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Hi All. I got my first 2-4-1 voucher last month. As my wife and I usually travel only economy, we’d like to use this voucher on a long-haul business class trip. Were completely open to all destinations as of now, so was looking for some help shortlisting/scouting.
(1) I’m assuming Club Suite is the cabin we should we going after. Is that correct?
(2) If we are looking to spend 200-250k Avios + 2-4-1 voucher, which routes could we potentially consider to get the best CS experience? We are based in London.Thank you!
1. Club is a cabin. Club suites is a type of seat that is being rolled out and isn’t guaranteed for any route other then JFK
2. A list of all BA destinations is here along with not many avios are needed (except any that started after it was written)
My advice would be to fly somewhere you want to go to rather than what happens on board. The food and drink etc are the same for CW as it is for CS for example.
https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/02/13/how-many-avios-points-do-i-need-to-fly-to/
I second all this. You have many destinations to choose from, especially if you can be flexible with travel dates. It sounds as though you would benefit from reading Rob’s series of articles on getting the best value out of your avios and 241. You can also use the voucher on Iberia and Aer Lingus.
If you don’t mind spending some more cash, you could also get reward seats in First Class, though the number of destinations to which these are available is much more limited.
You’ve got a decent amount of Avios, let us know where you choose! I wouldn’t worry massively about First Class unless it’s available on your desired route, it’s really not that much better than Club Suites 🙂
Well except for the lounge offering, given current reports from T5!
The best use of the voucher is to get you somewhere you want to go.
Agreed – choose somewhere you want to go
BA all the way to Sydney is the only flight beyond your Avios – which is fine as reward seats are rarer than rocking horse dung !
so we need a clue as to what sort of holiday somewhere you have always wanted to visit like San Francisco ?
we tend to avoid using rewards to NY as there are so many cheap seats available
complete list of Avios requirement here
https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/02/13/how-many-avios-points-do-i-need-to-fly-to/Don’t forget you can use 241 on Iberia – and flights from Madrid are cheaper (less taxes)
https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/03/31/iberia-business-class-avios-redemptions-new-york/
Fly to Madrid spend a few days there are then fly on somewhere else – make it really specialYou’ve got a decent amount of Avios, let us know where you choose! I wouldn’t worry massively about First Class unless it’s available on your desired route, it’s really not that much better than Club Suites 🙂
I don’t understand this trope perpetuated by a small number of HfPers which also runs against the many complaints about lack of F availability. The difference between F and Club, even with Suite is just so stark. From the smaller cabin with dedicated crew, F loo, more comfortable seat with coat cupboard to food which is reasonably decent vs the execrable stuff in Club (with main courses being the worst offenders) and the wines in F are usually excellent with some good 1er cru white burgundies and top, often rare, reds vs cooking wine served in Club. The CCR isn’t that great but it’s better than any other BA lounge and YouFirst can be useful.
If you seek to avoid the wine in Club and ask for a gin and tonic with plenty of ice, you wait an age and then get one that’s warm with two half melted ice cubes, like bad pubs in the 1980s. If one wanted more wine, the prospect of any wine or water top ups in Club is quite limited. Basically, bring your own if you want anything vaguely decent. It’s still a mystery as to how they produce food that is so much better in CE vs CW. If I were BA, I would be making a big fuss about the CW food with Do&Co because so much of it is actually objective defective, not just nasty.
Echo previous comments of go where you want to visit. BA voucher with that amount of Avios allows US/Canada (loads of choice), Africa (SA, Kenya, Mauritius), Middle East, Asia etc. Some destinations easier for availability than others
JDB is right, BA are just execrable in long haul business and First is a much better product (although not as good as F on other airlines).
As to the OP, the best destination is one you want to visit. There’s no point trying to extract the best value based on the preferences of strangers on the internet. Just weigh up cash fares for the routes you would like to fly and compare with the available Avios options. Many people aim for around 1p per Avios as an indicator of acceptable value, but this will all be relative to what you would be comfortable paying with your cash (probably not a large amount if you are usually content in economy).
If it’s your first time in long haul business then pick a day flight to get the most out of the experience – Chicago or DC are good options – or a long flight with several hours of daytime in it like the lunchtime departure to Tokyo.
Lots of complaining on here from jaded regular business class travellers, but I still remember the first time I flew BA club feeling like I was the king of the world! Even now, many years and around 100 flights later the novelty still hasn’t fully worn off.
I do agree with other posters that First is a much better experience, but if it was my first time in Club I would save First for the next trip.
Finally, don’t forget to check the more cash fewer avios options, which can help you save some avios for your next voucher.
Agree with other posters here, I’d chose a decent destination then worry about the flights rather than basing decision on flights alone. Saying that if you can grab two F then you’ll get the experience of the concorde room in LHR. Not sure if you have it, but Seatspy allows you to search by global availability by class.
If I were BA, I would be making a big fuss about the CW food with DoCo because so much of it is actually objective defective, not just nasty.
Agree with most of what you say, but I just wouldn’t want to get someone’s hopes up and have them make a plan based around F. If the crew is naff, or the food is naff, or the wines are naff (can’t stand Lanson Noble!) as they have been in my recent F experience, you wouldn’t find much difference in terms of hard product vs Club Suites. And if you didn’t fly regularly up front, you’d likely be very happy in J, regardless of ice cube ratios! 🙂
If you have a choice of Club or F, I’d definitely spend the small extra for F (especially if not done before) . True, the hard product isn’t much different than CS – but always found the service, CCR (and other lounges) very welcoming. Last time I think the on-board ratio was 1 crew/4 PAX in F, compared to 1/11 for Club.
And depending on where you’re travelling, you can bring quite a bit of wine back 🍷
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