Don't be trapped by BD Star Alliance return redemption

[SQFM]

I know some of you are familiar with BD redemption on Star Alliance partners. For the benefit of the majority, it would be good to familiarise yourself on the terms and conditions.

Don't be trapped in a situation when you make a return redemption. Once the outbound is used, you are not allowed to make any date changes to your inbound sector. If you are unfortunate to find yourself in this situation, you would have to fork out lots of $$$$$ to get yourself a ticket home.

Best to redeem two one-ways.

Any tips on Star Alliance redemption is most welcome here!

[MAN Flyer]

Don't be trapped in a situation when you make a return redemption. Once the outbound is used, you are not allowed to make any date changes to your inbound sector. If you are unfortunate to find yourself in this situation, you would have to fork out lots of $$$$$ to get yourself a ticket home.

Best to redeem two one-ways.

Err, isn't that blindingly obvious ?. I don't know anyone who books return redemptions on BD, they all book one ways. What would be the point of booking a return ?!.

[SQflyergirl]

Trapped? Caveat Emptor... those are the rules that have been around for a long time.

I'm very happy with them - but then, I read the fine print. As long as you know what you're doing, you're ok

[Kyo]

So that's what I've been doing wrong all this time....................

[jhm]

There are two reasons I can think of:

* saving on the CC charge

* if booking a particularly complicated routing and getting an agent who is a star, avoiding the lottery and more hours of your life wasted

[kt74]

There are two reasons I can think of:

* saving on the CC charge

* if booking a particularly complicated routing and getting an agent who is a star, avoiding the lottery and more hours of your life wasted

And a third and fourth reason:

* avoiding double cancellation/change charge if you want to change dates before you leave

* avoiding problems if your return stop involves a short turnaround and the last leg of your outbound is delayed...

Making one way redemptions is not always "blindingly obvious", and most agents have no problem giving you a stopover in both directions on a return (which used to be a valid reason for booking two one-ways)

[SQFM]

Err, isn't that blindingly obvious ?. I don't know anyone who books return redemptions on BD, they all book one ways. What would be the point of booking a return ?!.

Whilst it is blindingly obvious to you, not everyone has a good understanding on BD redemption on Star Alliance. It's easy to make mistakes especially if one is comfortable with KF redemption.
It makes a whole world of difference if you are connected to a good & kind call centre agent who can better advise you.
I'm sure this post will come handy to many!

[HUGE AL]

...I read the fine print...

I'm glad I leave this to the Experts.

Whilst it is blindingly obvious to you, not everyone has a good understanding on BD redemption on Star Alliance. It's easy to make mistakes especially if one is comfortable with KF redemption.
It makes a whole world of difference if you are connected to a good & kind call centre agent who can better advise you.
I'm sure this post will come handy to many!

Um...there is plenty of information on this Board to advise on BD...in MANY facets. This thread is NOT handy as it is common knowledge. Searching will yield 48 pages of posts.

[SQflyergirl]

There are two reasons I can think of:

* saving on the CC charge

Whilst 4.50 GBP is not to be scoffed at, surely it's not the the biggest consideration when booking a ticket

And a third and fourth reason:

* avoiding double cancellation/change charge if you want to change dates before you leave

* avoiding problems if your return stop involves a short turnaround and the last leg of your outbound is delayed...

Making one way redemptions is not always "blindingly obvious", and most agents have no problem giving you a stopover in both directions on a return (which used to be a valid reason for booking two one-ways)

Again - surely 20x2 or 25x2 GBP can't be the major consideration when most redemptions run into the hundreds of pounds in total.

Some agents may give you a stopover in each direction on a return, but it's certainly not a given. With two one ways, it's published, and on top of that, if you're so inclined, gives you the opportunity to do an open jaw.

I understand it's sometimes really good to latch on to a super agent and do everything in one fell swoop, but there are actually quite a few of them around - they're not that rare. And if it goes pear shaped, HUACA is the best strategy - you're almost certain to get a good one within 3 calls

[Dent@SUB]

Whilst it is blindingly obvious to you, not everyone has a good understanding on BD redemption on Star Alliance. It's easy to make mistakes especially if one is comfortable with KF redemption.
It makes a whole world of difference if you are connected to a good & kind call centre agent who can better advise you.
I'm sure this post will come handy to many!

Errr....
I think KF also adopt this rules... No change is allowed on *A redemption booking (return or one way) once you have used the first segment of the ticket (except for the SQ flights)...
And it's not new, it's been ages there...

[TerryK]

Errr....
I think KF also adopt this rules... No change is allowed on *A redemption booking (return or one way) once you have used the first segment of the ticket (except for the SQ flights)...
And it's not new, it's been ages there...

So is UA. You can only make changes on *A redemption if all remaining segments are on UA.

[MAN Flyer]

There are two reasons I can think of:

* saving on the CC charge

£ 4.50 ?.

And a third and fourth reason:

* avoiding double cancellation/change charge if you want to change dates before you leave

* avoiding problems if your return stop involves a short turnaround and the last leg of your outbound is delayed...

Making one way redemptions is not always "blindingly obvious", and most agents have no problem giving you a stopover in both directions on a return (which used to be a valid reason for booking two one-ways)

Cancellation is £ 25.00 and change is £ 20.00. While nobody likes to lose any money, they are hardly bank breaking amounts, and if you factor in the flexibility they allow then as someone who makes a lot of redemptions it's "blindingly obvious" to me.

I'm sure this post will come handy to many!

Sound like it would have been handy for yourself. Care to share how much you got stung for and on what route ?.

[kt74]

Cancellation is £ 25.00 and change is £ 20.00. While nobody likes to lose any money, they are hardly bank breaking amounts, and if you factor in the flexibility they allow then as someone who makes a lot of redemptions it's "blindingly obvious" to me.

Well, that depends on your travel patterns. I often have to change the dates of my outbound journey, and often end up paying multiple lots of outbound change fees. Once I'm away, the only reason I would come home early is because of work - in which case, I can charge back any change fees/new tickets

There is no point paying for flexibility that you do not use, so for some people it makes more sense to make a return redemption. It also avoids tax on things like return flights originating in India (that's over GBP150 on premium class tickets)

So, one size does not fit all, and I would not be so arrogant as to assume that was the case...

[MAN Flyer]

Well, that depends on your travel patterns. I often have to change the dates of my outbound journey, and often end up paying multiple lots of outbound change fees. Once I'm away, the only reason I would come home early is because of work - in which case, I can charge back any change fees/new tickets

There is no point paying for flexibility that you do not use, so for some people it makes more sense to make a return redemption. It also avoids tax on things like return flights originating in India (that's over GBP150 on premium class tickets)

Having such a great flexibility of being able change or cancel tickets right up to within an hour of departure, for the grand total of £ 25.00 pounds, is such a no brainer travel patterns are almost irrelevant.

So, one size does not fit all, and I would not be so arrogant as to assume that was the case...

That's just the same argument as above. Regardless of your travel patterns it's so obviously better to book singles rather than a return I find it bizarre anyone would think otherwise. It costs me a lot of money each year in cancellation and change fees, but it's more than worth it for the flexibility it provides.

Still, each to their own and all that....

[jjpb3]

So, the lesson is, book one-way BD redemptions. Yes?

Unless £25 in fees are a deal-breaker?