What happened.? Taxes went up it is much easier to tax travelers who don't have a vote then locals

I am shocked at the $5 fee. Someone gave you a free pass or this was YEARS and YEARS ago

That said BA does have some fuel fees etc. but my taxes, security fees etc on my Delta flight to London were over $300

Yes, because it's mostly BA's "fuel" surcharge. Keep looking, for AA flights.

I agree totally with rkkwan.

However, there's this carbon footprint thing that European airlines have to pay, which is beyong fuel charges.

You might want to say how many persons you're trying to book on the "free ticket". Looks like it's 4 people. If you take $1,400 and divide it by 4, it looks like a pretty darn good deal to me.

It is just my husband and me off peak so it only "costs" 40,000 points round trip. And every Fodorite recommends Europe in May or October anyway.

The fees on the outbound leg are $323 each and the inbound looks like around $375 so around $1400 when I planned for free... Of course it is a good deal but we are using 80,000 points too. I thought about saving the points and buying the air but nothing is lower than $1800 each way.

I can't find anything inbound that is not on British Airways... I tried every major city, assuming I could get their cheap on Easy jet.

It is not a good sign when you are over budget before booking! $1400 would have gone a long way towards hotels and tours. I am certain I paid $5 per person for my family of 5 two years ago. I think it was Rome to San Francisco.

operative word is ROME = it's the UK that has such taxes and fuel charges

fly to rome/paris etc and take a cheap flight to the UK?

I am trying to get home from Venice and have no desire to go to the UK or pay the taxes... Paris is a good idea. I will try that but fear the only reason why there are flights this late is because of British Air...

I already struck out on Rome, Milano and Frankfurt.

My ticket on UA miles this coming July is only $5 in fees. No, it's not to Europe. It's to Hong Kong and on to Bangkok. My round trip fees, all in, are about $150. LHR fees are among the highest.

Technically you owe the taxes...

I have once gotten lucky and had them screw up and not charge.

of course one other time they hit me up AT the airport LOL!

So...

Just to clarify...

The bulk of the OP's additional charges are indeed fuel surcharges tacked onto the "award" ticket by British Airways, which American Airlines now passes on to the traveler (they didn't used to.) If the OP used AA or another partner (Iberia, Finnair or Airberlin) for the trip the fuel surcharges would be less to nil.

BA has many more daily seats between North America and Europe than does AA or any of its partners, and it seems that AA has reduced its own mileage redemption seat inventory noticeably since it entered bankruptcy. Thus the chances are increased that if you want to travel on a given day, you're much more likely to be put on a BA flight - and therefore exposed to the fuel surcharges - than on a partner. In addition, AA recently started allowing online booking for "award" seats with BA flights included; previously you had to phone for partner awards, and still do for the likes of Iberia, Finnair or Airberlin (or any other AA partner besides BA and Alaska.) Obviously because of BA's vast intra-Europe route system, AA mileage users wanting to go somewhere else in Europe besides the UK (e.g. Italy) will almost always have to change planes in London, thereby incurring the fuel surcharge for at least that portion of the trip. (Iberia's intra-Europe route system is okay but nothing like BA's; Finnair's is smaller still.)

As for UK taxes, the (in)famous UK Airline Passenger Duty is only charged on departure, and only if your ticket is originating in the UK and/or if you've stopped over for more than 24 hours. Transit passengers (off one plane, onto another) are exempted.

With the high BA "fuel fines" many people are finding that redemptions in business class are much better value in terms of value received per mile redeemed. Paying $700 or $800 in fuel fines for a ticket that would cost $1200 to buy is one thing; paying $800 in surcharges for a ticket that would cost $4000 is something altogether different. 40,000 miles (coach) to save say $400 is a penny per mile net value (lousy); 100,000 miles (business) to save $3200 is way better.

Gardyloo gives good advice about considering the value received per mile redeemed. I don't mind paying the higher taxes and fees if I can fly in first or business for the cost of a seat in coach.

Case in point: Later this year my sister and I are flying in First on BA Seattle-London-Hong Kong and return. I used 300,000 miles (or Avios points as BA now calls them) plus a Chase 2-for-1 companion voucher. Taxes and fees cost each of us about $1500. Sounds pretty steep, doesn't it?

But consider this: That $1500 each of us paid is less than we would have paid to purchase tickets in coach. And we get to fly in the flat-bed comfort of First. The actual cost for two tickets in First flying Seattle-London-HK and return is $43,651.22. Thus the net value of my 300,000 miles is 14¢ per mile. That's pretty darn good!

