Miles with BA
 

I've been racking up the miles with my BA VISA Card. I'm now over 100,000, which is a free flight to Europe in Business Class, right?

Nothing is free.

I just checked.

Miami to London in economy next summer is 50,000 miles and $565.07 in taxes.

Miami to CDG in Business Class next summer is 100,000 miles and $808.36.

Maybe President Bush could order a tax cut with BA?

Most of it is not tax, but fuel surcharge. Many airlines outside the US have a large fuel surcharge for award tickets, and US/DL are starting similar fees (though much lower) here.

Not forgetting £40 in economy for UK passenger duty for flights leaving the UK if you've stopped over; £80 for business class (for long hauls.)

I just ticketed SEA-xDFW-GRU//SCL-JFK-SEA (openjaw to Sao Paulo, returning from Santiago) in business for next Jan/Feb on AA/LA for 90K miles. Total taxes and fees came to $79.

For DL redemptions, the fuel surcharges on Europe originating itineraries can be much higher than what's going into effect on US/Canada originating itineraries on Aug 15th. And DL redemptions on SQ are running $400-$600 in taxes/surcharges/fees.

I am sure glad I booked my flight earlier this year. For an AA/BA itinerary (business for miles) SFO-LAX-LHR-JNB in Jan returning DEL-LHR-ORD-SFO in April I paid $122 in taxes/person.
Gardyloo - will I have to pay the GBP 80 duty upon leaving LHR?

You only pay the UK Passenger Duty if you stop over (24h+) in the UK or if your ticket originates there. Just transferring from one flight to another, even if it's overnight, exempts you from the duty, unless it's on separate tickets.

Thanks Gardyloo - it's a relief.

I thought my taxes would go down if I flew into another airport outside the UK like CDG. I wanted to fly into Barcelona, but Spain takes mores miles. I need to fly into either the UK, France, Amsterdam, Brussels, Switzerland, or Germany for 50,000 economy or 100,000 business miles.

But Wally, as rkkwan says, it's probably not taxes, it's fuel surcharges that BA passes on to mileage redemption travelers, while other airlines like AA do not. So continuing on to some other country wouldn't solve the problem, only make it worse.