Membership Rewards Transfers to Avios Take 20% Hit On Thursday October 1

Effective this Thursday, October 1, 2015, 250 Membership Rewards will transfer to 200 British Airways or Iberia Avios. That's a 20% reduction of the current 1,000 Membership Rewards to 1,000 Avios transfers.

Source: Travel with Grant

This is a huge blow to Membership Rewards. It still has great 1:1 transfer partners like Delta, ANA, Aeroplan, and Singapore, but this majorly hurts the value of its best oneworld transfer partner.

In the past we've seen transfer bonuses from Membership Rewards to Avios like this year's 40% bonus.

LAN Award Flights to Easter Island and Tahiti

LAN Airlines, the flag carrier of Chile, has daily flights from Santiago to Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui and Isla de Pascua. That route makes sense to connect Easter Island to its capital city.

What makes far less sense is the weekly flight from Easter Island another five hours west to Tahiti. There's also usually a summer seasonal (our winter) route from Lima to Easter Island, though it hasn't been announced for 2015/2016.

LAN is a member of a oneworld, so you can use American Airlines miles or British Airways Avios to book the flights.

American Airlines Flights Back on BA.com & What to Do When Award Space Doesn’t Show Online

American Airlines award space was not displaying on ba.com for the last three weeks. Now American Airlines award space is back on ba.com. Here is a search result from a few minutes ago for Miami to Manaus, Brazil:

The award prices out at 12,500 Avios + $6 or 4,000 Avios + $83. (Read more on Cash & Avios awards.

Avios News: Now No Fuel Surcharges on Qantas Flights Leaving Australia

Qantas has eliminated fuel surcharges on its flights that depart Australia.

This doesn't matter at all for paid tickets because $1 of fuel surcharge and $1 of base fare costs the same to you, but this is huge news for award tickets with miles that collect fuel surcharges like British Airways Avios.

Everything You Need to Know about Discounted British Airways Avios Off Peak Awards

I'm on record saying that I don't think the British Airways devaluation from last month is a big deal. Only Business and First Class awards went up in price, and the vast majority of good Avios redemptions are short, direct, economy awards.

Well there's another good part of the "devaluation" that I haven't covered yet: the introduction of cheaper off peak awards on British Airways and Iberia flights. Here's the new award chart that shows off peak award prices next to peak award prices.
New Award Chart
Off peak awards are only possible on British Airways and Iberia flights.

Beginners Post: Basics of British Airways Avios

This is the tenth post in a monthlong series that started here. Each post will take about two minutes to read and may include an action item that takes the reader another two minutes to complete. I am writing this for an audience of people who know nothing about frequent flyer miles, and my goal is that by the end, you know enough to fly for free anywhere you want to go.
Where We Are and Where We’re Going
We’re in the section on redeeming miles.

Current State of Free Oneways

This blog became famous because I was the first to articulate how to book free one ways on United and US Airways awards.

A free one way is a one way trip to or from your home airport that is tacked onto another award for no extra miles.

British Airways Avios Hacked. Your Balance May Be Zero

British Airways Avios accounts have been hacked.

Apparently in some cases, points have been used. In others, British Airways drained an account to zero to prevent points from being used.

I tried to log in to my account and my correct password is being rejected.

Folks are contacting British Airways on twitter and being told to DM information.

Folks who are calling British Airways are reporting interminable holds.

I predict British Airways sorts all this out in a few days or weeks and all points are restored.

British Airways Avios Hacked. Your Balance May Be Zero

British Airways Avios accounts have been hacked.

Apparently in some cases, points have been used. In others, British Airways drained an account to zero to prevent points from being used.

I tried to log in to my account and my correct password is being rejected.

Folks are contacting British Airways on twitter and being told to DM information.

Folks who are calling British Airways are reporting interminable holds.

I predict British Airways sorts all this out in a few days or weeks and all points are restored.

Four Advantages of Domestic Avios Awards

British Airways Avios are, counter-intuitively, way better for domestic travel within the United States than for trips to Europe.

That's because the highest value uses of Avios are short, direct, economy flights on partners without fuel surcharges. Within the United States, there are no fuel surcharges on American Airlines, US Airways, or Alaska Airlines flights, all of which are bookable with Avios.

Read: British Airways Avios Basics

This year, for the second straight year, I'll be following my basketball team through March Madness.