London Calling

[Lawlass]

I'm unemployed and broke and at uni and totally can't justify it, but there's this party I really really want to go to in London on 10th September.

So being unemployed etc, I am totally flexible with when I leave/return and where I land, provided I can be in London 10/9. Probably could hang/travel for 4-6 weeks.

I have around 180K QFF points, so I can take a classic award for 128 (or whatever it is) +$840 or so, or I can do a YASA for the 180K plus around $400

Question is whether there are any smarter ways to do it? Like in or out of anywhere else in Europe/some other routing - remembering I have all the time in the world? Or book the return flight from over there (is it cheaper to do that at the moment)? Any airlines doing super cheap deals (i.e. <$1800 ret)?

Accommodation costs are not an issue.

Any ideas gratefully received.

 

[Walter_Plinge]

I'm unemployed and broke and at uni and totally can't justify it, but there's this party I really really want to go to in London on 10th September.

So being unemployed etc, I am totally flexible with when I leave/return and where I land, provided I can be in London 10/9. Probably could hang/travel for 4-6 weeks.

I have around 180K QFF points, so I can take a classic award for 128 (or whatever it is) +$840 or so, or I can do a YASA for the 180K plus around $400

Question is whether there are any smarter ways to do it? Like in or out of anywhere else in Europe/some other routing - remembering I have all the time in the world? Or book the return flight from over there (is it cheaper to do that at the moment)? Any airlines doing super cheap deals (i.e. <$1800 ret)?

Accommodation costs are not an issue.

Any ideas gratefully received.

One trap to budget for - the UK exit fee. Cost me $350 in June (includes fuel surcharge). Green taxes at work! It would be cheap to go Eurostar advance booking to Paris and fly home from there, provided you're on an airline that flies from Paris.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Would going via FRA save $$$ on taxes? One of the LHR taxes is based on distance flown I believe, which means Asia-UK suffers the top rate.

 

[notzac]

I'm unemployed and broke and at uni and totally can't justify it, but there's this party I really really want to go to in London on 10th September.

Sounds like an excellent reason for travel!! Would recommend that this is the perfect time to use points; the Y ASA sounds like an excellent deal (primarily to save on the cash component).

 

[medhead]

I'd second FRA as somewhere to check.

There are pretty decent train options from FRA connecting to the eurostar. Random check for 7 September, FRA-Bruxelles-London, 5 hours 54 minutes for &euro;99 dep@10:32. &euro;89 later in the day for an 8hour trip. Umm? The cheapest second class fare is &euro;49, if you can find it.

 

[moa999]

The way to avoid the Heathrow tax is to go into Europe then transit on the way back through London...

For my last DONE I added two short economy flights at <$100 to do just that -- so much for the tax being there to help the environment

 

[Lawlass]

The way to avoid the Heathrow tax is to go into Europe then transit on the way back through London...

For my last DONE I added two short economy flights at <$100 to do just that -- so much for the tax being there to help the environment

I'd second FRA as somewhere to check.

There are pretty decent train options from FRA connecting to the eurostar. Random check for 7 September, FRA-Bruxelles-London, 5 hours 54 minutes for &euro;99 dep@10:32. &euro;89 later in the day for an 8hour trip. Umm? The cheapest second class fare is &euro;49, if you can find it.

I have no issues with an 8-hr trip (I can amuse myself pretty easily and when that doesn't work I hassle other people to amuse me), but it's probably not worth a lousy Eur10.

So when you say fly into FRA/elsewhere in Europe, do you mean on an award? Or a cheap tix (if so, from whom)?


Thanks for all replies so far. AFF is the helpfullest place!

 

[nlagalle]

Would going via FRA save $$$ on taxes? One of the LHR taxes is based on distance flown I believe, which means Asia-UK suffers the top rate.

I was going to suggest the same thing!! then get a cheapy BA or LH flight to LHR

 

[mannej]

Lawless, you have the bug that my partner hates!

