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Could anyone shine any new ideas / ways to get to Bangkok using a 2for1 companion voucher please?
I’m in Yorkshire so could travel from Manchester or London or even Europe But I don’t think the voucher allows it.
I want to go any time after 8th Jan upto end of Feb for a week but can’t find any Singapore or Hong Kong availability.
Preferably in CW but could do WTP or even F if it came to it.I have an old style 2for1 that expires in Feb but if needed could use a new style as I have that too.
Have I missed any possible routes?
I literally took this card out 3.5years ago solely for the Bangkok route and still not managed it due to the route being cancelled and I have 3 2for1 vouchers 🙁
Any tips greatly appreciated.
I was also had similar plans and was hoping to use 241 vouchers to redeem against Bangkok flight for my family. But BA have pulled these from their schedule and not looking like it will come back any time soon.
We ended up going to Singapore instead and then decided to hop over to Bali. You could do similar but fly to Thailand from Singapore…or alternatively fly BA to the Middle East and go to Bangkok from there.
If you’re set on a particular destination you need to be booking at T-355, so you’ve left it very late to be booking for Jan/Feb 24. Of course that wouldn’t help with BKK anyway, but it would give you more options.
I second using your voucher to get to DXB or DOH then connect. There’s plenty of standard award availability to both these so you could save your new-style voucher for another trip.
Flexibility is everything with avios though!In the end, we’re doing BKK-LHR direct/non-OneWorld this week, but
our plan B to use a voucher was via Delhi.The new style voucher can be used from outside uk.
As Michael mentioned above, the closest you can get to is one of the Indian cities realistically. Delhi and Mumbai will have frequent connections to Bangkok. The other small cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad are also worth visiting.The 241 voucher gives extra availability especially of you start outside London
I can find at least 2 seats available in J for MAN-LHR-HKG on 11 Jan and returning 18 Jan – so that should suit your requirements?
With a 241 anything further East than India is going to cost 200k(+) avios plus £1500+ for a couple unless you can find availability to HKG and book as one ways. Thus, if you can find standard avios availability on QR from MAN-BKK then that is what I would do. You would avoid the faff, risks and costs of extra tickets and taking ‘scenic’ routes. Standard avios on QR would cost 150k plus about £500pp. If you don’t have the extra 100k avios required you could buy them in an avios sale with the money saved on using the BAEC 241 options. If there is no standard availability on QR then if you can get to from Helsinki easily/cheaply then HEL-BKK is only 62500 avios (as it’s zone 6) plus minimal fees. You could mix and match QR and AY using one-ways if need be depending on availability. If using one ways then the return from BKK would be best on AY not QR so that you would benefit from UK/EC261 protection. QR and AY both fly to Phuket so BKK is not your only option. Both also flew to Krabi but I am not sure they have resumed yet.
The bottom line: don’t feel compelled to use a 241 just because you have it! Especially where simpler routings are available at less or comparable costs (in overall avios and fees terms) on other airlines.
Also check costs of miles-earning revenue fares from MAN and usual European suspects to BKk. I’ve seen AF PY from LHR-BKK for under £1000, and J from various European cities at €1500-1800. Check MAN-SIN also. Recently I found all major UK airports to SIN next July in J were substantially cheaper to SIN than to BKK with flights from MAN being cheapest of all. Remember you can go avios-nectar-groceries to offset costs of revenue flights.
Using the ‘new’ 241 there’s availability to SIN from NCL every tues/wed/thurs in Jan and plenty in Feb on the return.
OP has an old style voucher so the various comments relating to new style vouchers are ungortunately just muddying the waters regardless of being well-intentioned.
OP has an old style voucher so the various comments relating to new style vouchers are ungortunately just muddying the waters regardless of being well-intentioned.
“if needed could use a new style as I have that too”
If you’re set on a particular destination you need to be booking at T-355, so you’ve left it very late to be booking for Jan/Feb 24. Of course that wouldn’t help with BKK anyway, but it would give you more options.
I second using your voucher to get to DXB or DOH then connect. There’s plenty of standard award availability to both these so you could save your new-style voucher for another trip.
