NEW: Get Email Alerts When British Airways Award and Upgrade Space Becomes Available

by Gary Leff

Expert Flyer is a pay site, though they offer free 5 day trials.

I find it invaluable. Historically it has been a must for any American AAdvantage member since it’s been one of the only sources for real-time availability of American Airlines flight inventory and because it also displays confirmable upgrade availability for American’s flights.

Another key feature of Expert Flyer is the site’s alerts. If the space you want isn’t available, you can tell it to email you when it does become available. It isn’t checking in real-time, but multiple times a day, and with increasing frequency as travel approaches so that I’ve generally found it to approximate real-time pretty well.

When I want an award on a flight I can’t get on, or I want a confirmed upgrade, I set an Expert Flyer alert and I get an email when the space I need opens up (or if I’m debating whether or not to confirm an upgrade, I may set an alert for when space is dwindling).

Just two weeks ago Expert Flyer added support for award space across the Star Alliance.

Now they’ve added British Airways support which I think is great. Many people do try to avoid flying British Airways on award travel because of the fuel surcharges, but it can be useful to know when their flights are available. And BA award inventory mirrors upgrade inventory, which is useful as well.

I’ve got a business class ticket (from the ‘extreme sale’ that BA ran a few months ago) and I’d like to use points to upgrade to first class.

Instead of having to check availability myself every few days, I’ve now set up an email alert.

In addition to British Airways they already supported the following:

Note that their data source for Swiss shows availability offered to Miles & More members, and not to partner airlines. Lufthansa and Singapore availability is partner availability (useful if you’re using miles with United, Aeroplan, Lifemiles, etc — but not as useful if you are using Miles & More or Singapore Airlines Krisflyer miles, respectively).

Also, Expert Flyer only supports some special classes for some airlines (outside Star Alliance). For instance, you can’t do Expert Flyer searches or set alerts for Etihad’s saver award space. They support upgrade searches only.

Here’s the upgrade and award classes Expert Flyer supports for each carrier.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. i also got in on this sale and set up an alert about a week ago to hopefully go from J to F. I would have thought expert flyer would have sent out an email touting this but maybe I just missed it. I stumbled upon it by total chance. It’s a welcomed enhancement indeed!

    One question I do have is there any reliable pattern you’ve seen as to when BA releases space? I’ve got a flight on a Friday in April ORD-LHR and 1st seems pretty empty but AA/BA seem pretty stingy out of O’Hare on Fridays. Hopefully the alert will help!

  2. BA award alert is nice, but the biggest issue with BA is and always will be the pesky YQ charges that’s unavoidable by any single oneworld mileage currency.

  4. @shaun, about the only pattern is that they release space around 1am UK time each night. Most award space is released far in advance or a few days before, but they intentionally make it random so it’s not predictable. For example, there are flights where they decide to never release an award seat in F. BA is also known for day of departure paid airport upgrades for around $900 one way, though most people don’t feel those are worthwhile. One nice thing about the paid upgrades on BA is that they will earn full F miles if upgrading a paid business class ticket, unlike last minute paid upgrades on AA which do not.

  5. Hi, just booked 2 BA flights
    LHRYVR 10MAR
    YVRLHR 19MAR
    Both in I-Class.
    The Fare Rules Say very clearly NO UPGRADES POSSIBLE.
    Fare is: INN8S4Z1
    any ideas?. rgds FVS

  6. @Federico von Sanden – where do you see that in the fare rules? I pulled the fare rules and don’t see it.

