Adelaide to Europe return

[Adelaide Brad]

New to forum and Points collecting (9 months)
Currently with 300k points silver SC.
Looking to fly return to Europe September 2025.
Questions for the more knowledgable:
- When would we need to book.
- I've seen QR flights for 5 times less than VA flights, why is this so?
- Where would be the cheapest points wise to fly into, not bothered which city.
- Approximately how many points for x2 adults flying business class.

If anyone can help, we would be very appreciated.

 

[Flyfrequently]

New to forum and Points collecting (9 months)
Currently with 300k points silver SC.
Looking to fly return to Europe September 2025.
Questions for the more knowledgable:
- When would we need to book.
- I've seen QR flights for 5 times less than VA flights, why is this so?
- Where would be the cheapest points wise to fly into, not bothered which city.
- Approximately how many points for x2 adults flying business class.

If anyone can help, we would be very appreciated.

Welcome to AFF @Adelaide Brad

I can only add my opinion re q#1, book sooner rather than later and q#3, LHR and Paris I believe to be more expensive and harder to get (happy to be corrected)

I am not familiar with VA rewards and fares, but many knowledgeable folk here are.
Let us know what you decide to do

Happy travels

 

[BriarFlyer]

Looking to fly return to Europe September 2025.
Questions for the more knowledgable:
- When would we need to book.
- I've seen QR flights for 5 times less than VA flights, why is this so?
- Where would be the cheapest points wise to fly into, not bothered which city.
- Approximately how many points for x2 adults flying business class.

Welcome to AFF, @Adelaide Brad. To answer your questions:
1. Bookings are currently available up to 20/10/24, so for September 2025 you'd start looking on October 2024 (providing there's no change in the release times to VA by their partner airlines.
2. The "VA flights" aren't actually Virgin Australia flights but the code share flight numbers on partner airlines. This is a points plus pay price, not a classic reward. When searching, look for the "Reward seats available" tag.

3 + 4. 139,000 points + taxes/surcharges will get you to most points in Europe. Choose a city further east, such as Athens or Budapest, for 121,000 points + taxes/surcharges. The difference can be in taxes, particularly from the UK which has an additional departure tax. So, you could fly into London and out of continental Europe to save on that tax/surcharge.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Avoid flying J out of the UK, as their APD (Air Passenger Duty) is a lot, its charged a lot for J or F.
QR uses the 777, while SQ uses the 787.
One is the night departure, good if you work during the day and can get off work by 6pm to get to the airport by 7.30pm, for passport swiping, and bag drop.
SQ has the day dep.
If it were me, I would fly via SIN to a European city, apart from the UK, you can always get land transport to Paris, and then Chunnel it to the UK.
Not sure how VA works its award seatings with its partners, but for us ADL residents, its either SQ or QR, ...
I have never chased up the number of points needed, but I think 300,000 for J, is still quite a low amount, maybe enough for 1 person, but might be possible for 2 in Y.