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Through June 29, members of the AARP (anyone that can pay $12 today for a membership) can book roundtrip, transatlantic cash tickets on British Airways discounted up to $400. Departure date of the flight must be between the window of August 1, 2017 and January 8, 2018. No open-jaw flights are permitted. Origin and destination must be the same.
The discount depends on the cabin class booked.
And no, you don’t have to be any specific age to join the AARP. This discount is available to anyone who registers with the program (normal cost: $16) and books their flight through the correct platform. I’ll go over the steps of what to do below.
This AARP discount was consistently $400 for premium cabin fares, up until this past January when they decreased the discount to $200. But for today and tomorrow only, the old $400 promotion is back.
How to Join the AARP
Step 1: Begin registration here by filling in necessary personal information.
Step 2: Choose your membership level. If you’re buying the membership just for the discount on British Airways flights, I’d choose the cheapest option, which is usually $16. Today it it’s on sale for $12!
Step 3: Fill in billing information on the following page.
Step 4: Confirm!
How to Book With a Discount
After registering with the AARP, login here. Don’t be confused by the marketing on that landing page.
As long you book according to the conditions today or tomorrow (outbound travel between August 1, 2017 and January 8, 2018, roundtrip, transatlantic ticket) then the enhanced discount according to your cabin class will be apply accordingly.
The discount is valid on some codeshare flights as well. The following text is from the terms and conditions….
“[The discount is valid]on British Airways and British Airways codeshare services operated by American Airlines and on British Airways codeshare services operated by Iberia only. Inbound and outbound travel must be booked in the same cabin. American Airlines and American Eagle flights with a BA flight number that connect to BA operated, AA operated with BA flight numbers and IB operated with BA flight numbers transatlantic flights are permitted.”
Stacking With 10% Discount from British Airways Card
One of the perks of the British Airways credit card issued by Chase is a 10% discount on all roundtrip cash tickets (off the total cost, including taxes/fees/carrier charges) so if you buy your flight on the card, you can save even more. The benefit isn’t advertised on the card’s application page, but you can read more about it on ba.com
The British Airways Visa Signature card comes with 50,000 Avios after spending $3,000 within the three months of opening the card. You can earn even more Avios for meeting further spending tiers, up to 100k bonus points for spending $20k in the first year. Over 5/24? No sweat. Chase’s 5/24 rule is known not to apply to this card.
Bottom Line
Business and First Class tickets can be very expensive, but British Airways is known for having good fare sales. Check your travel dates to see if this discount could make it worth buying your ticket in cash. Remember you will also earn redeemable miles and elite credits for these tickets.
Act now, as the enhanced discount is only valid today and tomorrow. If you’re not already an AARP member, register here, login here, and then book your flight through the AARP British Airways portal.
Note that the AARP discount is only valid for residents of the USA.
Hat tip Million Mile Secrets
Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
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Does this discount apply to BA owned IBERIA as well ?
I have updated the post for clarity about which flights the discount applies to.
[…] HT: MileValue […]
I’ve used the $65 discount twice. I checked BA prices before I booked through AARP to verify it’s a true discount. It is. And AARP is a terrific lobbying group. You should join if you plan to get old some day.