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I use miles to get flights a couple of times a year. A 'free' long-haul flight economy class costs me $700-800 in taxes, which can not be paid in points. How ca
by robotresearcher 11y ago
I use miles to get flights a couple of times a year. A 'free' long-haul flight economy class costs me $700-800 in taxes, which can not be paid in points. How can these out-of-pocket charges be avoided?
- saryant 11y agoThe charges aren't nearly as bad on other carriers. BA and Lufthansa are probably the worst. For instance, redeeming AA miles on Japan Airlines will generally cost <$100 in taxes even in first class for a US->Japan flight.
- Nicholas_C 11y ago+1 on BA being horrible. My points for them only cut the fare to London in about half due to the surcharge that you can't pay with points. They make you pay for taxes (~$100 or so, which is understandable), fuel surcharges, and, what appears to me, to be a ton of complete BS charges.
- saryant 11y agoBA points are great... if you don't fly BA. I love using Avios for short-haul rewards around Asia that are otherwise expensive or would require inconvenient routings on the local LCCs.
- misterbwong 11y agoWhich program and what route are you flying? $7-800 is on the high side for economy taxes, which makes me think you are flying into LHR on BA or something similar. If you really are flying into LHR from the US, one alternative is to fly into a different city in Europe and connect over.
- robotresearcher 11y agoGood guess. Into LHR on Air Canada. Taxes brutal.
- misterbwong 11y agoLHR taxes are definitely brutal. Assuming award space and that the routing isn't too out of the way, you could look into flying on a partner. A quick google tells me that you could look into flying on Swiss, Turkish, or United to cross the atlantic. Flying on these partners using Aeroplan miles shouldn't incur fuel surcharges
- robotresearcher 11y agoThanks, I will look into this. Could save a good chunk of change!