Flexibility is everything with avios though!We were planning to do that for a family of 4 trip with our 2 new style 241 we have. But after discussing with the husband he thinks CW may not be suitable with the seat layout with the littles. [Qatar though would be awesome with the 4 middle seats]
This Bangkok trip is a business [Buying] one and a bit last minute as such. I wanted to use Avios incase plans changed so it would only be a £70 cost to cancel.
I will look at the Man – middle east though that may work thank you.The new style voucher can be used from outside uk.
As Michael mentioned above, the closest you can get to is one of the Indian cities realistically. Delhi and Mumbai will have frequent connections to Bangkok. The other small cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad are also worth visiting.Thank you, I had forgot about that. Although realistically as we are going for a few days It would possibly add too much time onto the journey.
I shall look a Delhi /Mumbai connection thanxOP has an old style voucher so the various comments relating to new style vouchers are ungortunately just muddying the waters regardless of being well-intentioned.
Sorry I didn’t make it that clear we have 2 x new style 241’s also its just the old one has the closer expiry [end Feb]
With a 241 anything further East than India is going to cost 200k(+) avios plus £1500+ for a couple unless you can find availability to HKG and book as one ways. Thus, if you can find standard avios availability on QR from MAN-BKK then that is what I would do. You would avoid the faff, risks and costs of extra tickets and taking ‘scenic’ routes. Standard avios on QR would cost 150k plus about £500pp. If you don’t have the extra 100k avios required you could buy them in an avios sale with the money saved on using the BAEC 241 options. If there is no standard availability on QR then if you can get to from Helsinki easily/cheaply then HEL-BKK is only 62500 avios (as it’s zone 6) plus minimal fees. You could mix and match QR and AY using one-ways if need be depending on availability. If using one ways then the return from BKK would be best on AY not QR so that you would benefit from UK/EC261 protection. QR and AY both fly to Phuket so BKK is not your only option. Both also flew to Krabi but I am not sure they have resumed yet.
The bottom line: don’t feel compelled to use a 241 just because you have it! Especially where simpler routings are available at less or comparable costs (in overall avios and fees terms) on other airlines.
Also check costs of miles-earning revenue fares from MAN and usual European suspects to BKk. I’ve seen AF PY from LHR-BKK for under £1000, and J from various European cities at €1500-1800. Check MAN-SIN also. Recently I found all major UK airports to SIN next July in J were substantially cheaper to SIN than to BKK with flights from MAN being cheapest of all. Remember you can go avios-nectar-groceries to offset costs of revenue flights.
Wow thank you, that was a info pact response, lots to look at.
What would booking one ways do for the HKG option please, so use 2 x 241’s?Funny you should say that… I do feel compelled to use to 241 due to the £250 card fee but I guess the fact we get 1.5 Avios per pound is good reason enough as we spend around £100,000 a year on that card so the fact we get 150k aviso for that plus travel insurance is prob the only other thing we actually benefit from the card. So thank you for pointing that out.
In terms of the Avios /nectar part. Do you mean because 100k avios is worth £670 in shopping so use that like that & just pay cash for the tickets if we can get a good cash price deal?
Sorry is AF PY, Air france Premium economy?I’m going to check out a few option now re cash prices thank you so much
NCL
Ooo thank you, ill look now
If you’re set on a particular destination you need to be booking at T-355, so you’ve left it very late to be booking for Jan/Feb 24. Of course that wouldn’t help with BKK anyway, but it would give you more options.
I second using your voucher to get to DXB or DOH then connect. There’s plenty of standard award availability to both these so you could save your new-style voucher for another trip.
Flexibility is everything with avios though!We were planning to do that for a family of 4 trip with our 2 new style 241 we have. But after discussing with the husband he thinks CW may not be suitable with the seat layout with the littles. [Qatar though would be awesome with the 4 middle seats]
This Bangkok trip is a business [Buying] one and a bit last minute as such. I wanted to use Avios incase plans changed so it would only be a £70 cost to cancel.
