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Given the huge cull of East Asian destinations and the seemingly endless Chinese lockdowns how can 2-4-1 get us to East Asia- say Vietnam or Manila ?
The best idea I’ve thought of so far is to take a Doha return then pay separately for Qatar flights direct.
Or should I just dump The Worlds Favourite Airline From AMS for example direct ? 2-4-1 to Asia looking like a busted flush- esp if BKK doesnt return.Singapore is OK for Vietnam but it’s 4hrs from Manila which isn’t ideal. QR ex-Doha likely expensive so probably not worth it. J to Asia can usually be found relatively cheap so it certainly isn’t a sweet spot for 2-4-1 usage!
Yeah, it’s a shame BA stopped BKK. That was my original plan to get business seats, but had to change once it was clear that flight is unlikely to come back. I’d keep an eye out for deals on either Finnair or even Swiss if you’re happy not to earn avios. I’m looking west to try and use the 2-4-1s, either NY or somewhere in Canada at this rate
Getting harder / poorer value.
I’m considering doing one World multi carrier awards, with one (longest leg) in economy and the rest in business. 100k for 20k miles. Can even stretch to Australia within that band. Looking at the legs, I think I can manage a 4/5/6 hour economy leg at some point with the rest in business.
Looks quite easy to take a BA flight to Dubai/qatar/Abu Dhabi and then take qatar, Malaysian, Cathay, Sri Lankan for example.
I agree going east (which we prefer to do) is getting harder with BA.
OW multi-carrier is interesting. I’ve heard conflicting reports about how they’re actually priced up and when I priced one up before (pre Covid, was cancelled), 5 out of 6 legs were in Business, and therefore it priced in business. The longest was actually in F (Cathay, HKT to LHR).
Hope this helps.
Chris
I have considered using a 2-4-1 LHR to Chennai (plenty of availability and less avios required) and then a shortish hop to BKK (3hr30). Obviously far from ideal but an option aside from SIN if you have a voucher that needs using up and you’re travelling to BKK.
Remember HfP article mentioned BA LHR-BKk winter season 22/23 been dropped. Has Spring/summer 2023 been dropped as well?
Remember HfP article mentioned BA LHR-BKk winter season 22/23 been dropped. Has Spring/summer 2023 been dropped as well?
It was always (even pre COVID IIRC) planned to go to winter only. In theory it makes a nice balance to US routes of which some are seasonal/have a higher frequency in summer but seems that the challenges with routing/fuel costs/lingering restrictions in that part of the world mean it doesn’t work within a reduced BA long haul fleet and they’re happy leaving the traffic to QR
Sorry for hijacking.
I’ve got 600k avios left.
Traveling with one other.
We only want to travel eastbound (plus South Africa) for our next 3 or 4 longhaul trips.Had been hoping to use companion vouchers to Singapore and LCC to Indonesia and Malaysia, and possibly Chennai to get to Sri Lanka.
Given the difficulty of finding avios availability to places like Singapore (as well as South Africa) during school holidays (the only time we can travel) I’m wondering if I should just convert my Avios to approx £5k worth of Nectar and spend at Sainsburys, and look out for cheap cash flights.
As I don’t live near London, Lufty Group, KLM/AF and even Turkish are options for me; Qatar might return to my local airport one day.
I got Swiss flights to BKK for this summer school holidays for £1250pp (not part of their companion deals, was just some random price drop for a few days) and this is encouraging me to forget about London Airways and their ridiculous ‘taxes’ & surcharges.Anyone got a better solution for me for travelling eastbound that I can maybe use my avios on? I’m almost resigned to losing my BA Amex companion vouchers, but not sure how good value Qatar are when using Avios without a companion voucher.
Nearest international airport is BHX by the way.- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
I have considered using a 2-4-1 LHR to Chennai (plenty of availability and less avios required) and then a shortish hop to BKK (3hr30). Obviously far from ideal but an option aside from SIN if you have a voucher that needs using up and you’re travelling to BKK.
Similar to what I’m doing, Chennai for a night, then 10 nights in Sri Lanka, 5 in the Maldives and week back in Chennai at the IC. Just have to factor in the additional cost of the Indian visa.
