London Air Travel » British Airways » British Airways Executive Club »
British Airways has introduced the ability to pay for excess baggage charges using Avios.
This follows a move last year to allow passengers to use their Avios to pay for seat selection charges.
This applies only to British Airways operated flights. Rather unhelpfully, BA has not published a set tariff of Avios charges for excess baggage and this is unlikely to be the best use of Avios.
Excess baggage charges can vary widely by route, cabin, and type of fare. These charges have become more prevalent with the rise of “basic economy” short and long-haul fares. They can range from £20 to £120 per bag, so this may be at least a good way for some to take the edge off parting with cash.
Passengers can use Avios to pay for excess baggage charges in full or in part and passengers with existing bookings can compare charges using the Manage My Booking tool on ba.com
Full details of BA’s current cash seat selection charges can also be viewed at ba.com
I quite like being able to use Avios for things like this. Since I’m in the USA, I have to pay ridiculous taxes and fuel surcharges to book a reward ticket – that can end up costing almost as much as an actual ticket. I’d rather use the fees on other things like this or getting a discount on bookings.