Ok heres the difference between BA & AA for a Coach tkt to Rome (where I happen to be going in a couple of weeks for a few days on an AA free tkt)
BA: 60k in miles & $291
AA: 40k (special off season rate) & $45
a biz tkt is 100k on AA & 120k on BA with the same $ amounts being charged as above
so BA is more since you have to go via LHR going & coming and LHR has steep taxes and its more miles. Is it a rip, I dont have a clue where I could purchase a tkt to Rome for $291 (ok add the $75 ann fee) still its not that bad but hardly FREE.
Then again I purchased a coach tkt to Rome on UA this past Aug that cost me $508 all in and I earned a ton of miles. And since the plane was oversold in Coach both ways as a 1K, UA OPUPed me to Biz both ways
. On top of that my FCO-IAD flight was so late I missed my connection to LGA and had to wait 5 hrs for the next flight. Of cause that RJ was too heavy and they needed a vol, so I ended up with a VDB and a $500 voucher,hotel room at IAD, and $15 meal voucher (sold it for $10) But 1 cant rely on this happening at all.
So to someone who isnt in the Status game Rome for $291 + 75 isnt really that bad at all, for 2 people youd need to charge $20k or another $18k on the card (since $2k must be charged to get the 2nd 50k). Or simply have both husband and wife apply for the Card, find a way to charge the $40k and fly in Biz
London will be slightly less both in miles needed and fees as Rome is 4 segments (1 long & 1 short,(TLV is 2 long each way)) while London is just 1 long each way
Not the Best deal by far, nor the Worst