FF Points predicament to get the family to LHR

[wattch]

Hi Guru’s,

My wife and I are planning to take our youngest daughter (10) on a European vacation next June for around 7 weeks. We’ve been a couple of times but this time we’ll only stop in the UK for a few days to see family, and then head over to the Continent for the rest of our stay.

My predicament is that we would like to go to Europe in J or at least Y+, flying on either Qantas, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, or British Airways etc. I don’t really have a spare $24k laying around for flights but I do have around 560k QFF points that I’m willing to part with.

Does anyone have any novel ideas that I haven’t thought of?

I would like to keep costs to $10,000 AUD and happy to part with all 560,000 points. I could also find a couple extra points if needed, maybe 20 – 30,000 tops and even a little extra cash if needed.

Living in Canberra, we can easily fly out of Sydney or Melbourne. Also worth noting that I’m only Silver with Q Club membership.
I only picked LHR because I found a more Award flights to LHR than other UK airports. I’m reasonably flexible to which airport we land in Europe and layover options.

So far my best idea has been to:

Option 1
Fly SYD to HKG return in Y+ with QF paying in cash. SYD – HKG – SYD. Seen costs under $5,000 for all 3 of us.
Fly HKG to LHR return in J with QF points. HKG – LHR – HKG. Total points burned would be 564,000 plus any fees.

Advantages of this are its under budget, easy enough to find award flights plus earn a few QFF points and 140 status points.
Disadvantages are layover both ways in HKG. Only getting half way in J.

Option 2
Use points to secure two award flights in J and purchase one J ticket with cash.

Advantages of this are I would earn plenty of QFF points and status points. J all the way.
Disadvantages are it could be tricky to match flights between award flights and purchased ticket. I should take the same flights with my wife and daughter. “Should” being the optimum word.

Option 3
Points upgrade requests. Could purchase Y+ tickets and go in lottery for upgrade but as I don’t have the status, it’s a bit gamble. I have enough to request Points upgrade for Y to Y+ and Y to J but again I don't like to gamble.

So far Option 1 looks good to me. Does anyone have any other ideas? What would you do? I have another couple of months to plan.

Thanks for taking the time to help out.
Wattch

 

[wattch]

View attachment Qantas.pdf

Thought I'd post my spreadsheet if anyone was interested.

 

[TomVexille]

Consider booking a J return from SIN (or BKK ect) and use the points to get to SIN

 

[immature]

Hi, just a comment about LHR - it's been noted on AFF and elsewhere that since there is a large APD charge applied on flights leaving LHR, that it makes sense to avoid departing from LHR if possible.

You could always fly into Europe through LHR but leave via a different port.

CX has routes between HKG and AMS, CDG, DUS, FCO, FRA, MAD, MXP, ZRH. I've been able to book J flights to MAD and from ZRH with around 6 months notice, so I'm guessing that availability might be better on these routes than LHR. Or at least will give you some options.

Another route that I've considered was SYD/MEL-SIN on QF, then SIN-LHR on BA. Wouldn't be my first choice as I haven't heard good things about BA's product, and also fuel fines seem to be more redeeming on BA.

Lastly, I don't know about points/cash cost but have you considered EK via DXB or QR via DOH?

 

[Buzzard]

From your options I would take Option 2.
I very much doubt that you would find 2 award seats available and no cash seats on the same flight.

Other things you could look into:
Fly to BKK or SIN cash or award if available then look into buying cheap J or even F with another airline to Europe eg Sri Lankan or Finnair.
This may not suit as it would be best to stay o/nite each way in BKK or SIN and you would also be going "the long way" to your final destination.

Somebody with a bit more knowledge than I may have another suggestion(s) to give you even more options.

 

[travelislife]

I would go option 2. Looking to use QR or CX (fuel surcharges should be less and product is better). Book the 2 FF tickets. In to LHR and out of somewhere in mainland Europe that will suit you best (book the tickets as 2 x one ways). Book the paid J ticket as a multi-city, in to one, out of the other. Should be easily doable for under $10k.

Luckily you have left yourself a good amount time to get organised.

 

[andye]

Availability for 2 or 3 seats would be very tough for June 2016. If 2017 you might well find 3 seats on CX for option 1 when they are released

I can't imagine option 3 working in June even with higher status

Finnair and Sri Lankan often have reasonable J fares ex-SIN and ex-BKK. You could try to use points to reach those ports in comfort

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Consider booking a J return from SIN (or BKK ect) and use the points to get to SIN

This. It should be possible to pick up fully flexible business class tickets from Singapore or Bangkok in the AUD2200-2500 range - not dependent on award seats (although maybe not on what we would consider 'Tier 1' airlines).

Use points to get to SIN or BKK as required.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Option 4:

Buy 180K Alaska miles for ~$8000 and do AU to HKG return in J on CX for all 3 of you
Use QF points HKG to anywhere in Europe on CX in J - burning all ur QF points (taxes will be lower than alternatives too)

However I agree with others that getting premium seats into Europe during their summer can be difficult

 

[medhead]

PE to HKG would be fine. Airport hotels are pretty ok.