I have considered using a 2-4-1 LHR to Chennai (plenty of availability and less avios required) and then a shortish hop to BKK (3hr30). Obviously far from ideal but an option aside from SIN if you have a voucher that needs using up and you’re travelling to BKK.
Similar to what I’m doing, Chennai for a night, then 10 nights in Sri Lanka, 5 in the Maldives and week back in Chennai at the IC. Just have to factor in the additional cost of the Indian visa.
Aren’t the flight times in/out of MAA a bit brutal?
I’m wondering if Mumbai might be better for overnighting. I’m actually thinking of doing 3 or 4 nights there on the way to Colombo.I have considered using a 2-4-1 LHR to Chennai (plenty of availability and less avios required) and then a shortish hop to BKK (3hr30). Obviously far from ideal but an option aside from SIN if you have a voucher that needs using up and you’re travelling to BKK.
Similar to what I’m doing, Chennai for a night, then 10 nights in Sri Lanka, 5 in the Maldives and week back in Chennai at the IC. Just have to factor in the additional cost of the Indian visa.
Aren’t the flight times in/out of MAA a bit brutal?
I’m wondering if Mumbai might be better for overnighting. I’m actually thinking of doing 3 or 4 nights there on the way to Colombo.They are yes, but I’ve booked two nights at the CP Chennai, told them not to walk me because I won’t be there until 7am. Then the return is a really early start from the hotel but after a week on the beach I can cope with it. The schedule is clearly based around business travel.
I’m not seeing much/any value in using my 2-4-1 long haul compared to paying cash, especially after recent increases in BA’s charges.
Sorry for hijacking.
I’ve got 600k avios left.
Traveling with one other.
We only want to travel eastbound (plus South Africa) for our next 3 or 4 longhaul trips.Had been hoping to use companion vouchers to Singapore and LCC to Indonesia and Malaysia, and possibly Chennai to get to Sri Lanka.
Given the difficulty of finding avios availability to places like Singapore (as well as South Africa) during school holidays (the only time we can travel) I’m wondering if I should just convert my Avios to approx £5k worth of Nectar and spend at Sainsburys, and look out for cheap cash flights.
As I don’t live near London, Lufty Group, KLM/AF and even Turkish are options for me; Qatar might return to my local airport one day.
I got Swiss flights to BKK for this summer school holidays for £1250pp (not part of their companion deals, was just some random price drop for a few days) and this is encouraging me to forget about London Airways and their ridiculous ‘taxes’ & surcharges.Anyone got a better solution for me for travelling eastbound that I can maybe use my avios on? I’m almost resigned to losing my BA Amex companion vouchers, but not sure how good value Qatar are when using Avios without a companion voucher.
Nearest international airport is BHX by the way.This is what I’m doing. I don’t see the value in BA longhaul for anything I’d have planned in the next few years as they don’t fly direct to where I’m going (and no way I’d be messing about via India on seperate tickets!). The 2-4-1 is getting quite narrow in where it makes sense – things like Caribbean / South Africa yes it does if you can book at T-355, Far East, USA it doesn’t especially if you’ve got some flexibility. I’m spending down a chunk of my Avios via my weekly shop and will pay cash as required
I do wonder if the new Amex voucher will come into its own once things settle down. In the past there have been plenty of i clas tickets to Singapore available. And also, in the past, it wasn’t too problematic getting there during the summer holidays on Avios (as a result of there being much less business travel).
Now it is clearly nigh on impossible. But when BA goes back to two flights a day, the demand normalises etc I’d imagine it should be okay again.
I’m crossing my fingers for summer 2023 and in the mean time we have summer this year locked in from when they still had some availability (sub-optimal flights we were on subsequently cancelled allowing us to rebook almost perfect times).
One of the biggest values from Avios is the £35 cancellation fee which allows us some flexibility that cheap cash tickets do not.
One of the biggest values from Avios is the £35 cancellation fee which allows us some flexibility that cheap cash tickets do not.
A good point.
I’ve got 600k avios left.
Traveling with one other.