    British Airways (BA) INN8S4Z1 LON to YVR
    General notes
    BUSINESS EXCURSION FARES I
    Between AREA 2 and AREA 1 FOR ROUND TRIP FARES
    FOR ADULT
    Category 4: Flight restrictions
    THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    BA FLIGHTS 7000 THROUGH 7049.
    AND
    THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    BA FLIGHTS 0001 THROUGH 0004.
    AND
    THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    US FLIGHTS 0001 THROUGH 0399
    US FLIGHTS 0900 THROUGH 1699
    US FLIGHTS 2200 THROUGH 2674
    US FLIGHTS 2975 THROUGH 3199
    US FLIGHTS 3525 THROUGH 3699
    US FLIGHTS 4400 THROUGH 4499
    US FLIGHTS 4800 THROUGH 9999.
    AND
    THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    IB FLIGHTS 5000 THROUGH 5999
    IB FLIGHTS 7250 THROUGH 7999
    IB FLIGHTS 7392 THROUGH 7409
    IB FLIGHTS 7688 THROUGH 7703
    IB FLIGHTS 7764 THROUGH 7771
    IB FLIGHTS 7802 THROUGH 7809
    IB FLIGHTS 7864 THROUGH 7879
    IB FLIGHTS 7880 THROUGH 7899
    IB FLIGHTS 7900 THROUGH 7938
    IB FLIGHTS 7941 THROUGH 7972
    IB FLIGHTS 7979 THROUGH 7999
    IB FLIGHTS 8546 THROUGH 8547.
    AND
    THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    AA FLIGHTS 5250 THROUGH 5309
    AA FLIGHTS 5970 THROUGH 6017
    AA FLIGHTS 6018 THROUGH 6070
    AA FLIGHTS 6750 THROUGH 7128
    AA FLIGHTS 7219 THROUGH 7238
    AA FLIGHTS 7424 THROUGH 7453
    AA FLIGHTS 7454 THROUGH 7637
    AA FLIGHTS 7745 THROUGH 7823
    AA FLIGHTS 7833 THROUGH 7862
    AA FLIGHTS 7863 THROUGH 7949
    AA FLIGHTS 6950 THROUGH 7969
    AA FLIGHTS 7970 THROUGH 8049
    AA FLIGHTS 8350 THROUGH 8399.
    AND
    THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY AA FLIGHT OPERATED BY AS
    AS FLIGHTS 1000 THROUGH 1999
    AS FLIGHTS 3000 THROUGH 3274
    AS FLIGHTS 3300 THROUGH 3379
    AS FLIGHTS 4000 THROUGH 9229
    AS FLIGHTS 9300 THROUGH 9319
    AS FLIGHTS 9400 THROUGH 9999.
    AND
    THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    AC FLIGHTS 2200 THROUGH 6999
    AC FLIGHTS 7200 THROUGH 7649
    AC FLIGHTS 9000 THROUGH 9999.
    AND
    THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    AY FLIGHTS 6742 THROUGH 6754
    AY FLIGHTS 6832 THROUGH 6833
    AY FLIGHTS 8100 THROUGH 8700
    AY FLIGHTS 5020 THROUGH 5021
    AY FLIGHTS 5201 THROUGH 5400
    AY FLIGHTS 5811 THROUGH 5890
    AY FLIGHTS 6101 THROUGH 6150
    AY FLIGHTS 6271 THROUGH 6370
    AY FLIGHTS 6601 THROUGH 6630
    AY FLIGHTS 6761 THROUGH 6790
    AY FLIGHTS 6811 THROUGH 6820
    AY FLIGHTS 6839 THROUGH 6844.
    AND
    IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL WITHIN CANADA
    THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY AA FLIGHT
    ANY BA FLIGHT
    ANY US FLIGHT
    ANY IB FLIGHT
    ANY WS FLIGHT
    ANY AY FLIGHT.
    AND
    IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL WITHIN MEXICO
    THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY AM FLIGHT
    ANY AA FLIGHT
    ANY BA FLIGHT
    ANY US FLIGHT
    ANY IB FLIGHT
    ANY AY FLIGHT.
    AND
    IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL WITHIN HAWAII
    THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY HA FLIGHT
    ANY AA FLIGHT
    ANY BA FLIGHT
    ANY US FLIGHT
    ANY IB FLIGHT
    ANY AY FLIGHT.
    AND
    IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL WITHIN THE UNITED
    STATES
    THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY AA FLIGHT
    ANY BA FLIGHT
    ANY US FLIGHT
    ANY IB FLIGHT
    ANY AS FLIGHT
    ANY HA FLIGHT
    ANY AY FLIGHT.
    AND
    IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN CANADA AND
    THE UNITED STATES/MEXICO
    THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY AA FLIGHT
    ANY BA FLIGHT
    ANY IB FLIGHT
    ANY AY FLIGHT
    ANY US FLIGHT
    ANY AS FLIGHT.
    AND
    IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN MEXICO AND
    THE UNITED STATES/CANADA
    THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY AA FLIGHT
    ANY BA FLIGHT
    ANY US FLIGHT
    ANY IB FLIGHT
    ANY AY FLIGHT.
    AND
    IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN HAWAII AND
    CONTIGUOUS U.S.A./ALASKA
    THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY AA FLIGHT
    ANY BA FLIGHT
    ANY US FLIGHT
    ANY IB FLIGHT
    ANY AY FLIGHT.
    AND
    IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN HAWAII AND
    CANADA
    THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY AA FLIGHT
    ANY BA FLIGHT
    ANY US FLIGHT
    ANY IB FLIGHT
    ANY AY FLIGHT.
    AND
    IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL WITHIN EUROPE
    THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY AA FLIGHT
    ANY AY FLIGHT
    ANY IB FLIGHT
    ANY BA FLIGHT
    ANY US FLIGHT
    ANY 9B FLIGHT.
    AND
    THE FARE COMPONENT MUST INCLUDE TRAVEL VIA EACH
    TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR ON
    ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
    ANY BA FLIGHT.
    Category 5: Advanced reservation/ticketing restrictions
    RESERVATIONS FOR ALL SECTORS ARE REQUIRED AT LEAST 28 DAYS
    BEFORE DEPARTURE.
    TICKETING MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN 3 DAYS AFTER
    RESERVATIONS ARE MADE OR AT LEAST 28 DAYS BEFORE DEPARTURE
    WHICHEVER IS EARLIER.
    NOTE –
    DUE TO TTL ROBOT PROCESS DIFFERENCES MAY EXIST
    BETWEEN THE CRS LAST TICKETING DATE AND TTL ROBOT
    REMARK.
    THE INFORMATION BY SSR IN THE PNR PREVAILS.
    Category 6: Minimum stay requirements
    TRAVEL FROM INBOUND TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR MUST COMMENCE NO
    EARLIER THAN THE FIRST SUN AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE OUTBOUND
    TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.
    Category 7: Maximum stay requirements
    TRAVEL FROM LAST STOPOVER MUST COMMENCE NO LATER THAN 12
    MONTHS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM FARE ORIGIN.
    Category 8: Stopover restrictions
    STOPOVERS NOT PERMITTED ON THE FARE COMPONENT.

    …etc.

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