I will look at the Man – middle east though that may work thank you.IMO both old and new vouchers are irrelevant in the continuing absence of a direct flight on BA between LHR and Bangkok unless you actually want to spend sometime in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai etc. Even in best voucher scenario (one ways to/from HKG with new style voucher) you are lookin at a minimum cost of 200k avios plus around £1500 pkus a minimum of £400 return for 2 between HK and Bangkok. Total cost factoring in value of avios at 1ppa is going to be about £4000. Going MAN-DOH-BKK is much less hasle if you only want to go to Thailand and can find standard avios rewards; equivalent cost of that is 300k avios and £1000 so you still end up paying £4000 assuming 1pp BUT you’d still have the new style voucher left to combine with the other for a future family if 4 trip. Having said all that, and provided the money was not an issue, at £2000pp to use avios with or without vouchers then I’d be searching for miles-earning revenue J flights instead. If I could get a pair of AF return premium economy tickets MAN-CDG-BKK for about £2000 that would be very tempting too.
@squishsquash – one of the DXB services is on the A380 (I’m booked on it in December), so you have the old-style seating in CW (I’ve bagged upper deck seats which is a first for us so not too disappointed!) You might want to look into this for your family, though of course they can change the aircraft type before you fly so you need to factor that in.
I get what @BJ is saying about not getting too hung up on the 241s but it does feel like you’re missing out if you don’t use one after paying the card fee!
If you’re set on a particular destination you need to be booking at T-355, so you’ve left it very late to be booking for Jan/Feb 24. Of course that wouldn’t help with BKK anyway, but it would give you more options.
I second using your voucher to get to DXB or DOH then connect. There’s plenty of standard award availability to both these so you could save your new-style voucher for another trip.
Flexibility is everything with avios though!We were planning to do that for a family of 4 trip with our 2 new style 241 we have. But after discussing with the husband he thinks CW may not be suitable with the seat layout with the littles. [Qatar though would be awesome with the 4 middle seats]
This Bangkok trip is a business [Buying] one and a bit last minute as such. I wanted to use Avios incase plans changed so it would only be a £70 cost to cancel.
I will look at the Man – middle east though that may work thank you.IMO both old and new vouchers are irrelevant in the continuing absence of a direct flight on BA between LHR and Bangkok unless you actually want to spend sometime in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai etc. Even in best voucher scenario (one ways to/from HKG with new style voucher) you are lookin at a minimum cost of 200k avios plus around £1500 pkus a minimum of £400 return for 2 between HK and Bangkok. Total cost factoring in value of avios at 1ppa is going to be about £4000. Going MAN-DOH-BKK is much less hasle if you only want to go to Thailand and can find standard avios rewards; equivalent cost of that is 300k avios and £1000 so you still end up paying £4000 assuming 1pp BUT you’d still have the new style voucher left to combine with the other for a future family if 4 trip. Having said all that, and provided the money was not an issue, at £2000pp to use avios with or without vouchers then I’d be searching for miles-earning revenue J flights instead. If I could get a pair of AF return premium economy tickets MAN-CDG-BKK for about £2000 that would be very tempting too.
Yes I see where you are coming from, as its looking like after all the options I just did the cost will be 200k avios & £1500 factoring in the flights from either HKG or SIN. As a family holiday this would be fine as we could do a 2 days trip as part of the holiday but this is very much bkk only for about 5night there.
So we will prob go for the 300k avios on Qatar plus taxes but like you say we could just ‘cash that 300k avios in to £2000 pounds worth of Sainsburys shopping & use that to get some good cash flights instead.
I guess it comes down to that & finding a good ‘deal’ It would actually save us money possibly.
Is AF premium economy good?AF generally has a weak reputation excepting La Premiere. However, my partber did two returns in PY a few years ago and liked it. He scodsx a coupke of upgrades to J for about £350 IIRC. Back then PY was hard shell seats abd J was still angle flat. Now PY is the mire typucal seats lije you find on AY in 242 config while J is flat beds but I cannot recall if they have doors.
It would take some time to move avios to nectar and spebd in groceries because there is a mibthly limit, 50k I think? Downsides are that you are stuck with spending at Sainsburys, argos and Habitat, the exchange rate was devalued and could happen again. Also the avios would ve list to future use with your vouchers.