From your options I would take Option 2.
I very much doubt that you would find 2 award seats available and no cash seats on the same flight.

This... If you can get 2 award seats on a flight then there will be plenty of cash fares.

 

[kitkatff]

wow, was just having a look at MEL-CDG in June (random dates, I think leaving a Tuesday), you can get it for around $3,400 in J with Vietnam airlines. Long stop over in SGN or HAN, maybe make it a day stop. But dirt cheap ... Play around with dates, looks like that works on Tuesday but other days it goes up to $4,000ish.
Still pretty cheap. Of course not to London, but hey ... maybe look at Eurostar tickets, early enough they have discounts.
Or to LHR look at Thai + Swiss, around $4.5K, or China Southern around the same range. Check out flights.google.com, if you haven't already.

No Oneworld status or points use, but the OW airlines are a bit dearer. So the suggestion to get to a SE Asia port first then book J seems pretty good if you want to burn points.

 

[wattch]

Consider booking a J return from SIN (or BKK ect) and use the points to get to SIN

$4400 each return for BKK to LHR to BKK flying Etihad in F. That sounds alright?

 

[TomVexille]

$4400 each return for BKK to LHR to BKK flying Etihad in F. That sounds alright?

Assuming that you're willing to go a little over budget, I think that's a pretty good deal for F. Especially if you can get on the A380s

 

[BD1959]

This. It should be possible to pick up fully flexible business class tickets from Singapore or Bangkok in the AUD2200-2500 range - not dependent on award seats (although maybe not on what we would consider 'Tier 1' airlines).

Use points to get to SIN or BKK as required.

Agree with MEL_Traveller, though from the searches I've done J ex-BKK is far cheaper than ex-SIN.

AY tends to come top of most searches I've done: good J Product and HEL is a good transit port. Intra Europe J can be patchy (Y seats on Embraers for example) but these tend to be the secondary routes. May have to overnight though to pick up the early morning ex-BKK.

I've seen cheap QF F ex-BKK (EK codeshare as far as DXB).

Regards,

BD

 

[travelislife]

This. It should be possible to pick up fully flexible business class tickets from Singapore or Bangkok in the AUD2200-2500 range - not dependent on award seats (although maybe not on what we would consider 'Tier 1' airlines).

Use points to get to SIN or BKK as required.

But won't the cost end up very similar to the 2 x J award fares return to Europe plus one paid?

Also with the added complexity of having to find 3 x J return award tickets to BKK from Aus (no easy feat plus the fuel fines) and overnight in BKK?

I know it is a good option at times but without directly crunching the numbers I would of thought the added complexity of trying to find 3 x award seats alone would render it nearly useless.

 

[wattch]

But won't the cost end up very similar to the 2 x J award fares return to Europe plus one paid?

Also with the added complexity of having to find 3 x J return award tickets to BKK from Aus (no easy feat plus the fuel fines) and overnight in BKK?

I know it is a good option at times but without directly crunching the numbers I would of thought the added complexity of trying to find 3 x award seats alone would render it nearly useless.

Yeah I think I'm in agreement with travelislife. I will change my thinking from looking at it as Options 1,2,3&4 and change to Plan A, B and C.

I will try get 2 J awards and pay for the 3rd. If that fails, I'll go with a Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong transit option. And if all else fails, I'll go in the award upgrade lottery.

Thanks for every ones input. Have I said that I love this forum lately?

 

[travelislife]

Before booking your award tickets I would check you are happy with the cash fare.

Recommending in to LHR and out of somewhere in mainland Europe that suits. AMS is usually good value, so can LIS, MXP. The financial centres of ZRH and MUC often a bit more but worth checking. QR and CC are probably your best best for 1 stop on decent carriers and a good chance of award availability.

 

[wandering_fred]

Into KUL/BKK in any reasonable manner. UL J (new A330) seats are as good as CX's and the service is excellent. Out to LHR return from FRA or CDG. Note a long layover in CMB will get you a hotel and transfers. If you like beaches, it might be worthwhile spending the money for a couple of days...

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But won't the cost end up very similar to the 2 x J award fares return to Europe plus one paid?

Also with the added complexity of having to find 3 x J return award tickets to BKK from Aus (no easy feat plus the fuel fines) and overnight in BKK?

I know it is a good option at times but without directly crunching the numbers I would of thought the added complexity of trying to find 3 x award seats alone would render it nearly useless.

That could be right. But I guess it all depends on availability. Finding two J awards might be tough. This was just an option. It might also be worth considering Jetstar 'business' for say MEL-SIN - either awards (or paid fares can be pretty cheap).

 

[Franky]

Option 4:

Buy 180K Alaska miles for ~$8000 and do AU to HKG return in J on CX for all 3 of you
Use QF points HKG to anywhere in Europe on CX in J - burning all ur QF points (taxes will be lower than alternatives too)

However I agree with others that getting premium seats into Europe during their summer can be difficult

Agree with this idea, we did something similar last year. Pick a spot somewhere in Europe (we chose Dusseldorf as it is a OW Hub) and do your touring there, and try getting to London by rail/ferry which is a nice side trip in itself.