Europe in J around Easter next year: Any suggestions?

[Berlin]

Hi guys- I'm just back from there but already busy planning a short trip to Europe next year around Easter as I have some family stuff to sort but also will be more than ready for a short break by then. Looking for the best flight option, I thought I see if anyone here has a few smart ideas. The following make it a bit complicated:

• I hold a QF voucher over 500 Dollars which I need to use by the end of March which would be perfectly in time for this trip
• My QF sc period ends end of February so flying OneWorld will give me a good head start into the next period to maintain my QF status
• Ideally, I'd fly into Germany and out of London (or vice versa) but am pretty flexible within Europe. Not daring into the back of the bus so ideally J or maybe Y+ would be my options. A380 always preferred to all else in my eyes, especially to dodgy old 747s.

Being a privately sponsored trip, I obviously don't want to spend too much money so what I've been thinking so far has been to book a standard Y+ return fare on QF to Asia (Singapore most likely) using my voucher on it and maybe putting point upgrade requests in to J as well. Then, make my way to Europe on a cheaper OneWorld carrier, currently the cheapest looks to go on Finnair J which also allows you plenty of options to connect to in Europe via Helsinki. Another thought was as MH will be part of OneWorld by then, maybe I should wait and see if I can get a good deal on them from KL? I could just bus it between SIN and KL- sounds dodgy but I lived in Singapore for almost two years during my Uni days so taking that bus would even be a rather nice memory for me.

Any other ideas? Any suggestions where to look for good deals out of SIN or KL? I usually try to avoid sleazy travel agents if possible but might have to swallow that pill if I want to get a good deal out of Asia. Any thoughts from you helpful people are very welcome

 

[smit0847]

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....programs/avianca-life-miles-new-ff-40866.html

Even if you buy miles today without a 100% buy promo a return J AU-EU on *A carriers would only be US$3341 + minimal taxes. Can all be searched and booked online and I imagine availability would be easy 9 months out (we believe SQ J may be available).

As you can also book 1-ways and multi-legs can I suggest using your QF voucher to book either a one-way SYD-SIN Y/Y+ leg (it's a daytime flight) or a JQ Business class ticket (which are on special right now) via MEL (also a daytime) then book an Avianca multi-leg SIN-FRA then return LHR-SYD.

Obviously Avianca is *A not OW but if you want J for cheaper I would strongly recommend looking into it. Happy to walk you through the process if you are interested (it's much simpler than the US DM scheme) - I've signed up and done lots of dummy bookings.

 

[ozmille]

We have done the whY+ to SIN connecting onto AY J before and it works well. Had a quick check and even with your 500 voucher a whY+ to sin comes in at aroung 2500 and then a 5000+ AY ticket to Germany and back from LHR is the same as or even a bit more expensive than a SYD-SIN-HEL-GERMANY / LHR-HEL-SIN-SYD AY J ticket at 7500.

This seems quite a bit more then the Avianca option from above though :shock:

If MH join by the end of this year there might be some good fares there.

 

[smit0847]

We have done the whY+ to SIN connecting onto AY J before and it works well. Had a quick check and even with your 500 voucher a whY+ to sin comes in at aroung 2500 and then a 5000+ AY ticket to Germany and back from LHR is the same as or even a bit more expensive than a SYD-SIN-HEL-GERMANY / LHR-HEL-SIN-SYD AY J ticket at 7500.

This seems quite a bit more then the Avianca option from above though :shock:

If MH join by the end of this year there might be some good fares there.

QF SYD-SIN-SYD Y+ is $2500+?!?!? Do QFi wonder why they are not making any money?

Seriously - if you want to pay half of what QF will charge you for J, forget about OW SC and buy Avianca Miles. For SYD-LHR you should have the choice of TG, OZ and possibly SQ. You can buy the miles now and book the entire thing online. SYD-FRA, LHR-SYD should be well under $4K incl all taxes.

 

[ozmille]

QF SYD-SIN-SYD Y+ is $2500+?!?!? Do QFi wonder why they are not making any money?

That was for a random date in April including the OP's 500 dollar voucher the flight is actually 3047...

 

[smit0847]

That was for a random date in April including the OP's 500 dollar voucher the flight is actually 3047...

I am without words.

SQ A380 J is only $4200 return in April (SQ Y is only $1200 return). You cannot tell me QF Y+ is worth almost 3 x SQ Y on the same route with the same aircraft. It's not like we are comparing oranges with apples here - these are all regular, non-sale prices booked 9 months out.

Qantas have only themselves to blame for their demise.

 

[ozmille]

I am without words.

SQ A380 J is only $4200 return in April (SQ Y is only $1200 return). You cannot tell me QF Y+ is worth almost 3 x SQ Y on the same route with the same aircraft. It's not like we are comparing oranges with apples here - these are all regular, non-sale prices booked 9 months out.

Qantas have only themselves to blame for their demise.

