British airways hikes award ticket fees, adding hundreds to flight costs

British Airways stunned its frequent flyers with a Friday evening announcement: it's raising fees on award tickets starting next Wednesday, May 27.

Surcharge spike slams award travelers

The airline, notorious for levying some of the highest surcharges, is now adding hundreds, even thousands, of dollars to awards on its London Heathrow hub routes.

A round-trip in Club World from LHR to New York JFK will now require 176,000 Avios + £499 (approximately $671 USD). The same journey costs $759.90 in taxes and fees after redeeming 176,000 Avios.

A one-way trip in Club Europe from LHR to Rome will now need 22,000 Avios + £20 (approximately $27 USD).

This increase is the latest in a trend of carriers pinching passengers as fuel prices soar. Air France/KLM, Scandinavian Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines/All Nippon Airways have all hiked fuel surcharges this year.

For travelers already paying steep taxes and fees on British Airways award tickets, the hike may not be a game-changer. But for those booking new redemptions, the added costs could be a deal-breaker.

So what's the bottom line? British Airways is raising its award ticket fees. For now, it's business as usual, but with fuel prices on the rise, expect more pain at the checkout counter for award travelers.