Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: SQ, QF, MH, VA, AA, BA, AMEX, Citibank
Posts: 289
FLIGHT UPDATE
I have now booked 2 one-way MEL to Nairobi on Eitihad in the well regarded Pearl Business Class..
I had booked originally with Qatar via QFF as those flights opened earlier and I wanted to be sure we had the flights as we have a fixed departure for our 4WD trip. So I wanted to have that all locked in.
I was always open to try swapping to Eithad, booked via VA, as taxes and points (110,000) were lower, but was hoping a bonus would come along to sweeten the deal. Availability did not open till about after a month after Qatar via QFF though, and so I thought it best to have guaranteed seats rather than missing possibly out.
Virgin have now offered a 15% bonus on credit card transfers for November 2014, and so I have moved sufficient points over from my Amex MR account to book two flights.
An effective 95,652 points and $77 in taxes each is a lot better than the 121,000 and $397 each we had paid. I am now 40,695K (Had to pay 5K each to cancel) and $640 better off.
Also not long after I made the QFF booking the second flight was put back getting into Nairobi at 1730. Eitihad and QR both leave MEL at 2255, but ET gets in at 1340. Also with the QFF flight in hand I was able to also now go for the day later departure on 16th July.
So less points, less taxes, and better arrival date and time, and quicker overall flight time.
In theory I could also have book a *A flight from MEL. But it would have been longer duration, on poorer quality planes and the fuel fines would again have been at play.
16 Jul: Fly in to Nairobi from MEL
I have now also reserved my seats on ET. It is my first flight on ET and so I am looking forward to sampling it. On the first leg on the 77W have booked the "love seat" which is better for couples as the two seats are oriented to face slightly together, whereas the pair of seats in alternate rows face away.
The other bonus I realised after reserving my seats was that our Award seats were also eligible for the complimentary Limousine Pick-up, which I have now booked. So that will kick off our six week African Adventure in grand style.