Bt-store.com

[ktpc2005]

Hi,

Has anyone used bt-store.com to purchase international travel. Their prices are over $400 less than the British Airways site and I have was recommended to them by a friend. Also is someone has used them can you earn frequent flyer miles on them.

[greatam]

Hi,

Has anyone used bt-store.com to purchase international travel. Their prices are over $400 less than the British Airways site and I have was recommended to them by a friend. Also is someone has used them can you earn frequent flyer miles on them.

 

BT is a travel consolidator. They buy tickets in bulk from the airlines and re-sell them. As a general rule, consolidator tickets are NOT eligible for FF miles. If miles are allowed, they will be at the reduced 25% level, due to the deeply discounted fare.

[cruisintwinsmom]

BT is a travel consolidator. They buy tickets in bulk from the airlines and re-sell them. As a general rule, consolidator tickets are NOT eligible for FF miles. If miles are allowed, they will be at the reduced 25% level, due to the deeply discounted fare.

 

Are there any pitfalls besides loss of FF miles (we don't travel enough to accumulate them) in using a consolidator? Are there any you would recommend or any to stay away from? Thanks, greatam, for your generous advice.

[greatam]

Are there any pitfalls besides loss of FF miles (we don't travel enough to accumulate them) in using a consolidator? Are there any you would recommend or any to stay away from? Thanks, greatam, for your generous advice.

 

Most consolidator tickets are NOT endorsable to another airline. Example: For some reason, you miss your plane (connection/origination-doesn't matter). Airline X, who issued the ticket, CANNOT put you on airline Y with your tickets. You have to wait until airline X has seats available. Can be a real detriment in Europe, where there are frequently one/two day labor strikes.

 

Consolidators usually have some pretty good deals-especially some of the "ethnic" consolidators (Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, etc.). Any large ethnic community usually has at least one travel agent that sells highly discounted airline tickets-condolidator tickets. Quite a few are listed in the travel section of the Sunday paper in any large city.

 

MAKE SURE you are dealing with a REPUTABLE consolidator. There are some shady operators out there. Good luck!!!

[cruisintwinsmom]

I think I'm going to end up just getting the tix myself through CO--they have the best prices and best itinerary for us from SDF to AMS in May. I know I need to go ahead and book, but something keeps me back!

[Globaliser]

... FF miles (we don't travel enough to accumulate them) ...

The advice I always give is to make sure that you have and use a frequent flyer number in every booking, even if you don't travel enough to collect enough miles to be of any use. If anything goes wrong, just having a FF number in the booking may get you looked after ahead of those who have no FF number at all. Even if you never use the miles, your only real downside is dealing with the mailings that membership of an FF scheme often entails.

[cruisintwinsmom]

you have and use a frequent flyer number in every booking, even if you don't travel enough to collect enough miles to be of any use. .

 

Thanks for the comment. I never thought about the ff numbers in respect to if a problem arose. We do have a delta number and am going to use it for CO. I heard they only give .5 credit towards delta, but the agent said we would get full credit.

[FlyerTalker]

Thanks for the comment. I never thought about the ff numbers in respect to if a problem arose. We do have a delta number and am going to use it for CO. I heard they only give .5 credit towards delta, but the agent said we would get full credit.

 

You will get full credit for the miles themselves. The half-credit with CO deals with Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM), a separate non-redeemable metric, that is often the real measure of a trip for a frequent flyer. Because of some actions by CO regarding EQM's for flights on heavily discounted tickets, both DL and NW give reduced EQM's for flights on CO in the lower booking classes.

 

This is ONLY of concern if you are trying to qualify for elite status on DL, NW, or CO. Then, your flying patterns and ticket purchases on CO come into play. For anyone not flying close to 25K or more in a year, it's a moot issue.

[cruisintwinsmom]

Thanks FlyerTalker and Globaliser!

I can really kick myself for not pursuing FF not posted (I'm a month late), as I didn't realize how they could be used for upgrades! I have so much to learn!:o

[FlyerTalker]

Thanks FlyerTalker and Globaliser!

I can really kick myself for not pursuing FF not posted (I'm a month late), as I didn't realize how they could be used for upgrades! I have so much to learn!:o

 

FF miles (and hotel points) are a form of currency, and in some cases, can be worth more than money itself. An interesting factoid is that more airline miles are issued for NON-airline activities than for flights themselves. Credit cards are a major part of that, but there are so many other ways to earn miles.

 

For anyone interested in this "alternative currency", I highly recommend the website RewardsDB.com -- this is probably the most comprehensive listing of ways to earn FF miles from everyday activities, especially online shopping. If you don't take advantage of it, you are missing out on ways to earn additional miles in your FF programs. And of course, the wonderful FlyerTalk. (I have no interest in either site, other than being a happy user of both).