When/how to book a trip to Paris for Sept 2013?

[ckarcher]

Hi,

I want to go to Europe with my family in September 2013 - ideally via Dubai.

MEL-CDG 20.09 in Y (2 adults, 2 Kids 4 and 7 yo)

CDG-MEL 04.10. in Y for 1 adult, 2 kids

FRA-MEL 13.10. in J for 1 adult

I've got around 500k miles.

The questions I've got are:

1. When is the best time to start looking for flights and where to book best?
2. What's the best way to book the return flight in J? Pay for J or buy Y ticket and upgrade with points?

Many thanks in advance,

Christian

 

[moa999]

Generally, exactly 12mth before.

You however run into the window of the new QF/EK deal.
At present post March you will be able to get a flight to DXB, but nothing beyond.
We need to wait for ACCC approbal for the beyond flights.

I would be waiting but staying very attune to options.
Maybe worth locking in MEL-DXB now

 

[mannej]

You have very specific dates. You may want to sign up for expert flyer, and create an alert for when the specific award fare bucket becomes available. Otherwise you may need to be flexible with dates considering how close those dates are to school
Holidays

 

[grussellt]

There are flights available now both via LHR (QF/BA) and HKG (QF/CX). However that will use up either 296000pts or 320000pts so return will be a problem. As the awards are available now I wouldn't wait much longer before you book (particularly for 4 passengers who need to travel together). The fuel surcharge will be an unpleasant surprise - but you are travelling on QF.

The flights are also available on 04/10 at a cost of 222000pts for 1 adult/2 children. If you want one adult to travel back in J it would be worthwhile buying AA miles in the current offer. See threads in American Airline AAdvantage.

 

[Mwenenzi]

< snip >
What's the best way to book the return flight in J? Pay for J or buy Y ticket and upgrade with points?
< snip >

The chances of an upgrade with points for 2 or 4 people is close to zero at best. Upgrades are not guaranteed So forget that option if you want to fly J.
Paris is just a short train trip from London (or Frankfurt or other Eu city). You may get more options if you widen your destination
If your dates are non flexible that is another problem
1 adult & 1 child on different flights or days will also give you more choice.
It will not be easy to use those 500K points

 

[casanovawa]

How about 1 x 140,000 OW Y award and 1 x 280,000 OW J award which would use up 420,000 of those QFF points and then try to buy 2 lots of enough AA miles via the current promo to get the required miles for 2 more Y awards also on QF/BA/CX, about 80,000 AA miles return each is it??

Its going to come to some decent amount of money by the time you buy the miles and pay the taxes/surcharges and probably almost as easy just to pay for return Y tickets with the decent specials about the place at the moment???

 

[Travel Guru]

If you're going to buy the J seats you might want to consider looking now as EK have quite a good J special as part of their Earlybird fares which end 30 November (well round one...then there's generally a round 2 out shortly after but not quite as cheap and expiring end Jan.).

TG