer, I'd say cancel it.


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## Dottie (Nov 8, 2009)

Thanks a bunch Denise.  I probably would have missed this offer without your post.  I checked it out on Flyertalk and decided to apply.  We have used BA in the past when they used to give good bonus miles for transferring over other miles, but I don't think we ever got the card.  Now is a great time.


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## DeniseM (Nov 19, 2009)

DH and I both got our cards today!  Quick!  Just in time for Christmas!


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## Jimster (Nov 19, 2009)

*BA offer*

My understanding is you cant use these to fly tatl very easily because it might upset AA.  The fees and taxes are also substantial.  I think it depends on how you are going to use the miles and where you want to fly.


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## lily28 (Nov 20, 2009)

Is BA affiliated with any US airline? Is you don't use the miles for travel to europe, can you use it elsewhere?


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## Jimster (Nov 20, 2009)

*AA codeshare*

Yes, BA is affiliated with AA.  I am not 100% on this but I believe the situation is you can't use BA miles on AA on tatl.  BA, however, flies alot of places in the world.  BA also will not let you accumulate AA miles on tatl.  Also note what Keitht said- Iberia and BA are likely to merge- then what?  There is a good thread about all the details on flyertalk.com


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## Ken555 (Nov 20, 2009)

I know a few people who could use these miles to upgrade to business. I'm tempted to get one myself. Thanks for the post!


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## DeniseM (Nov 20, 2009)

I'm not sure if this is correct, but when my DH activated his card, the Rep. told him there would be no fee until Nov. 2010 - however, when I activated mine, I wasn't told that, so not sure....

Since I usually pay for airfare to the UK, even with the high taxes, this is a discount for me.  We can also transfer the miles to Alaska Air for our yearly trips to Hawaii.

Right now, since the offer came out, the BA website is overwhelmed - it is nearly impossible to connect to the ff reservation page.  However, as long as you keep your ff miles acct. active, these miles don't expire and you can keep it active with things like buying on the BA online store.


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## Dottie (Nov 20, 2009)

Denise

Thanks again for posting the offer.  Without your post, I probably would not have looked for more info in Flyertalk.  I received my card yesterday, just in time to pay for eye surgery (cataract) today.  I splurged to get the multi-lens to avoid further need for glasses and I feel better knowing I will at least get 100,000 miles for it.  Hooray.  My husband finally applied for his card last night so hope to get another 100,000 soon.


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## DeniseM (Nov 20, 2009)

I am going to use our cards to pay our MF's which are all due during the 3 mo. window during which you need to charge $2K to get the extra 50K miles.

Glad I could help!


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## wegottago (Nov 24, 2009)

In the travel section of our sunday paper last week someone wrote in asking what they thought the best mileage card is and the guy responded that it was this offer you wrote about Denise.  I'm going to look into it myself.  Thanks.


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## wegottago (Nov 24, 2009)

*What is this... tatl*

What are you referring to when you comment about...tatl  ?


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## DeniseM (Nov 25, 2009)

wegottago said:


> In the travel section of our sunday paper last week someone wrote in asking what they thought the best mileage card is and the guy responded that it was this offer you wrote about Denise.  I'm going to look into it myself.  Thanks.



Note that the offer expires Nov. 30th!


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## DeniseM (Nov 25, 2009)

wegottago said:


> What are you referring to when you comment about...tatl  ?



I think that's frequent flyer speak for "Transatlantic" flights.


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## Jimster (Nov 25, 2009)

*tatl*

Yes- transatlantic as opposed to tpac


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