I priced tickets for a trip to Italy next year and the "free" tickets on AA will cost $666 each!! Quite obviously this includes some flights on BA and that's what is driving up the price. We have decided instead to buy our tickets and we will use the points to pay for the hotel.

Gardyloo - Followup question.

I'm an AA Gold lifetime person.

I'm planning a trip that would probably take me through LHR either inbound or outbound, my choice on FF miles. From what you said about UK taxes, it seems cheaper to fly BA inbound from SFO to LHR, rather than outbound. Is that what you're saying?

I'll be flying Biz class, but I will save $$ when I can.

Yes, flying from SFO to LHR will not incur UK APD. Coming the other way will cost an extra £130/$200+ for departure tax (in business class, half that in coach.)

I find that the best use of my miles with AA has been to purchase a low cost economy ticket and then upgrade to Biz Class with miles + copay.

Gardyloo - Many thanks.

That was my take, but the world of airline travel changes almost daily.

Given what I've read from your comments, it's almost gospel to me.

But Gardyloo will still have crazy high fuel surcharges on any BA flight.

We gave up trying to use FF miles. Turns out the cruise line has insanely low wholesale direct flights for the cost of BA fees! And we get there in a day instead of 3 so we save hotel money - an overnight at LHR for an early morning flight did not sound cheap or easy!

Keep in mind that London's Heathrow airport is one of the most expensive departure taxes around-lately it has been around $159 USD.( Rome used to be around $60.) London's Gatwick airport is actually about $30 cheaper FYI.

April 2012 the taxes/cost of an Econ.plus on BA, direct from Calgary to Madrid via LHR..was just over 500$.round trip...I didn't think that was too bad as the ff ticket was 45,000 miles... The ff had gone up double after the new year but the taxes still were just over 500$.

Just paid $581.00 taes on "free" Virgin tickets!

Gardyloo.or anyone...Planning an anniversary trip April 2013 to England,Ireland, Scotland and Wales for 6 weeks. Using AA
miles, I booked SFO - LHR April 15 first class 62.5K miles each on British Air
plus $375 each. Can't book return trip until about July 1.
Can I expect same or higher taxes on LHR-SFO? Is this a
good value per mile? Business class was 50K and I thought for 25K more....sort of a chance of a lifetime trip to fly Intnl First class. We have the miles and Wife is afraid of losing them, and we have availability and a very flexible schedule.
Just want it to be special! Flying back Business class would be great but if First is available at 62.5K miles instead of
Anytime award of 125K each, is it worth it to spend the additional 25K miles for First class? Sorry for all the questions......Sam

I think the additional 12,500 miles to go from business class to first class on BA is terrific value and wouldn't hesitate to do it.

Regarding taxes on the return portion, sad to say they will be significantly higher. While the fuel surcharge will be roughly the same (and is the same regardless if you're traveling in business or first class) you will pay much higher taxes (levied by a government vs. the BA fuel surcharge which is nothing more than price gouging). If you're leaving from the UK, you'll be hit with the UK's Airline Passenger Duty, basically a departure tax. For business and first class passengers traveling to the USA, that charge will be £130, or around $195-$200 at today's exchange. That will be in addition to other US and UK airport and security taxes and fees, as well as the above fuel surcharge. Just guessing, I'd estimate you'll be parting with $500 - $600 per person for the return flight.

Now the APD is not charged if you're simply connecting in the UK (less than 24 hours) and if the flights to the UK and from the UK are on the same ticket. For example, fly from Dublin to London, then connect the same day to San Francisco, you'll be a transit passenger and not charged the APD. Fly from Dublin on a separate ticket and fly out on the BA ticket, and you will be charged. Hope that makes sense. You might want to juggle your itinerary so that you visit Ireland last, then fly from Dublin to London to SFO bang-bang on the way home.

I personally don't like "AAnytime" awards - by the time you figure some sort of value for the miles - even one cent per, then add the taxes and fuel surcharges (which are already built into a ticket you'd just buy for money) - they work out to be almost as expensive as if you just bought the whole thing.

Thanks Gardyloo.....We can try to do as you said and fly Dublin
to Lhr then back home bang bang to SFO...Thanks again.......Sam

>>additional 25K miles for First class?<<

Sam, I am not sure I understand what you are asking.
I suspect that:
- you intend to get the return ticket on July 1 no matter what,
- really want to see MileSAAver Peak business class awards (50,000 miles) available on July 1,
- you are anticipating that there will be no saver awards available on July 1 in premium class,
- if there aren't business class or first class SAAver awards available on July 1 that you intend to get an AAnytime business class award for 100,000 miles.