After being involved in a program with more travel than what I am doing now, I always have the urges. She hates it as I should be concentrating on saving for that house and pending home loan:-|

 

[medhead]

I was assume QF as per your points balance and they fly to FRA. So that would match in with an award as an option. I just had a quick look at QF awards BNE-FRA is available 22 August as a classic. Not much doing for a return award until 25 October.

Edit: PE on 6 sept for 96000 points.

But I would suggest checking all options. If your likely to be able to return to Europe in the following 12 months it'd probably be worth looking at purchase your return from over there.

With the train, for &euro;99 it worth looking for at cheap flights as well.

 

[Lawlass]

Sounds like an excellent reason for travel!! Would recommend that this is the perfect time to use points; the Y ASA sounds like an excellent deal (primarily to save on the cash component).

Lawless, you have the bug that my partner hates!

After being involved in a program with more travel than what I am doing now, I always have the urges. She hates it as I should be concentrating on saving for that house and pending home loan:-|

Couldn't agree more. In fact, even if in and out of LHR was the cheapest choice, it doesn't sound like much fun. I'd prefer something that's a bit more of an adventure.

Edit: PE on 6 sept for 96000 points.

Oooh, I would so feel I was stickin' it to the man to travel PE as an unemployed bum. I like it

 

[alieninperth]

What about BD miles.

Aus to Eu works out to be about $1,522 + tax with a fair amount of availability into and out of London. In Y. If you wanted to go J, then about $2,275 + tax (I priced this at about $200 a week or so ago). This is into LHR and out of CDG, availability for this was out on 31 August and back 14 Oct.

YMMV on all of this obviously, especially on different carrier (I was mainly TG, and it was OZ that I found for you).

 

[Lawlass]

What about BD miles.

Aus to Eu works out to be about $1,522 + tax with a fair amount of availability into and out of London. In Y. If you wanted to go J, then about $2,275 + tax (I priced this at about $200 a week or so ago). This is into LHR and out of CDG, availability for this was out on 31 August and back 14 Oct.

YMMV on all of this obviously, especially on different carrier (I was mainly TG, and it was OZ that I found for you).

I like the numbers and things that I'm seeing in this post but I actually have NFI what you're talking about. :shock:

 

[Lawlass]

Other thing I'm noticing is YASAs seem to be cheapest when booking them with really short notice (LHR-MEL next week is only 112K.) Do they open up unsold seats or something? If so would it be worth booking a one-way YASA to LHR and then booking the return YASA from London closer to the time I want to come back?

 

[docjames]

How about looking for an Air Asia X cheapie into/out of CDG?

 

[arraitch]

Others may well have better ideas, but one option is AA miles. You'd need 45,000 for Europe-Australia one-way in Y; that can be had with their current bonus promotion for $930 USD + tax.

 

[MatF]

The way to avoid the Heathrow tax is to go into Europe then transit on the way back through London...

For my last DONE I added two short economy flights at <$100 to do just that -- so much for the tax being there to help the environment

I was going to suggest that as well. Mrs MatF and I flew MEL-SIN-LHR and then back FCO-LHR-HKG-SYD at the start of the year, and I can't recall paying any exit tax.

 

[alieninperth]

I like the numbers and things that I'm seeing in this post but I actually have NFI what you're talking about. :shock:

That really did make me chuckle. Have a look at this thread, it should explain it a bit more. The promo isnt on at the moment but all my figures are based on current costs.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....programs/bmi-diamond-club-buy-50-a-26990.html

 

[sergeyvzn]

have you thought about buying an Air Asia X fare? should be about $1200-1300 return

 

[Fantic125]

A quick look on bestflights.com.au;

7/9/11; MEL-SYD (QF406), SYD-PEK (CA176), PEK-FRA (CA965),
16/10/11; FRA-PEK (CA937), PEK-MEL (CA177)

Total cost incl taxes; $1685.