u89cs

I'm a long time lurker, first time poster on this forum so hopefully someone can help me out!

I am looking for some help, my husband has moved to KUL for a month and i want to go and visit. Preferably using my airmiles and with minimal taxes (i.e. UK APD!). Departure anytime between July 31st and August 10th, returning approx 7-12 days after departure.

Can anyone help with a creative routing? There are a few economy seats LHR-BOM-KUL but nothing for the return. I would welcome suggestions and thoughts, though i do recognise that i may just have to fork out a cash fare.

Much appreciated!

corporate-wage-slave

Funnily enough a friend asked me a near identical question yesterday. The best value I could find for her particular dates to KUL was with Qatar from Paris, which cost a few hundred pounds more than economy from London (and some business fares were cheaper). Qatar is in the same alliance with BA and so you can spend and redeem on them, as you can on MAS.

Using Avios for economy on that route with that timeframe is unlikely to be good value, unless you have acquired a big stack for no money! It's best used for almost anything else frankly.

But welcome to Flyertalk u89cs, it's good to see you here on the BA Board, and I hope you will continue to play an active part in this forum. Welcome on board.

nux

CDG-KUL and AMS-KUL on MH just falls into redemption Band 7.

60/120/180k avios return in Y/J/F.

lorcancoyle

And genuinely not being crass, but have seen reports of discounting by MH (for obvious reasons) - they fly a380 from Paris I think

If you look at one of the threads around here there's a guide to ita matrix - quite a handy tool. And also straightforward to use for basic searches without much background - try using lon, dub, par, AMs, bru as the departure airport for example,

mgiarc

Also, try looking for a tag-on at the end. It *might* be cheaper to fly CDG-KUL-[e.g. SGN/BKK/SIN]-KUL-CDG (with a long stop-over in KUL on the way out or the way back) than just to KUL where MH can charge a convenience premium.

nux

Keep in mind that if you miss the tag-on flight outbound (eg the KUL-SGN/BKK/SIN segment) the remaining segments on the ticket will be cancelled, including the return.

Cymro

If you can do cash then QR J is instant BA silver as long as you have the four qualifying BA flights and your membership year doesn't end in the middle of the trip.

CDG - KUL IN QR J is Ł1,448 from 1 August to 12 August from ITA compared to Ł950ish direct from London in economy.

Silver status means double Avios earning on future cash fares too.

nux

Only on BA and certain partners, and then only double base avios.

QR is one that does not earn bonus avios based on tier.

Cymro

Definitely: I should have been clearer that it would only apply to BA/IB and I think AA.

Just to be absolutely clear though, it doesn't matter where the silver status was earned to get the enhanced mileage rates.

crazy8534

Hello u89cs, always nice to see fresh faces around here!!

I bang on about this all the time as I think it is great- a sort of ITA matrix for people (like me) who can't work ITA matrix:

Google Flights

In the first box type a list of EU airports (e.g. AMS, CDG, BRU, LUX etc.) and in the second box type KUL. Then choose 'oneworld alliance' and then select the graph.

As CWS says, this tells us that if you can position cheaply to CDG you can get a business return on RJ, leaving 29th August, back on 5th September for Ł1,297. If my TP calculator is working correctly that will mean blue to almost silver (540TPs) in one trip.

Happy travelling.

EDIT: Just looked at the above and the routing is via AMM then BKK, so it would get you to silver TPs (140+140+40+40+140+140), but obviously you would need to do 4 BA flights at some point.

SECOND EDIT: I just noticed you are already GOLD!!

u89cs

Cheers everyone. These are awesome tips and i can already see my evening being eaten up playing with those tools.

Yep i do already have a gold card, though not through any luck or planning! Couple of J trips to the US, 1 Y to SYD (!), a few european trips and a shed load of domestic. All nicely paid for with my company card. Funnily enough my tier point year rests on he 8th of August so likely to be in the middle of this trip.

Cymro

Overly pedantic of me but it's 4 × 140 as the BKK - KUL leg is on one RJ flight number, and therefore it doesn't earn anything.

Bummer I know.

crazy8534

Shame- oh well. I suppose the 4 BA segments you would need would happily net the extra 40TPs required. Could do it all to position on BA from a regional starting point e.g. EDI/GLA/MAN/NCL-LHR-CDG.

onobond

Hi u89cs,

Tried to check all OW alternatives foe your route. The advice of RJ CDG-AMM-BKK-KUL r/t seems to be the best. Tip: if needed, get the return before/on Aug 08

Cymro

The only time it makes sense to complete the trip in this TP year is if the OP is going to miss out on gold (or some other status higher than silver).

If this trip (or half of it) is the difference between 300 and 600 TPs, for instance, the soft landing will take care of silver status.

Otherwise it makes sense to have as much of it as possible on or after 9 August to get a head start on qualifying for gold next year.