Morning all :-)

I’m new to collecting avios, myself and my husband both have a companion voucher - we’re a family of 5 . . . .

I’d love to use the vouchers to travel *edited* business class (not FC) out and economy plus back London to Maldives. You guessed it - with us all on the same flight.

When I look now for this September (we want to travel next September) some flights have more than 2 BC seats available. We’re flexible on dates.

Does anyone have any tips on what I can do to maximise my chances of securing the seats?

I know to call a year before as that’s when the seats are released, and think from reading I can book the outward then call to add in the inbound later? So that the companion voucher is used for both legs?

So with my companion voucher if I do that and secure two seats. I obviously can purchase the third. Then does anyone have any tips on attempting to use the second companion voucher to save some money on the 4th and 5th seats?

Should I hold off and watch and if a flight becomes available with 4 seats buy that one and pay the fee to move my original 2 onto that flight? Etc

or could I book with cash and use it to upgrade if available later?

thanks all in anticipation of your expertise!