wytco0

Slightly odd question.

Now that I am semi retired I don't have the cash available for J very often so I looks for flights with higher value returns like the earlier WTP flights to Dubai/Abu Dhabi and the TLL J special.

I am now planning a trip to Sydney for April/May next year and although I have enough miles for a PE or J reward there are none available so I am trying to think of revenue options with a decent return, however I have not been able to find anything at all.

I am not fussy about routing or journey time as I will be travelling alone, I am happy to go east or west and I would obviously prefer to travel J but I doubt I can justify the price so WTP or Y are more likely. If Y I would prefer to try and do a number of daytime flights. I am happy to position if it gives better options.

So does anyone have any interesting ideas??

VH-RMD

Not sure of the price to get to CMB from the UK but I found a very nice I class fare for my wife and daughter from CMB-SIN-SYD-MCY rtn on QF (EK CMB-SIN but with QF flight numbers so points and status credits with QFF) for $2000 USD each.

Business class all the way.

FlyerTalker39574

I fancy CX via HKG in WTP on A350.

There may a good route from DUB going west via east and west coast USA across to HNL and then down to Australia, depends how much time to have and where you want to stop.

Deltus

Nothing looking particularly good value on that though - £1700ish? You can get an ex-LHR in Y for about £660, on either CX or SQ - don't think I could justify a £1k premium for PE.

nux

ex-OSL in J can be around 2k GBP in a sale, either BA or QR.
W sale fares are usually only a few hundred less, so J is usually the better option.
Y can be around 500.

Cost to position to CMB (which is almost exactly half way between LON and SYD) even in economy would make this similar or more than an ex-OSL J fare.

Horatio

Flying to Aus in December. Using 241 to get to PEK as obviously very difficult to use to get all the way to Sydney, then QF business to Sydney. Of all the routes I checked (admittedly looked at business only) into Sydney (SIN, BKK etc) PEK-SYD was by far the cheapest.

nux

How much did you pay overall in cash and avios?

FlyerTalker39574

It's all about cost per hour flight time on these very long flights.

£660 is extremely cheap in Y.

Horatio

172k Avios for First return to PEK and whatever the tax and fees were (£500 each I think?)

PEK return to Sydney approx. £1450 each depending on FX. All the other J returns in to Sydney from Asia that I could use with the 241 (also looked at via California) were double that or more.

wytco0

Yes thats what I was finding, a few months ago Vietnam (not OW) had a good deal in W but that seems to have gone now.

I think Y from the UK to Oz is very competitive making everything else seem expensive.

wytco0

£660ish and lower (£602) is widely available in Y in April/May 2018.

EDIT I should have added most of thees these low fares are not OW, although QR have some.

Too much travel

If time really isn't of the essence, then there are usually some good UK fares on Qatar to Delhi or Mumbai (especially now given the spat they're having with other GCC countries, they must be discounting). They're then usually some cheap J offers on Malaysia Airlines from Delhi or Mumbai to Australia.

UK-Doha, DEL/BOM-KUL, and KUL-Australia are all over 2000 miles so you'll get some decent tier points on the way as well.

wytco0

I don't really mind how long it takes to get there as I have plenty of spare time ;-)
I was looking for this sort of thing but can't fond anything at all, I did a flight like this in the late 80s with a canadian airline but most of the west options to Sydney seem to have disappeared from the UK now.

FlyerTalker39574

You may have to book separate tickets, which is less risky if booking stop overs.
Don't forget Alaska airlines operates many flights from west coast US to HNL, some with BA codes.

Btw early April is Easter school holidays, later April may have better fares.

flygod

Always wanted to go to Melbourne so...

When Garuda offered a £1086 Business Class return LHR-MEL we jumped on it.

If retired, I would wait until you get a £1500-1600 deal ex-EU in business. It is a loooong way!

Plan your journey around fare availability - and use avios for internal Australia flights.