QF J is 4272 as well I have never understood the pricing of whY+ to be honest

 

[Berlin]

QF J is 4272 as well I have never understood the pricing of whY+ to be honest

Well, I think paying two and a half instead of four for this part of my trip is a pretty attractive proposition in my eyes, especially if I throw in a couple of points and most likely end up in J anyway at least on one way of the trip. Then adding something like Finnair J to finish my way to Europe while earning nice QF status credits seems like a more attractive option that joining some untested frequent flyer program in an alliance that I usually don't fly with only to risk not getting anywhere with it once it comes to the actual booking. So far, for me, the QF plus Finnair option remains the most viable one.

 

[smit0847]

Well, I think paying two and a half instead of four for this part of my trip is a pretty attractive proposition in my eyes, especially if I throw in a couple of points and most likely end up in J anyway at least on one way of the trip. Then adding something like Finnair J to finish my way to Europe while earning nice QF status credits seems like a more attractive option that joining some untested frequent flyer program in an alliance that I usually don't fly with only to risk not getting anywhere with it once it comes to the actual booking. So far, for me, the QF plus Finnair option remains the most viable one.

It's your money.....

 

[Berlin]

It's your money.....

If I get the first hard evidence that this idea really works and you indeed and up on a nice SQ A380, I'll be the first one to rush onto it. Until then, I rather work towards keeping my QF Platinum status...

 

[ozmille]

Well, I think paying two and a half instead of four for this part of my trip is a pretty attractive proposition in my eyes, especially if I throw in a couple of points and most likely end up in J anyway at least on one way of the trip. Then adding something like Finnair J to finish my way to Europe while earning nice QF status credits seems like a more attractive option that joining some untested frequent flyer program in an alliance that I usually don't fly with only to risk not getting anywhere with it once it comes to the actual booking. So far, for me, the QF plus Finnair option remains the most viable one.

In that case I would suggest a straight forward AY J ticket at 7500. The why+ at 2500 plus the 5000 AY J ticket is the same, and you can use your voucher for something else

 

[burmans]

If I get the first hard evidence that this idea really works and you indeed and up on a nice SQ A380, I'll be the first one to rush onto it. Until then, I rather work towards keeping my QF Platinum status...

What's your definition of hard evidence, I've seen enough on FT and walked through the buying process on LifeMiles to be more than comfortable this really works and yes have seen SQ A380 for some trial dates. And given you can check availability not sure you are risking anything but as smit0847 says it's your money. That addiction to QF is costly though IMO.

 

[Berlin]

In that case I would suggest a straight forward AY J ticket at 7500. The why+ at 2500 plus the 5000 AY J ticket is the same, and you can use your voucher for something else

Good thinking, thanks Ozmille! I pay the same PLUS earn more points and status credits rather than using my points to upgrade from Y+ to J. Definitely a better deal! Am I correct in that I need to fly via Bangkok if I want to experience the nicer new J class product on Finnair?

Might wait for another few months until I make a final decision- depending on the price, MH could be a very tempting offer once they are part of OW. Especially if that means flying the KL-LHR route on their new A380

 

[whatmeworry]

Until then, I rather work towards keeping my QF Platinum status...

It's the top one percent of flyers that make 25% of a Airline's revenue.

 

[jgm]

You should look at reversing the trip ie flying into LHR and out of FRA to avoid the gross UK departure tax.

 

[Berlin]

You should look at reversing the trip ie flying into LHR and out of FRA to avoid the gross UK departure tax.

I've taken that advice on board instantly, thanks for reminding me. Got hit with this ridiculous high tax last time and swore to never ever again... Thanks!

 

[ajca]

It's the top one percent of flyers that make 25% of a Airline's revenue.

But what % of the airline's profits?

 

[smit0847]

That addiction to QF is costly though IMO.

What do you think is keeping QFi in business?

 

[Berlin]

Now that my innocent little thread has been highjacked for a Qantas Hate/Love discussion, I'll try to get back on topic

I will wait for now and very very closely follow MH. They are currently a bit cheaper than Finnair from Asia (I could get SIN-KUL-LHR-KUL-SIN for about 4600 AUD currently on their website) and to get the chance to trial their new A380 product, I'd even be willing to fork out a bit more than flying on a Finnair ticket all the way. Wouldn't dare booking it though before they have firmly joined OW!

 

[The Beast]

AY is a great option and HEL is usually pretty quick to transit through, without all the hassle that LHR seems to specialise in. Other OW or Qantas affiliate options include RJ and Jet (9W) airlines. I've done each of these to Europe (if Istanbul counts as Europe in the case of RJ) in J, having burnt some QFF points to get to Asia (HKG or BKK) on a J ASA. One trip like this in J all the way keeps me at SG, a second trip in a membership year plus a bit of domestic travel and I'm about to get to WP. Have found both 9Wand RJ's J product very satisfactory.