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My prime US carrier for awards is rapidly becoming British Airways and its short-haul low, low, low prices and no close-in ticketing fees for redemptions on American Airlines. I mentioned in My Week in Points that I now have a principal, long-haul program, Delta SkyMiles, and a short-haul, Special Ops-type program that helps in a pinch, British Airways Executive Club.
Holiday plans went way last-minute this year, and I needed to get 3 adults somewhere not Tri-State to maintain sanity. I don’t know why I humor my Delta account, I knew everything would be 60k or more in coach, and I don’t care what my balance is or what is rumored to be changing in the program, I cannot bring myself to book a high-level award. American and United I eliminated because I do not have any elite status with them so would be hit with insulting close-in award fees, a capricious fee not justified by any cost to the airline.
I thumbed through the trusty Wikipedia pages for LGA, JFK and EWR for American Airlines destinations, checked availability for some on American, with its excellent award calendar, and found Nashville had a few flights with the necessary MileSAAver awards to be available for booking via British Airways. New York to Nashville slips into the 7,500 Avios zone so 3 adults was 45,000 Avois + $15. Via American, due to the close-in fees, it would be 75,000 + $240.
Never been in Tennessee, we are looking at a couple days in the city and the rest somewhere quiet on a lake, certainly spoilt for choice (as in a wife appeasement trip!). Reader suggestions welcome!
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[…] wanted a traditional rural American experience, a cottage on the water, with peace and quiet. We found award tickets to Nashville, TN, and with the increasingly poor China internet I searched for water […]
[…] figured out a last-minute holiday trip to Nashville, TN, using British Airways Avios at 15k each roundtrip in economy on AA, bypassing the […]
[…] figured out a last-minute holiday trip to Nashville, TN, using British Airways Avios at 15k each roundtrip in economy on AA, bypassing the […]
http://www.wataugalaketennessee.com/
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I attended college in Nashville for 4 years and married a Nashville gal, so I go back 2-3x per year and know the city well. If you like fried chicken and country food, look no further than Lovelace Cafe, on Highway 100 about 30 minutes from downtown. http://www.lovelesscafe.com/ For the BEST grilled cheeseburgers and sweet ice tea in Nashville, head on over to Rotier’s on Elliston Place. It’s close to Centennial Park, which is where the Parthenon is located. It’s also only a couple of miles from Music Row. http://www.rotiersrestaurant.com/ Head downtown and visit Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, a quintessential honky… Read more »
@David, FrenquentMiler, Mason – thanks for the great tips, I will dig in when back from China.
I used to live in Nashville. For a beautiful walk, go to Radnor Lake. The Parthenon is worth stopping at to see the full size Athena statue replica.. Next door is the hole in the wall, but delicious Hog Heaven BBQ. Go for the white sauce.
if you head 3 hours to the east you’ll find some beautiful mountains to retreat in.
Thanks for the Wikipedia tip!