We only want to travel eastboundAnyone got a better solution for me for travelling eastbound that I can maybe use my avios on?
I burned most of my remaining stash of Avios on Malaysia Airlines Business Suites to KL (144,000 Avios each way). Taxes and surcharges about £300 outbound and £50 return.
My plan for what remains is to use it for intra-Asia flights on MH, CX, JL etc, or possibly a one-way long-haul on QR.
Rumour has it that Malaysia may be about to drop its requirement for pre-departure PCR testing. Singapore has announced theirs will end today (26th April).
I am sat on 3 -241 vouchers, after 2 were returned from FTVs from cancelled trips to the Far East. I am unable to use any for my November trip due to availability so have booked to fly to Phuket with Qatar (out from Dublin) 150000 avios + £282, then return with Etihad for just over £2000. So for £2300 plus 150000 avios for the two of us it wouldn’t be far off what we would have paid in total for the trip with BA, on a 241, as we would have needed the connecting flights with Bangkok Air.Maybe time to ditch the BAPP.
QRA, i’m leaning towards a similar decision on the 2-4-1, although of course you’re still burning Avios in this example, and the earnings rate on the BAPP is very good…but is it good enough to justify keeping? When compared to welcome bonuses and card rinsing, probably not.
So I had a quick look at East Asian destinations with BA partner airlines, using avios.
I was impressed by what seems to be broadly cheaper overall costs (especially the ‘taxes’).
However, I am struggling to find any availability on dates that fall within UK school holidays.
The few routes with availability outside of UK school holidays mostly seemed to have BA on one of the legs which then pushed up the ‘taxes’
Is there a guide somewhere that explains when (partner) reward seats become available, and commentary around what to expect in regards to surcharges?Would love to find availability with QR and CX but just not seeing any to places I want on dates I can travel.
Thanks.
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
Today’s daily chat focused my mind on plans for summer 23. Would like to get to Koh Samui and, if it opens up, Taiwan. Will have a few days where we fly into as well. Ex-LHR much preferred and would be good to utilise 2 BAPP and/or 2 VS vouchers available but not a must. Would need 4 J seats.
Thinking of booking following: Plan A VS LHR HKG & Plan B BA LHR SIN, and see how the world pans out & decide closer to departure date. Did think of QR to BkK but not sure likely get four seats ex LHR unless they also guarantee reward seats?
Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
I think your plan b is the way to go, especially with newer vouchers and improved availability. HKG will be a non-starter for a long time to come.
I have considered using a 2-4-1 LHR to Chennai (plenty of availability and less avios required) and then a shortish hop to BKK (3hr30). Obviously far from ideal but an option aside from SIN if you have a voucher that needs using up and you’re travelling to BKK.
Similar to what I’m doing, Chennai for a night, then 10 nights in Sri Lanka, 5 in the Maldives and week back in Chennai at the IC. Just have to factor in the additional cost of the Indian visa.
Bangalore and Hyderabad are better options for those considering India transit or break. Airport facilities and lounges much better as they are run by private companies. Of course Mumbai or Delhi even better, but redemption availability will be limited.
Already booked to Chennai because that worked better for Colombo, really hoping the situation settles down in Sri Lanka. Also, for India, don’t forget to budget the time and expense of paper visas, £148pp and an interview required.
I have considered using a 2-4-1 LHR to Chennai (plenty of availability and less avios required) and then a shortish hop to BKK (3hr30). Obviously far from ideal but an option aside from SIN if you have a voucher that needs using up and you’re travelling to BKK.
Similar to what I’m doing, Chennai for a night, then 10 nights in Sri Lanka, 5 in the Maldives and week back in Chennai at the IC. Just have to factor in the additional cost of the Indian visa.
Bangalore and Hyderabad are better options for those considering India transit or break. Airport facilities and lounges much better as they are run by private companies. Of course Mumbai or Delhi even better, but redemption availability will be limited.
I’m glad I read this. Hadn’t realised e visa was suspended.
Was hoping to do a redemption to GOA, BA Club to BLR or BOM and then onwards with a LCC in November.
I will put that on hold as the paper visa is just so much hassle
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