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I would appreciate people’s thoughts on the best way using Avios & a 241 voucher to fly to and from the UK to New Zealand. We have never travelled to NZ or Australia or the Far East before so this is very exciting for us but also very confusing due to the large number of different possibilities for making the journey.
We have I think plenty of Avios available, around 560000 plus the voucher.
We plan to travel end of Jan or early Feb next year so I would like to make the bookings shortly.
I would prefer business class or even first class if at all possible because I am over 6’ tall.I apologise if my queries are not expressed very clearly but I am finding deciding what to do is quite difficult due to the number of options available.
As we are travelling so far and might well never visit Australasia again, we would like to visit Sydney for a few days as well.
I am also thinking of breaking the journey either outwards or return for 2 or 3 nights in Hong Kong.
My question is whether people think we should use our 241 to go LHR to Hong Kong and Sydney to LHR (or the reverse) and make separate Avios bookings for HKG to Auckland & Christchurch to Sydney, or would we be better off saving the 241 for a different trip and instead book the whole trip using the multi-carrier reward flight chart on the BA website?
Indeed, would we even be permitted to book from London to Hong Kong outward and Sydney to London return and treat that as one journey on which to use the 241 voucher or are the destinations too far apart?
I can see that using the chart would give us much greater flexibility over which airlines to use and maybe even to add in an extra flight within the mileage band we are in which for the whole trip is about 23000 miles, and the 241 is valid until Oct 2025 so it won’t be wasted if we don’t use it this time, but it strikes me as being very complicated to try to find reward flight availability on so many different journeys, all having to fit in with our plans. We do have a bit of flexibility about when we depart, within a 10 day range or so, and we could spend either 3 or 4 nights in HK and Sydney so a bit of flexibility there too, but even so, it strikes me as likely to be very awkward to try to get all journeys sorted in one go. I would be worried that the outward reward flights to HKG, say, might sell out before booking opens for some of the other legs.
Hence why I thought it might be easier to do what I have done before when making Avios long haul bookings which is to make an outward booking to HKG, as soon as booking opens 355 days in advance, and then add the return leg from Sydney around 25 days later, and then make the other bookings as and when flights become available.
If we did this, could I then call BA and ask for all the separate bookings to be put on one ticket, the 241 cancelled, if that is advantageous, and the Avios charge recalibrated on the basis of the chart?
The other issue that is troubling me is I keep reading it is very difficult to get Avios flights between Sydney and London. Maybe we would do better if we are visiting Sydney after NZ to fly from there back to HKG or another Asian city where tickets back to London are easier to come by. If so, which city would people recommend?
Finally, do people think this route is the best way of getting to and from NZ? We had thought instead of travelling westwards and having a few days in Hawaii &/or LA, but were put off by reports of how awkward it can be to transfer at American airports.
I am sorry this message is so rambling but would be very grateful for any advice or insights on these questions.
Thank you in advance.Welcome to HFP.
My strategy is to try for Sydney in Business return – but if this doesn’t work, then try for Singapore, Hong Kong or Tokyo in Business. Overnight in a hotel, followed by a daytime flight in Economy / Premium Economy from there.
You can do the SIN/HKG/HND flight as one leg of an AmEx 241 voucher, whilst returning from Sydney. (That is a permitted “Open Jaw” – but must be booked by telphone).
Good luck, and safe travels.Gosh, you are thinking of travelling to NZ, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore all in one trip. And maybe never visiting Australasia again!
If you want to go to NZ, Qatar is your friend. Maybe even to/from one of the UK cities other than London.
BA will only get you as far as Sydney. BA- to put it plainly – is pants in old-style Club World to Sydney (but, again, 241 from outside London is your friend for redemptions).
Our last trip was EDI-LHR-Sydney, separate ticket to Auckland, and then AKL-DOH-EDI with Qatar. We used a 241 for the outbound.
If you really want to add in other Asian destinations, choose either HKG or SIN and look at a stopover for a day or two there.
But really, now you have found out the points game and the ex-Continental Europe bargains, you’ll be going back to Asia, I am sure. So take time and enjoy the trip.
Since you are in London, i thought I would add for your 241 to get extra availability:
Look for EDI-LHR-SYD and return. Choose your return flight to Edinburgh to leave from London City – then you’ll have to collect your luggage at LHR and risk the journey across London. It is amazing how difficult that is with a lot of luggage and how often some people end up missing their LCY-EDI flights 😉
It is amazing how difficult that is with a lot of luggage and how often some people end up missing their LCY-EDI flights 😉
I will heed this warning next time 🙂 What actual destinations to Asia are served by the new style BA business class?
Thank you everyone for all those most helpful and quick replies.
1958, it is good to know we can return from a different airport even though it’s a long way from the one we flew out to.
Whatsthepoint, I did search for other New Zealand threads before I posted my question but missed that one and it almost exactly fits my questions so very useful.
Colin, who knows! Maybe we shall return to Asia!
