Business Class Query to Europe - Recommendations?

[MEL_Traveller]

Well I bit the bullet and asked the concierge for assistance and at least they were totally transparent and said after assessing the dates, they felt sure they couldn't help.
I'll keep hunting around, but I'm thinking this is all looking so difficult, we may have to just make do with somewhere in Asia, which is disappointing because he was so keen on Europe, but reality is reality. Thank you everybody for your kind help. Happy travels!

flyfrquemtly came up with an option above your post, and I have also found SYD-Bali on 20 september, Jetstar ‘business’ (premium economy), then Emirates from Bali to Rome on 23 September. So you’d have a few days in bali. The emirates flights are in business. 161,000 points per person.

 

[Becc]

flyfrquemtly came up with an option above your post, and I have also found SYD-Bali on 20 september, Jetstar ‘business’ (premium economy), then Emirates from Bali to Rome on 23 September. So you’d have a few days in bali. The emirates flights are in business. 161,000 points per person.

wow! OK, how do I find these flights? Do I go to the Emirates site? And how do I work out getting us home again business? I was hoping to go back New York to Sydney on or about October 30th if we take that Emirates flight, which sounds amazing! You are a wonderful human being

Post automatically merged: Apr 14, 2024

flyfrquemtly came up with an option above your post, and I have also found SYD-Bali on 20 september, Jetstar ‘business’ (premium economy), then Emirates from Bali to Rome on 23 September. So you’d have a few days in bali. The emirates flights are in business. 161,000 points per person.

I know this is probably inappropriate, but is there any way I could actually communicate with you directly? You have so much knowledge! That Bali/Emirates situation would solve our whole getting there problem! Thank you

 

[Becc]

On the Emirates site I only found this on the 23rd? Should I be looking at the Qantas site?

 

[Becc]

It takes a lot of practice to get your head around all of this @Becc !

Just looked and 3 September CR QF has 2× J seats Jakarta (CGK) to Prague with KLM. We flew with them HKG- AMS - LIS last September and although 2-2 configuration, the staff were exceptional and I slept better than on CX and QF.
I actually like a 2x 2, others may think differently !
Have a think about where you want to visit, and also we found trains were great for Spain, France and Italy.

Thanks for the trains tip, I've looked into those and it's definitely a good option. I'm trying to work out this idea of Mel's to travel Jetstar Premium to Bali and then Emirates on the 23rd September Bali Rome, but I'm having difficulty working out how I actually find those seats. Honestly, you guys must have a Phd in this stuff!!!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

wow! OK, how do I find these flights? Do I go to the Emirates site? And how do I work out getting us home again business? I was hoping to go back New York to Sydney on or about October 30th if we take that Emirates flight, which sounds amazing! You are a wonderful human being

Post automatically merged: Apr 14, 2024

I know this is probably inappropriate, but is there any way I could actually communicate with you directly? You have so much knowledge! That Bali/Emirates situation would solve our whole getting there problem! Thank you

So I looked on the Qantas site… if using Qantas points you can only book through the qf site.

I used the multi-city tool, SYD-DPS as one flight, then DPS-FCO. As it’s multicity, it will show you a calendar if you select ‘flexible dates’. The you just have to match up dates for the first and second flights. Which is easy if you have the calendar view.


The problem is, Emirates can’t be used on the oneworld award ticket. So the best way to come home is probably going to be back via asia.

I just searched from new york at the end of october via LA, Dallas, san Fran, tokyo and hong kong… nothing!

 

[Flyfrequently]

On the Emirates site I only found this on the 23rd? Should I be looking at the Qantas site?View attachment 379146

Yes @Becc

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Coming home is the problem! I can’t really find anything from europe back at the end of october.

While happy to help, the benefit of having the discussion here in AFF is that someone else might just come across the needle in the haystack and be able to post it!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The only thing I have found coming back is 28 October, Frankfurt to Taipei on China Airlines, business (very good), a day transit in TPE, before the overnight back to Sydney on 29 October, but in Premium Economy. 159k per person

 

[tdimdad]

I can vouch for the PE on China Airlines (CI). What MEL_Traveller has found for the return trip would be a great option. Besides, a couple of days in Taipei would be a fantastic way to start adjusting to the (near) Australian timezone.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I can vouch for the PE on China Airlines (CI). What MEL_Traveller has found for the return trip would be a great option. Besides, a couple of days in Taipei would be a fantastic way to start adjusting to the (near) Australian timezone.

