Originally Posted by
Raffles
Premium class redemptions to Oz are terrible value.
Malaysia would have sold you a cash ticket in J, ex London, for £1500 in their January sale for travel on any date until mid December 2017. Why blow 300,000 Avios (more if not on BA) and £700+ of taxes?
You can always get Oz for under £2k if you don't mind an ex-EU, eg China Southern ex Amsterdam. I looked this up last December out of interest for a departure 4-5 days later and there were quite a few options.
Last time I checked you could still get MH via Expedia for under £2000 as long as you booked a £7 hostel for a few days as well as part of a flight and hotel package. I have not rechecked this price for the last 3-4 weeks though.
I know, but it's complicated! We live in Oz and come home for a month or so every summer and Christmas so whatever return date we book will be 5 months or so after departure for starters.
More importantly, we value the flexibility. With elderly parents we never know when we might get summoned back home - as happened last summer. With a bit of help from AA and Etihad liaison, they managed to get bring forward our flight so we got home in time.
And this particular time, we'll be returning home next summer on the return leg of the last of our 2-4-1's so we're looking for a one way flight for January.
If it wasn't for that, I'd be on a Qatar sale fare if at all possible!