Maximising SC for trip to LHR

[dosborn]

Interested in any thoughts on maximising my SCs for an upcoming trip to MEL - LHR (or other UK airport). I will be flying with my wife who is a QP member and two kids who are NBs. I am WP. Almost certainly will be flying in Y.

Any tips on maximising my status credits?

Many thanks

 

[Mwenenzi]

Little oportunity if trying to keep the cost down
Change aircraft - flight number in SIN-BKK-HKG or via SYD-BNE-PER helps

 

[newformula]

Yep, changing aircraft / flight numbers at SIN/BKK etc nets you an extra 10 SC's I believe.

You could fly via Finnair into Helsinki and onto London - an extra 10 SC's available there too; or perhaps via Paris on an Air France QF codeshare and then onto LHR with BA.

If you can really be bothered you could go MEL-SYD then onwards... another 10 there.

Also worth considering - JAL are selling some very competitive Premium Economy fares (around $3300) for SYD-NRT-LHR return; I have one pencilled in for July. However what with the rumours around JAL potentially going bankrupt / withdrawing from Oneworld it may be worth not considering this. These Y+ fares are refundable with a $200 fee though. You'd earn double SC's for this as they are considered a full Y fare for status earn, so 150 SC's each way.

 

[serfty]

Mix and match:

e.g. Qantas have PE specials at the moment.

MEL-LHR vv in PE is from ~$4400 and earns 240SC

However, MEL-HKG vv is ~$1950 and HKG-LHR vv in PE is HKD13500 (~$1870) and earns 280 SC's.

 

[Dave Noble]

If it is not booked yet, then for good points and status earning, AA's specials to USA combined with an AA transatlantic booking to UK can be obtained for $1700 ish . With use of challenge, could get 35,000 points, platinum status (c.f. QF gold ) and have enough points for a business class return to anywhere in AU/NZ. Just 1 stop needed ; can do SYD-LAX-LHR

As far as maximising for SC earning on a cheap ticket, something like SYD-PER-SIN-FRA-LHR is a valid routing and would get 20+25+40+10 giving 95 SCs each way for 190 SCs. This seems to be a valid routing for current Q class fare from SYD-LHR

 

[simongr]

Do you really want to take two kids though extra airport stops? My vote would be to take a SYD-HKG-LHR flight which I think you can only get on two flight numbers. Also CX seem to be cheaper than QF on J fares (not sure on whY).

 

[samh004]

If it is not booked yet, then for good points and status earning, AA's specials to USA combined with an AA transatlantic booking to UK can be obtained for $1700 ish . With use of challenge, could get 35,000 points, platinum status (c.f. QF gold ) and have enough points for a business class return to anywhere in AU/NZ. Just 1 stop needed ; can do SYD-LAX-LHR

As far as maximising for SC earning on a cheap ticket, something like SYD-PER-SIN-FRA-LHR is a valid routing and would get 20+25+40+10 giving 95 SCs each way for 190 SCs. This seems to be a valid routing for current Q class fare from SYD-LHR

I might try either of these two ideas when I head to the UK in July. Both sound good, though it’d be more about price and then SC’s for me.

 

[Dave Noble]

I might try either of these two ideas when I head to the UK in July. Both sound good, though it’d be more about price and then SC’s for me.

Price to reward makes the AA option good value to me. If you are going in July and do the challenge, you will have AA Platinum through to end of february 2012 plus earn a decent whack of miles which may be enough for a business return anywhere in AU/NZ ( equivalent to a 72,000 point or higher QF award )