British Airways: New 72 Hour Flight Price Hold

British Airways is now allowing 72 hour flight fare holds on some paid tickets, a welcome option when you're still arranging your trip and need some extra time to decide. This is similar to United FareLock, although FareLock offers 72 hour as well as 7 day hold options. Unfortunately this new hold option does NOT apply to award tickets, however.

Here are the details:

Fare hold option is only available on British Airways and Iberia flights, not on Oneworld Alliance partner airlines
The fee is $10 for a 72 hour hold
If you book the held ticket with the 72 hours, the $10 fee is refunded
If the fare goes down during the 72 hour hold period, naturally you pay the lower fare
The fare hold option is not available on all flights (see specific exclusions below)
Fare hold is not available for flights departing within 21 days

FAQ

Which Flights Are Excluded from the Fare Hold Option?

As noted above, fare hold is only offered for paid flights (not award flights or cash + points bookings) and all flights departing within 21 days are excluded. Additionally, British Airways flights departing from the following destinations are excluded (although some labeled “coming soon”) will offer fare hold options in the future:

British Airways Flights Departing These Destinations Are Excluded:

Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Barbados
Denmark (coming soon)
Dominican Republic
Egypt
India
Israel (coming soon)
Liberia,
Mexico
Nigeria
Norway (coming soon)
Pakistan
Sierra Leone
St Kitts & Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent & Grenadines
Sweden (coming soon)
Syria
Trinidad & Tobago

Iberia Flights Departing These Destinations Are Excluded:

Bolivia
Colombia
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Equatorial Guinea
El Salvador
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Uruguay
Venezuela
Vietnam

Aren't British Airways Tickets Fully Refundable Anyway if Cancelled Within 24 Hours?

Yes, if the British Airways or Iberia ticket is from or to the U.S. For other flights not involving the U.S., the DOT rule requiring either a free 24 hold or free 24 hour cancellation does not apply to foreign airlines. Note that a British Airways award ticket is NOT refundable if the departure is within 24 hours.

Is A Hold Ever Possible for Award Tickets?

Generally no. On a couple of occasions under very specific circumstances for Award Booking clients I've been able to get a 24 hour courtesy hold, but this is not the norm.

Can I Hold a Paid Ticket That Includes an Infant Lap Child?

Unfortunately no; this is also currently excluded. Do keep British Airways in mind for award bookings, however, when an infant lap child is 10% of the Avios used for the adult's award–a much better deal, particularly for first class and business class, than most other airlines, where a 10% cash fare is payable for a lap child on an adult award ticket.

Have you ever paid for a flight hold option when deciding on a paid airline ticket?

United FareLock Fee Worth It or Use a Free Hold?

Airline Award Hold Policies: Tips and Tricks

New British Airways Avios Devaluation

Need Award Booking Help? Our fee is as low as $75 per ticket if you book your hotel through us.

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