Help get to Europe

[bwm85]

G'Day All,

My name is Brenton and I have been a long time researcher on AFF with the hope of gaining a good knowledge base to make the best of my frequent flyer points in the future. Through a combination of work and leisure I have managed to amass about 450,000 QFF points and have maintained a Gold FF status for the last couple of years.

In September 2016 I will be attending a wedding in Thailand with my wife and baby boy and I am hoping to then head to Europe in business using points to minimise costs. The primary reason for doing the trip as this time is due to the fact we figure we will already be a third of the way to Europe and I would also like my wife to experience business class whilst we don't have the added cost of children over 2 years old.

I have considered a couple of options including:

1. Paying my way to Thailand and then on to Hong Kong (or alternative Asian hub) and then using points to travel on to Europe.

2. Trying to get my wife to and from Europe on points and paying my own way on the same flights (gain points & SC.)

I have been looking at flying into Frankfurt to minimise points usage and then travelling to various destinations by train and also flying into London and out of Frankfurt or vice versa.

Can anyone offer any suggestions as to what might be a good way of planning this trip?

I look forward to all your responses!

Cheers,

Brenton

 

[scotus]

Hi Brenton

Its not just the amount of points you need on each leg but the taxes (and fees) that the various airlines charge. Flying with Qantas using QFF also incurs a large cash "fee" in addition to the points you require. I have found that you can use your QFF on Cathay Pacific and the fees and taxes are a lot cheaper than Qantas. used them recently from London via Hong Kong and the fees were half of the amount Qantas wanted for a flight from London via Dubai. I used Business and Premium Economy and found them excellent. Also going into London incurs higher fees due to the higher airport passenger charges, Frankfurt or some other hub may well be cheaper. You certainly seem to have enough points for 2 business class returns but if you want to save some you could consider Premium Economy one way and Business the other. QF Premium Economy is very good. Good luck and the more research you do the better.

 

[bwm85]

Thanks Scotus,

Cathay would be my preferred carrier as I have been fortunate to the fly both economy and business with them and have always been impressed. That said, I am happy to fly with any of the One World carriers. I have no real preference as to which European port we fly into as we will be aiming to travel around Europe quite a bit and both my wife and I enjoy travelling around Europe by rail.

Could anyone shed some light on whether I could use the QF RTW fare to get to coughet and then off to Europe?

Thanks,

Brenton

 

[Limewood]

Should have no probs. from BKK or HKG to Europe OW awards in J.

 

[TomVexille]

Do have a look at revenue fares from BKK. There can be some excellent deals. I think there's a thread currently about AY BKK-Europe in J for about $1950.

 

[pjm99au]

Could anyone shed some light on whether I could use the QF RTW fare to get to coughet and then off to Europe?

You don't mention where you would be starting from but if I assume Sydney your main, minimal stop, options to HKT (coughet) from Sydney would be

SYD - HKG - HKT (QF and / or CX) or

SYD - KUL - HKT (MY)

Multiple other options such as via KUL

SYD - SIN - KUL - HKT (QF, BA and then MY)

or

SYD - MNL - KUL - HKT

Then onto Europe the options are almost endless either direct from HKT or via other regional hubs. The best tool I have found to start planning a RTW trip is the One World Interactive Planner found here:

Where we fly - oneworld

 

[teamhamsandwich]

If it was me, I would pay the full fare and try and get an upgrade using points. Might not come through, but tis the bets use of your points and cash.

 

[bwm85]

Thanks for the input.

Point of departure will likely be Brisbane. Though it appears very difficult to get an award J seat with any of the carriers out of there.

Thanks TomVexille for the heads up on the Finnair deal. I will look into that. Those prices are nearly cheaper than the taxes on some of the award combos i've come up with.

Could anyone let me know whether BNE -> HKG -> HKT -> Europe -> HKG or SIN -> BNE would meet the QF 128/256 etc. RTW requirements?

 

[bwm85]

Thanks teamhamsandwhich.

I have considered that, but I really want to be confident that I am going to end up in the pointy end of the plane.

 

[funnymummy]

hi, I wonder if the 280k award all the way in business is more likely to meet your needs?
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ogram/oneworld-award-140k-280k-420k-8228.html

 

[TomVexille]

Thanks for the input.

Point of departure will likely be Brisbane. Though it appears very difficult to get an award J seat with any of the carriers out of there.

Thanks TomVexille for the heads up on the Finnair deal. I will look into that. Those prices are nearly cheaper than the taxes on some of the award combos i've come up with.

Could anyone let me know whether BNE -> HKG -> HKT -> Europe -> HKG or SIN -> BNE would meet the QF 128/256 etc. RTW requirements?

I think you have to continue "around" the world

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Status counts, your current level as mine at SG is good for somethings, but not for int upgrades, and its not from NB to PS to SG upwards, its the other way around. P1/WP/then SG.
The higher status QF members are the ones that get the first dibs at upgrades.
One of the worst "tricks" used by QF is when they say, "your seat/booking from so and so to so and so will be in economy".

 

[pjm99au]

Could anyone let me know whether BNE -> HKG -> HKT -> Europe -> HKG or SIN -> BNE would meet the QF 128/256 etc. RTW requirements?

At face value yes it does comply with a 280k J RTW award.

You don't need to fly "around the world" but there are restrictions on number of stop overs and number of segments and distance flown.

Your broad itinerary above complies with this but it is more likely you will need more segments through connecting airports to find J availability for 2

Also worth noting there are rules on which OW carriers you use being you must use 2 OW carriers. You don't have to use QF but if you do it is QF + 2 others

If you are serious about your trip you really need to read as much as you can of the RTW award sticky previously suggested

 

[TomVexille]

I forgot to add that QR often have some pretty good deals from SE Asia to Europe.

 

[robd]

hi, I wonder if the 280k award all the way in business is more likely to meet your needs?
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ogram/oneworld-award-140k-280k-420k-8228.html

This. Lot's of reading, but worth it. Also, lot's of help.

 

[funnymummy]

this page may be useful as it explains it doesn't have to be RTW

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....rch-assistance/win-50-help-me-book-59832.html

 

[Jacques Vert]

Of course for two of you the RTW Award in J will require 560,000 points (2 x 280k) and unless I am missing something you don't have that many.

You should try taking on a couple of new credit cards with sign-up bonuses to get those extra points.