British Airways Airmiles > Reviews > Three different beasties.

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Advantages:	Free Flights
Disadvantages:	Restrictions may be when you want to fly

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yes

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Just to clarify, "British Airways Executive Club miles", "British Airways Executive Club tier points" and "Airmiles" are three different beasties.

1: Airmiles is a simple application and no real requirements. Airmiles can be used to buy flights and other travel services from a wide range of suppliers though the Airmiles website. Each Airmile has a value of about 6.1 pence. Airmiles never expire. Family Accounts are available.

British Airways Executive Club needs you to fly upgraded at least once: unless you fly with BA several times a year there is little point in applying.

2: BAmiles can be used to buy flights and other travel services only from from British Airways. Each BAmile has a value of about 0.6 pence. Your BAmiles do not expire as such, but the account is closed if there is zero activity for three years. "Household" amalgamation of accounts is available.

3: BA Executive Club tier points count towards Silver and Gold membership and are only earnt by flying Club or First class on a non-discounted ticket. Tier points are zeroed on the anniversary date of class membership: so you have a year to get the 600 tier points needed for Silver. That equates to 7½ return trips to Europe in Club class.

I have just returned from a holiday in Budapest: two weeks ago now. The lady wife and I flew Club Class return on BAmiles Executive Club redemption tickets on exactly the flights we wanted. I have seen some restrictions on popular routes in Europe and thought them reasonable. I can confirm however that, for several months into the future, for Sydney & Melbourne, there are no Club class redemption seats available.

I use Airmiles also to buy flights: we are flying to Barcelona (and staying in a 4* hotel for £30 per night) in September, paid for with Airmiles.

When collecting Airmiles, the trick is to determine if the cash equivalent is worth more than 6p! Given the choice on a Homebase voucher between £1 off or six Airmiles you should go for the money. My experience is that whenever there is a cash equivalent it is always better.

I also buy my BA flights for 'cash' from the Airmiles company as they [currently] have zero credit card and booking fees. I use the BA site only to determine which flights I want to travel on. Although the Airmiles website only offers Traveller class, you can book an upgraded class over the telephone without an off-line booking fee.