Unfortunately that was the only date combination! The stopover is about 12 hours.

 

[Becc]

So I looked on the Qantas site… if using Qantas points you can only book through the qf site.

I used the multi-city tool, SYD-DPS as one flight, then DPS-FCO. As it’s multicity, it will show you a calendar if you select ‘flexible dates’. The you just have to match up dates for the first and second flights. Which is easy if you have the calendar view.


The problem is, Emirates can’t be used on the oneworld award ticket. So the best way to come home is probably going to be back via asia.

I just searched from new york at the end of october via LA, Dallas, san Fran, tokyo and hong kong… nothing!

Okeydoke, I'm learning!
I've found the Jakarta Prague return situation and also a Sydney Jakarta return option.
I'm going to have to buy points but I think it'll still work out.
It won't be exactly the trip we were expecting, but I figure if i can get us into Europe and back that's the main thing and I'll work out what happens over there after I've locked in the main game.
I think we'll have to let go of the idea of flying from Paris to New York and home from NY to Sydney because I can't find any business class fares that will take us back from NYC business and that's the bit he really needs.
Anyway, steep learning curve, but I may just get there

Post automatically merged: Apr 14, 2024

Coming home is the problem! I can’t really find anything from europe back at the end of october.

While happy to help, the benefit of having the discussion here in AFF is that someone else might just come across the needle in the haystack and be able to post it!

Fair enough, that makes sense

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Okeydoke, I'm learning!
I've found the Jakarta Prague return situation and also a Sydney Jakarta return option.
I'm going to have to buy points but I think it'll still work out.
It won't be exactly the trip we were expecting, but I figure if i can get us into Europe and back that's the main thing and I'll work out what happens over there after I've locked in the main game.
I think we'll have to let go of the idea of flying from Paris to New York and home from NY to Sydney because I can't find any business class fares that will take us back from NYC business and that's the bit he really needs.
Anyway, steep learning curve, but I may just get there

Post automatically merged: Apr 14, 2024

Fair enough, that makes sense

That’s good news! You shouldn’t have to buy too many points though… starting at 660k. If you need to buy a lot of points you might not be looking at classic awards.

Make sure everything you find is in business class… a little ‘!’ symbol will mean one or more legs are in a lower cabin for example.

 

[Flyfrequently]

That’s good news! You shouldn’t have to buy too many points though… starting at 660k. If you need to buy a lot of points you might not be looking at classic awards.

Just looked at those flight combos for you early Sept over and back 11 or 18 October @Becc you probably need about just shy of 50,000 points.
(AFF Brains trust might like to check) but I see it as
●119k points + sub $500 taxes each leg per pax Jakarta -Prague
●57k points + $200 ish in taxes each leg per pax Syd-Jakarta
These are all J Classic rewards @MEL_Traveller , so a pretty good find for that time of year.

Perhaps buying wine with a good dash of bonus points might be a good strategy to compensate for having to purchase the whole 50k points.

My only other suggestion would be to go the day before to Jakarta as you would be on separate e-tickets (PNR) and perhaps for the return to Sydney build in a decent buffer.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Via Bali was 161k per person, and the return was 159k per person, giving a total of 640k.

 

[Sprucegoose]

It is often cheaper to avoid flights to UK

It may be a case of flights originating at LHR are more expensive than those using LHR as a stopover as well i.e. HEL-LHR-SIN

 

[equus]

It may be a case of flights originating at LHR are more expensive than those using LHR as a stopover as well i.e. HEL-LHR-SIN

There are two factors to be considered here:

1. UK departure tax. This is considerable (especially for any cabin other than whY). This is charge on any flight departing UK (with some minor exceptions), unless the passenger was a transit passenger (so not a stopover).
2. Origin - Destination pricing, where airlines charge a premium for certain routes, and charge less for apparently longer routes that include the same flights. Just like HEL-LHR-SIN may be cheaper than LHR-SIN, so AKL-SYD-SIN-LHR is often cheaper than SYD-SIN-LHR

In most cases, it is the UK departure tax that makes most of the difference. By making a flight a transit rather than a stopover (or departure) this tax can be removed. It may well be cheaper to pay the lower short zone departure tax, fly LHR xHEL on one ticket, then fly HEL-LHR-SIN. If the cost of the LHR-HEL (with lesser tax) and the flight from HEL does not add substantially to the actual flight cost. and it all comes out less than the higher tax on the LHR-SIN departure, you can end up ahead - albeit with a lot of extra flying. You also need to figure in either the cost / time /desirability of time outside the UK (visit to Finland) or the risks of shorter connections on separate tickets (so that the whole thing doesn't get taxes as one route).