Are you asking that if on July 1 there are no saver awards available should you spend the 100,000 miles for biz class AAnytime or 125,000 miles for F AAnytime awards?

Or is it that you expect to find business class awards available for 50,000 miles each and that there may be first class awards for 62,500 miles. Then your question is: is it worth 12,500 miles per person for two people to go in F instead of biz class.

Sorry for the confusion....can't get return tix until about July 1...very flexible so return flight can be between May 24
and June 1.Want trip to last approx 6 weeks, Had choice of Business at 50K or First for 62.5K plus $350 each
Never experienced intnl First so chose First because we have plenty of miles...If we can fly LHR-SFO in First at same
mileage then we are getting 2 First class tix for 125K miles and approx $1000 each. Tons of cash but not compared to buying tix outright. Have no idea what taxes are for lhr-sfo
but assume more than the $350 charged each for sfo-lhr.
Now I am more confused on what to do.

Have no idea what taxes are for lhr-sfo
but assume more than the $350 charged each for sfo-lhr.

The $350 is mostly NOT TAXES. It's mostly British Airways hitting you for a "fuel surcharge" - money that goes straight to their bottom line. When you pay money for a ticket, that amount is buried in the purchase price. When you use miles (either AA or BA miles) BA breaks out that amount and charges it to you ON TOP of the "cost" in miles.

TAXES on the other hand are charges imposed by government agencies that the airlines "pass through" to you. These will vary depending on which airports and countries you fly through. In your case the $350 ought to be around the same coming back, as long as you DON'T originate in the UK. If you DO originate in the UK (as per your original plan) then you'll pay an additional $200 or so because of the UK APD I mentioned above. If you start in Ireland as I mentioned, and just change planes in London, then the APD won't be charged. But you will still pay BA's fuel surcharge as long as you're flying on BA.

Tax, fuel charge, fee, levy, dues, toll, tariff, tribute. Whatever, is still $$$ out of your pocket.

One reason I no longer care about FF miles nor even flying. I don't have to, I don't need to.
Thanks for the rant

regards - tom

Jill: I booked with American FF miles SMF/LAX/JFK/MAD/IST (using AA and IB) departing on Oct. 15. Originally it was SMF/DFW/MAD/IST but IB had a sched change. I paid $23.60 pp for the tkt and $25 pp for telephone ticketing service. They tried to book me on BA, but I asked to be routed via Madrid. On the return FCO/MAD/DFW/SMF on Nov. 06, I paid $58.50 pp for the tkt and $25 pp for the telephone ticketing service. Again, I had to request routing via MAD. It can be done, but you have to research prior and be a little flexible. I booked 330 days out.

Good job! I was successful the one time booking 300 days out too. This was "last minute" in frequent flier time. BA could not be avoided and it was going to cost over $400 pp and take 2 days. For $600 pp we fly nonstop on great flight with one connection, saving 3 nights and 2 nights of hotel cost so it made sense to just buy the tickets.

And now.... We still have the miles that we must use and cn start thinking 330 days out!

I spent endless hours trying to find a ticket to rome for me and a friend,finally i said ill use my points, after i booked everything at the end it says i have to pay a fee of $820.00 from Orlando to Rome for 2 people, that is after my miles,, that does not sound as "free miles", and i had a layover of 8 hours in a foreign country before i arrive to rome, i was so disappointed i ended up buying a ticket which was not to much more than the "free miles" i paid $988.00 per ticket, yes it was twice as much but the flight was much more convenient. i used my miles 2 years ago to travel to Costa Rica and the fees and taxes were not more than $50.00, what is happening with American Airlines miles??

Were you connecting through London? Then, unfortunately, you were subject to British Airways' fuel surcharges and the British government's taxes. (See Gardyloo's posts above.) It wasn't an American Airlines thing.

All this is why no airline ever describes tickets we purchase with miles as "free" tickets. They're "award" or "reward" tickets.

BarbAnn, thanks for the tip. I've been trying to plan a Dallas to Berlin trip using AA miles. The BA fees are outrageous. Maybe I can book through Madrid rather than London and avoid BA flights. A $25 call-center fee is peanuts compared to BA fees.

Our AA frequent flyer tickets this summer from JFK to Barcelona via LHR (with an overnight) had a $79 charge for taxes and fees. One of our party flew United directly from Newark to Barcelona for a $2.50 charge. (This was just one-way, as we had separate tickets on a different route United Barcelona-Frankfurt-Newark with a $61.50 charge coming home.)

These tickets were booked 24 days in advance, for 5 people, so it is sometimes possible to book late if you are extremely flexible with your routing.