MEL-LHR business class

[Slats7]

Hey everyone, this is my first post!!

My sister & I are looking at going to London in the middle of next year. Last time I went overseas in January I flew business class and I had the best flights of my life so i'd love to travel business once again.

The problem is I will only have enough frequent flyer points by the middle of next year for one return ticket business class (MEL-LHR return is 256,000 points).

I've looked at buying two economy return tickets and requesting an upgrade to business class (60,000 points) but only being a bronze member i'm not sure what my chances are of getting an upgrade?

Any feedback and ideas would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

 

[NM]

Middle of next year is still a long way ahead and its very difficult to predict how the economic climate at the time will affect loadings in the business class cabin or the deals that may be available for business class travel at that time.

Several airlines have offered very good deals in recent times for business class travel, including 2-for-1 deals and heavily discounted fares. Such deals may or may not be offered again for travel at the time you want to go.

If choosing to use QF FF points for upgrades then I suggest you plan and expect to be travelling in the cabin for which you have purchased the fare (i.e. economy) and if an upgrade happens to eventuate then that is a bonus. As a Bronze status FF member you are well down the status chain for securing an upgrade, let alone two. Remember that Qantas now offers Premium Economy on most flights to London so that give you two upgrade options - Discount Economy to Premium Economy (60,000 points per person each way), or Discount Economy to Business Class (96,000 points per person each way).

Note that the 60,000 points you mention for an upgrade to business class is for an upgrade from Full Economy to Business Class. The only fares that quality as Full Economy are those that book into the Y fare booking class and that means an expensive fare. The cheapest Qantas Y fare return to the UK at the moment is QHEE1Y which costs $4615. You can purchase a Premium Economy fare for around $4200 (TPX1Y2).

If you want to be guaranteed to travel in a premium cabin, I suggest looking for a good deal in paid premium economy cabin.

Frequent Flyer redemption seats to Europe in business class during the peak travel periods such as June-September are scarce and need to be booked about 350 days ahead or you will miss out.

 

[Slats7]

Middle of next year is still a long way ahead and its very difficult to predict how the economic climate at the time will affect loadings in the business class cabin or the deals that may be available for business class travel at that time.

Several airlines have offered very good deals in recent times for business class travel, including 2-for-1 deals and heavily discounted fares. Such deals may or may not be offered again for travel at the time you want to go.

If choosing to use QF FF points for upgrades then I suggest you plan and expect to be travelling in the cabin for which you have purchased the fare (i.e. economy) and if an upgrade happens to eventuate then that is a bonus. As a Bronze status FF member you are well down the status chain for securing an upgrade, let alone two. Remember that Qantas now offers Premium Economy on most flights to London so that give you two upgrade options - Discount Economy to Premium Economy (60,000 points per person each way), or Discount Economy to Business Class (96,000 points per person each way).

Note that the 60,000 points you mention for an upgrade to business class is for an upgrade from Full Economy to Business Class. The only fares that quality as Full Economy are those that book into the Y fare booking class and that means an expensive fare. The cheapest Qantas Y fare return to the UK at the moment is QHEE1Y which costs $4615. You can purchase a Premium Economy fare for around $4200 (TPX1Y2).

If you want to be guaranteed to travel in a premium cabin, I suggest looking for a good deal in paid premium economy cabin.

Frequent Flyer redemption seats to Europe in business class during the peak travel periods such as June-September are scarce and need to be booked about 350 days ahead or you will miss out.

Thanks for your feedback mate, that gives me a few things to think about.

 

[Evan]

I would also watch out for 2-for-1 business fares if you can afford it, there are some with BA ex-Europe at the moment that are really cheap, maybe you will also see some ex-AU.
Once you have flown business or first it is a bug ! you want it all the time.
E

 

[Slats7]

I would also watch out for 2-for-1 business fares if you can afford it, there are some with BA ex-Europe at the moment that are really cheap, maybe you will also see some ex-AU.
Once you have flown business or first it is a bug ! you want it all the time.
E

I'd be able to afford the 2 for 1 deal so hopefully there might be another deal out down the track.

You're right about flying business or first

 

[freofan]

How many points will you have by then?

Another option would be to buy two economy MELSIN return fares with cash and use points for two return SINLHR award tickets.

Can be hard to co-ordinate, however I managed such a thing recently from Perth.

In that case you only need 180,000 points return in J SINLHR per person

 

[Slats7]

How many points will you have by then?

Another option would be to buy two economy MELSIN return fares with cash and use points for two return SINLHR award tickets.

Can be hard to co-ordinate, however I managed such a thing recently from Perth.

In that case you only need 180,000 points return in J SINLHR per person

I am thinking around 400,000 points.

Yeah that is something I have thought about, i'll see what I can work out!

 

[JohnK]

Once you have flown business or first it is a bug ! you want it all the time.

Not quite. The money saved is way more important than a few hours in a business class or first class seat....

 

[Evan]

Not quite. The money saved is way more important than a few hours in a business class or first class seat....

I said want it all the time, not willing to pay for it all the time... witness my trip this weekend, once again whY. Not able or willing to pay for J, but sure i have treated myself to a xONEx and loved it. Of course cannot afford to do it that often.

 

[Slats7]

Not quite. The money saved is way more important than a few hours in a business class or first class seat....

There is a lot more to business/first class then just the seat

 

[JohnK]

There is a lot more to business/first class then just the seat

Really? All those op-ups to business class have not left a lasting impression in my mind.

If I was travelling on holidays overseas once every 2-3 years then business class may be an option but I would still favour WHY. I want to travel overseas 4-5 times a year, possibly more, so business class is totally out of the question. I am comfortable in WHY and my preference is to travel WHY and stay in 2-3 star hotels to save money to allow me to have more overseas trips in a year.