 

[Sprucegoose]

but some airports like Manila are a disaster to transfer in, especially between terminals

Yes, I've experienced it firsthand. I transferred in MNL without going through Immigration, but that was only possible because I was staying within the same terminal (3). For those unfamiliar with the process, it can be quite daunting and best avoided.

There are some great deals out of those inconvenient airports for the intrepid. For example, for the period the OP is seeking, fares MNL—AMS return are only A$3.7k, providing more options to get to MNL. Consider a points option to MNL or a great trip through Super or the Lion City on CX or SQ.

Travel is as much about the journey than ........

 

[Sprucegoose]

unless the passenger was a transit passenger (so not a stopover).

Yes, well-spotted equus - I should have used the term 'transit' - in my world, that is a stopover under 24 hours.

 

[Becc]

The only thing I have found coming back is 28 October, Frankfurt to Taipei on China Airlines, business (very good), a day transit in TPE, before the overnight back to Sydney on 29 October, but in Premium Economy. 159k per person

Just looked at those flight combos for you early Sept over and back 11 or 18 October @Becc you probably need about just shy of 50,000 points.
(AFF Brains trust might like to check) but I see it as
●119k points + sub $500 taxes each leg per pax Jakarta -Prague
●57k points + $200 ish in taxes each leg per pax Syd-Jakarta
These are all J Classic rewards @MEL_Traveller , so a pretty good find for that time of year.

Perhaps buying wine with a good dash of bonus points might be a good strategy to compensate for having to purchase the whole 50k points.

My only other suggestion would be to go the day before to Jakarta as you would be on separate e-tickets (PNR) and perhaps for the return to Sydney build in a decent buffer.

You are a gem.
Everybody in this community is so kind and generous with their knowledge. I would never have known about the whole Jakarta jag if not for coming in here and your kind help. Thank you so much.

I did it!
I booked the Jakarta Prague business flights for 119000 each but when I went on Sydney/Jakarta there only seemed to be 68000 points each flight left for the leadup to when we had the Jak/Prague situation, so I just bit the bullet and did that.
It still turned out to be only about $700 total in taxes on the Europe leg and as you said about $400 on the sydney/Jak leg.
I got us staying in Jakarta for two nights so my husband can rest before the Europe leg. I have no idea what we'll do in Jakarta? Any recommendations for hotels or resorts where he could relax. I'm thinking it wouldn't be too expensive and there might be some things to do/see?

So I decided to just go ahead and book the SYD/JAK/PRAGUE situation and at least get us there, and keep looking (desperately) for a way to get us back from NYC to Sydney hopefully on points. I was concerned that the classic rewards seats were likely to disappear.

I also found BA business flights for USD$1700 Paris/NYC each at the other end of our Europe run around - does that sound like a good deal? I'd be keen to see what you think? I just can't have him travelling that leg economy or even premium.

I also found travel insurance via a group called Insure and Go for $1151 for the whole trip, covering unlimited medical expenses and cancellations and holdups. I didn't want to go to that extra expense, but given my husband's situation it seemed like a wise idea. What do you think? I haven't committed yet? The Qantas Insurance was much more expensive.

I'm looking at air bnb's for accomodation in Europe which I'm thinking will be cheaper than hotels.

Interestingly, it seems that flying between places in Europe is cheaper than the train, which is weird?

It's been a very wild 48 hours! And an enormous learning curve.
I guess I'm just launching off into it and hoping for the best. At least it's still some time away and I know we're going!
I just hope we're coming back!!!
Thank you all so much again, I couldn't have done it without you

 

[tdimdad]

This is just awesome, Becc!