Hi everyone,

I have an upcoming trip to HKG/TYO (with Avios) which I could do two ways. I will also be going to BEY just before.

The two options I have found are:

LHR LCA (10000, Y)
LCA BEY (cash, Y)
BEY LHR (12500, J - cockup)
(1 week stop)
LHR HEL (7500, Y, BA)
HEL NRT (50000, J, JL)
NRT HKG (20000, J, CX)
HKG MAN (60000, J, CX)

For a total cost of 160000 Avios and £427.


Option 2 is:
LHR LCA (10000, Y)
LCA BEY (cash, Y)
BEY DXB (SkyTeam miles, Y)
DXB HKG (40000, J, CX)
HKG NRT (20000, J, CX)
NRT HEL (50000, J, JL)
HEL LHR (7500, Y, BA)

For a total cost of 127500 Avios and £429.

Option 1 would mean that the time away from the UK is broken into two parts; and also means added flexibility as it is almost Avios, and the cash ticket is fully refundable. I want to go to HEL too, so it is preferable to do it on the outbound. Going via LCA as it was bought for 50p one way; much cheaper compared to LHR-BEY taxes in J (£200); plus I have friends to visit in LCA.
However, I'm not particularly keen on flying overnight on JL's 787 as the seat is an angled-lie-flat. AY isn't available. Also, it does seem to be a bit of a waste to be on CX HKG-MAN but in the middle of the night. It is also more expensive, Avios-wise.

Option 2 means a long time away from the UK and much less flexibility - I have no clue what I'll be doing in April, although I guess I could block off the dates should I leave for that duration.

Not particularly keen on BEY-DXB in Y, but that isn't really a problem in the grand scheme of things. I wouldn't mind a night/day in DXB at all; it might also been good to start getting over jetlag with HKG before TYO as that's where the serious stuff is.
Then, there is a long day flight in JAL's 787 to HEL, but I'll probably want to just get home rather than be in HEL for a day or two...
32500 Avios saved however, mildly offset by a night in DXB.

Thoughts? Any cheaper / more interesting Avios routings I might have missed out on? Availability does seem pretty good actually...