We live near London and sorry if I’m being dim, but are you suggesting I book a through ticket from Edinburgh via City airport but then don’t use the EDI bit? In order to find it easier to book a LHR to SYD 241 ticket?Out of interest, how bad is the BA experience to Sydney? We are novices at this turning left business but went to South Africa with BA club world last year and found it fantastic. But that’s the first time we’ve ever travelled in anything other than economy or occasionally PE. So were we impressed just because we don’t know any better or is the BA club world experience to South Africa superior to their Australian product? The answer to this question might make quite a difference to what we do this time!
I have read that Qatar is far superior but obviously with them we can’t use our voucher.
Thanks again
I went to OZ in CW with a 241 and it was fine. On the Singapore leg I got my best ever night’s sleep on the plane. I thought OZ had CS now anyway? There are some people n here who hate CW, many of us disagree, each to their own.
“Out of interest, how bad is the BA experience to Sydney?”
All the moaning about elderly Club World is fair enough vs the best modern business class cabins. It’s completely and utterly irrelevant though if the alternative option to using that 2-4-1 FOR YOU is flying in economy. Compared to 20 hours in economy (in any shape or form on any airline) Club World is fricking awesome.
We live near London and sorry if I’m being dim, but are you suggesting I book a through ticket from Edinburgh via City airport but then don’t use the EDI bit? In order to find it easier to book a LHR to SYD 241 ticket?
Out of interest, how bad is the BA experience to Sydney?
The 241 can open up more redemption seats from regional airports. While you would be fine if you did happen to miss the return to (eg) EDI, be aware that you can’t miss the initial flight from EDI. That would mean the whole itinerary being cancelled, which would be very sad indeed.
If, as a London resident, this idea still seems interesting, do not book your outbound via LCY and LHR!BA business class to Sydney is no better or worse than you experienced to SA. There is just a bit more of it. While it isn’t “best in class” it is a favourite trope here to run down the BA product. The reality, as you’ve discovered, is it’s immeasurably better than doing the journey in economy.
Thank you ever so much to all for those replies. I am most grateful you all took the trouble to give me such a great deal of very helpful information.
I have one final question please: if I stick with my original plan of London to Sydney with a stopover before flying onto NZ and then returning via Hong Kong, with my 241 voucher being used for the flights to and from Heathrow, how do I deal with the Auckland to HKG journey? One World airlines that make the journey I think are Cathay Pacific, Qantas & Fiji with a stop. How do I book a one way Avios flight, do I still call BA or do I call the relevant airline?
And is there a way of checking reward flight availability for each of those airlines before I call?As regards Sydney to Auckland, I imagine there are plenty of low cost carriers so I can just make a separate booking for this flight in due course, or would there be an advantage in linking it to the AKL to HKG booking?
Thanks again.
Play around with the ‘book with Avios’ on BA.com it will help with your planning, but yes you can use Avios with Cathay AKL to HKG on a separate booking on BA.com.
When using a 241 for the UK to Sydney/HKG to UK you won’t be able to link the Cathay and BA flights.
Thank you.
Flights across the Tasman are limited and fill up especially around weekends and holidays as we found last two years. Choice is usually Qantas (OW) AirNZ and Jetstar. You can book Qantas using Avios on BA.com. Business class is a good option with armchair type seats. These sell out quite quickly as there are only 3 rows (ie 12 seats). Sign up to mailing lists for airlines, as there are often flash sales. They are all hot on hand luggage, eg Qantas will weigh all your hand luggage including handbags etc.
When we looked last year, the only airlines flying direct between Auckland and HK were AirNZ and Cathay.
Although we’re happy to fly BA using 2-4-1, and CS gives more privacy, on the many flights we have taken in the last couple of years, our best sleeps have been in CW departing Singapore and Jo’burg – better than AirNZ, SIA and Qatar as well. We’ve been lucky to get window and aisle seats at rear of cabin, so haven’t needed to climb over anyone.
We have visited Australia, NZ and Hong Kong many times. You will have a wonderful time.
With the Sydney to Auckland part, if you’re going for cash rather than points, it is worth looking at the Air New Zealand ‘grabaseat’ website. The prices are a lot lower than the main website when booking far in advance.
I’ve recently booked a trip back to NZ using Avios and companion voucher. We couldn’t get business or first class availability via Singapore so decided to go via LAX. Plenty of availability outbound in business. The booked on Fiji Airways via Fiji to NZ using Avios. Returning on Fiji Airways to LAX, then first class on BA to Heathrow. Unfortunately, couldn’t use the companion voucher on Fiji airways. They also fly to Australia.
Thank you for all those extra messages.
Kiwidave, my initial thoughts had been to go via LA but I was put off by comments I read regarding the apparent unpleasantness of the airport when transferring there. On the other hand, I have also read that jet lag is a lesser problem if travelling westwards so that would be an advantage. My wife has always wanted to visit Hawaii so maybe that would become a possibility if we go this way. I will definitely look into this again.
LD27 & MH-23, thank you. Yes, I had been thinking it might be easier just to pay cash for Sydney to Auckland so I will follow those tips.
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