Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Forums Frequent flyer programs British Airways Executive Club Family trip to NZ – Help on options please!

  • richard_a90 3 posts

    Hi,

    I’m looking for some advice on booking a family trip to NZ for a wedding in March 2026 (appreciate can’t book this far ahead yet).

    In our family account we have 270,000 Avios (210,000 under my name and 60,000 in my wife’s name).

    We are a family of 4 children aged 4 and 1 when we travel.

    I’m told Qatar Airways is the best option but can’t seem to merge all the points. Also we’d like to visit somewhere either on the way out or the way back like Singapore, Tokyo, HK, Kuala Lumpur but Doha doesn’t really excite us.

    I also have an Amex 241 that will still be valid so any advice on how to utilise this too would be hugely appreciated.

    Many thanks.

    thewoat 16 posts

    Book you + 4 year old + infant as a reward flight to Tokyo in Business.. (though infant 10% could be more hefty than you’ll expect though)

    Book partner as a cash fare.

    Switch before boarding. But you need to be on the booking.

    Tokyo to NZ all as a cash fare.

    That’s just me making assumptions that you want some Business Experience as opposed to looking for as cheap as possible and that you won’t be able to earn a second 241 by March 2025?

    memesweeper 1,422 posts

    I would suggest much the same as @thewoat except via Singapore (or perhaps Hong Kong) rather than Tokyo. Although the best connections may be different in 18 months time.

    Also do the maths on Avios for you + eldest child and cash for partner + infant. Given the bookings are separate I’d personally feel more comfortable with two 1+1 bookings.

    richard_a90 3 posts

    Thanks for the advice @thewoat and @memesweeper. I like the idea of a business leg but I can’t seem to find any availability for the next year when looking at the Lon – Far East routes. Then with the cash fares + getting to Auckland + return to UK I’m guessing I’d need to purchase a lot in ££. Out of interest why would you split the bookings as opposed to all on one?

    In terms of the cheapest options I’ve found LHR-SIN 97k + £340 for all of us with the 241. Then Auckland – London 140k + £450. However, I can’t find any flights on BA website to use Avios from Sin-Auc. The best I can find is Air NZ £1,375 meaning the total trip still costs 240k points plus over £2k cash!

    If we went return with Qatar via Doha both ways it costs 279k + £1,296.

    Any advice would be much appreciated, and if possible a business leg would be great! At the moment I’m questioning the value of Avios and 241 given I could book the whole trip with Emirates for £4k cash onl!

    Reney 828 posts

    they suggest splitting the booking as you cannot combine a cash with an Avios booking and you Only have one voucher so you cannot combine a voucher booking with a non-voucher booking.

    Avios Can sometimes work out very well sometimes not at all if you can find a cash alternative that works well for you and it does exactly what you want and you’re willing to pay it then you should consider that as a realistic option

    BBbetter 1,077 posts

    I’m told Qatar Airways is the best option but can’t seem to merge all the points.

    Open Finnair accounts for both and merge the Avios there. Then transfer to BA or QR depending on where you want to book.

    BBbetter 1,077 posts

    Some airlines like SQ allow stopovers on cash tickets, that’s worth exploring. But obviously first decide what you want to do with Avios and then build the cash tickets around it.

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