In my opinion 8-9 hours in a business class seat is not going to be the highlight of a trip and the money is wasted. I guess to each their own....

 

[Keith009]

In my opinion 8-9 hours in a business class seat is not going to be the highlight of a trip ...

It is for me.
Different priorities.

 

[Slats7]

Really? All those op-ups to business class have not left a lasting impression in my mind.

If I was travelling on holidays overseas once every 2-3 years then business class may be an option but I would still favour WHY. I want to travel overseas 4-5 times a year, possibly more, so business class is totally out of the question. I am comfortable in WHY and my preference is to travel WHY and stay in 2-3 star hotels to save money to allow me to have more overseas trips in a year.

In my opinion 8-9 hours in a business class seat is not going to be the highlight of a trip and the money is wasted. I guess to each their own....

I am someone that will be going overseas every few years so I see where you are coming from.

 

[JohnK]

It is for me.
Different priorities.

And different trust funds as well.

I am someone that will be going overseas every few years so I see where you are coming from.

And you should enjoy every moment of that trip any way you possible can enjoy it.

I already have 2 overseas trips, in WHY, scheduled this year and I would love a third but unfortunately the budget will not stretch that far. :-| In fact the trips scheduled already will probably take me way over the budget but that is for another thread. What was that saying about teaching an old dog new tricks?

 

[Slats7]

And different trust funds as well.


And you should enjoy every moment of that trip any way you possible can enjoy it.

I already have 2 overseas trips, in WHY, scheduled this year and I would love a third but unfortunately the budget will not stretch that far. :-| In fact the trips scheduled already will probably take me way over the budget but that is for another thread. What was that saying about teaching an old dog new tricks?

Very lucky, I wish I had a couple of overseas trips lined up this year!

I'm only 21 so my budget is probably a lot less then yours! I'm doing well to have a NAB platinum Amex & Visa at 21 though. I'm hoping I won't have to pay for any overseas trips in the future!

 

[JohnK]

I'm only 21 so my budget is probably a lot less then yours! I'm doing well to have a NAB platinum Amex & Visa at 21 though. I'm hoping I won't have to pay for any overseas trips in the future!

OK so I am a just little bit older than 21 but I guess that my travel budget is pretty close to your travel budget, and most people's travel budget, but you need to start making sacrifices if you want to travel overseas regularly.

Money wasted on a business class seat is the first sacrifice you need to make. It is just a seat, not a bed, not a hotel room, not a restaurant, just a seat and your holiday and life will survive just the same without the business class seat....

 

[Evan]

OK so I am a just little bit older than 21 but I guess that my travel budget is pretty close to your travel budget, and most people's travel budget, but you need to start making sacrifices if you want to travel overseas regularly.

Money wasted on a business class seat is the first sacrifice you need to make. It is just a seat, not a bed, not a hotel room, not a restaurant, just a seat and your holiday and life will survive just the same without the business class seat....

Everybody should figure there budget ! but for me if i can justify the cost of J then i will do it for a personal trip, since BA WT+ went up in price some time ago i would prefer to sit in whY than pay for whY+, to me its more black and white.

But being honest the J/F travel is special to me, and being special it is part of the overall enjoyment of my trip.

Not i really don't go out of my way to fly for work any more, as long as i have enough SC to make WP then no change i am aiming to do more whY travel. Sure i will loose lots of my hotek status but i figure i can live with that.

 

[auriga]

I have ambivalent feelings about this.:-|

On one hand, you can usually avoid long economy check in queues, get to go to a lounge, get a nice comfortable seat onboard, perhaps get a better meal or two, and be among the first ones to get off the plane. No one reclining into your face! Ha ha...

On the other hand, the "special feeling" does wane after a few trips. The cost is significantly higher. And this extra cost is really just for some hours on the plane and at the airport. The same cost could pay for a week or two at a five star hotel.

 

[notzac]

On one hand, you can usually avoid long economy check in queues, get to go to a lounge, get a nice comfortable seat onboard, perhaps get a better meal or two, and be among the first ones to get off the plane. No one reclining into your face! Ha ha...

This is why Y+ (at least, Qantas' version of Y+) is wonderful. You don't get the skybed or the lounge (assuming no status), but you do get a comfy seat with legroom, decent service and plenty of food and booze. All for significantly less than a J seat. If you manage to get seats in a sale - all the better!

(Typing as a convert after a fortituous plane swap moved my seat from Y to Y+ )

 

[NYCguy]

There is a lot more to business/first class then just the seat

I'm 6'3 and weigh 90 kg. I am unable to sleep in Y, and sleep is important to me, whether I am flying on business or for pleasure. Arriving relatively refreshed after a 14 hour flight because I was able to lay flat and snuggle up under a duvet is very important to me (note to UA - get some feather quilts!).

I'm also fond of the food in first - especially the 10-12 course Japanese meals that NH provide.

If you prefer to spend less and go more often, then more power to you. What annoys me is people who moan (I'm looking at YOU, Skytrax report-writers and contributors to the letter-pages in the SMH travel guide) about how uncomfortable Y is. It's called economy, which implies that it's cheap. It doesn't take a Nobel Laureate to calculate that if you buy a AU$1100 return fare between SYD and JFK, you're not going to be flying in style. If you want a first-class ride, buy a first-class ticket. Otherwise just do as the many Y-flyers on this board do - smile sweetly, pop a Halcion, and be glad that you're not spending your vacation in an on-site caravan at Lakes Entrance.