I stick by my rationale but there is no right answer. Best thing to do just depends on your personal circumstances and what’s available for miles or cash at the time you need or want to book. Remember too that if flexibility is important to you then reward flights are a better option than cheap revenue flights. To be honest I personally still like to use vouchers but that’s only because we like to book one ways out to Tokyo and back from HK so that we can visit all three places at least cost. When traveling alone to Thailand my partners first choice is a revenue J fare if he can get it for under £1800 one stop otherwise QR on avios..
Hmmm, its a tough one.
I didn’t know about the 50k max, that’s quite restrictive then.
I’m leaning towards Qatar 300k redemption & £1100 cash but unfortunately I cant see any availability for Man-Bkk. As I would like to try QSuites although I know its not guaranteed.
It also means like you say I can cancel if needs be.When I found some flights it had 18hrs in Doha so I need to do some more research on Qatar redemptions/lounges.
We will hopefully use 2 vouchers for Tokyo in a couple of years so we can def use 1 of the newer style ones this time as we will have a 3rd by next year, trying to figure if by then our 7year old will be able to keep up with all the sightseeing [*cough eating] we will be doing.
BJ, are the Qatar rates you are quoting ‘saver’ rates?
I’m booking for 4 people, so I’d imagine it would be nigh on impossible to get 4 award seats in business on Qatar, so it’s not really a realistic alternative to using 2 x new 2-4-1 vouchers anyway?We aren’t going to BKK either. Plan is to book LHR – SIN then decide final destination later. Maybe Vietnam, but more research to do still.
Hmmm, its a tough one.
I didn’t know about the 50k max, that’s quite restrictive then.
I’m leaning towards Qatar 300k redemption & £1100 cash but unfortunately I cant see any availability for Man-Bkk. As I would like to try QSuites although I know its not guaranteed.
It also means like you say I can cancel if needs be.When I found some flights it had 18hrs in Doha so I need to do some more research on Qatar redemptions/lounges.
We will hopefully use 2 vouchers for Tokyo in a couple of years so we can def use 1 of the newer style ones this time as we will have a 3rd by next year, trying to figure if by then our 7year old will be able to keep up with all the sightseeing [*cough eating] we will be doing.
TRY BHX-DOH and then DOH-BKK as well
BJ, are the Qatar rates you are quoting ‘saver’ rates?
I’m booking for 4 people, so I’d imagine it would be nigh on impossible to get 4 award seats in business on Qatar, so it’s not really a realistic alternative to using 2 x new 2-4-1 vouchers anyway?We aren’t going to BKK either. Plan is to book LHR – SIN then decide final destination later. Maybe Vietnam, but more research to do still.
They are QR standard reward rates, the others you will see (lots of them) require 2x avios so only really useful for the avios-super rich. I may be wrong but I think QR only ‘release or guarantee?’ 2 seats. Thus practically impossible for 4 based on likely availability and cost. Still, there’s no harm checking as sometimes we get lucky for strange reasons. The vouchers would make more sense IMO. However, unless you want to go to Singapore I’d recommend HKG to cut costs, particularly if you have enough avios to book as one ways and do reore calling to appky tge voucher and get a refund. I’d only pick SIN over HKG if your ultimate destination was DPS or HKT which are a bit further from HKG than SIN.
Agreed @E14, sadly though availability DOH-BKK is proving difficult these days except for 2x avios. Given OP is only planning a 5 day trip keeping travel time to a minimum seems desirable.Thus, if a short duration one-stop QR reward continues to be unavailable then revenue options would be more appealing I think.
+1 for avoiding the “…at any cost” use of vouchers!
We v luckily had LHR-SIN 241 J in CS on the way out, but couldn’t work
out a return when ending our trip in BKK. Going back to SIN, even if available
in Y, would have been more expensive (with ridiculous BA +++ charges!) than
our final option of one-way direct EvaAir BKK-LHR in PY for GBP580, which I was ok with. That’s
tomorrow – day flight, already received pre-flight menu options (hello, BA!!), so
will report back (any experience, @BJ ?!)
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