malkie

Just booked two return tickets LHR - YYZ in F, something I thought I'd never achieve

Some of you read and commented on my TR to PEK & NRT last April ( http://tinyurl.com/2ufebag ), where I proposed to the future Mrs Malkie. The comment at the time was that because I'd flown her in CW (an MFU) for the proposal I'd have to fly First for the honeymoon.

I laughed at the time, but it became apparent that if I took a BA Amex out, and paid for elements of the wedding on there I'd easily trigger the 2-4-1.

So, with some BA CW flights for work, some Tesco clubcard conversion, and a little estore shopping I've earned enough for a First redemption. The only worry was the availability, but I'm happy to report that I could chose any dates in June 2011 for our flights.

We're on the 777, and have windows on the way out 2A, 3A, then a middle pair for the return (4E, 4F; although there is plenty of seat choice available). I appreciate First is a common experience for many people here, but certainly not for me where company policy is J, and I don't fly enough to earn status.

I'd like to thank everyone around here for the pointers on miles earning, and feedback on the use of the Amex 2-4-1, and applying an MFU (used for the original PEK-NRT trip).

Expect a TR late June, and a query on compensation for spilt coffee in F

Sixth Freedom

Great news malkie. ^

I hope that you enjoy the flights and the new Mrs.

mdj1

Congrats! great news. We're taking our first First later in the year after pretty much doing the same as you to get the miles and 2-4-1

PaulN

Congratulations. I read your NRT TR just the other day.

Here's a hint though - you might want to concentrate on the honeymoon rather than the TR otherwise you might not be allowed on FT anymore.

JonWB

FT is just wonderful with regards to this sort of thing ^

My path:

Engagement - MFU to J (UVF, ANU) [first time in J]
Honeymoon - 2-4-1 in F (SEA, YVR) [first time in F]

Then

(1) 2-4-1 in F (JNB, CPT) [with Mrs JonWB]
(2) MFU to CW (DTW, SFO) [alone to attend a wedding in DTW and then spend New Year with friends in SFO]
(3) 2-4-1 in F (CPT) [with Mrs JonWB and first child, 50% miles]
(4) 2-4-1 in F (PHX, SFO) [with Mrs JonWB and first child, 50% miles]
(5) BD Redemption TK in F (IST) [with Mrs JonWB for a long weekend]
(6) MFU to CW (SFO) [alone, 5 day trip to see a really good friend]
(7) 2 x 2-4-1 in F, 1 x AA in F (CPT, JNB) [with first and second child, plus grandparents, 5 in F including the only ones in NF coming back from JNB]

We flew Y from CPT to JNB. Eldest child said nothing about being in Row 22 , but as soon as we get to the toilet:

"Where is the flower and why don't they have any wipes!"

The great thing is that I don't travel for work, but I find it easy to acquire the miles to fly in J/F cheaply.

BA5E

Congratulations for booking your first F for your honeymoon, the only way to go, and the 2-4-1 is a fantastic way to use the airmiles, and only pay for the taxes, now work out the total cost you would have had to fork out, that money can go on the wedding frills. Once you have done F your wife will expect it all the time. Make sure you enjoy the time in the CCR, book a treatment, and of course you can always go across to the Flounge and sample that as well, the world is your oyster when you are in F.^

HIDDY

What an excellent start to married life......all the best when the big day comes. ^

We flew Pluna in economy on our honeymoon.

malkie

Thanks for the posts ^

Does anyone know if we approach YYZ from the north east (that would be the sensible flight path from LHR). Is it even possible to see Niagara on approach (if it was from the south west). Google maps suggest the runways are NE/SE orientated.

Did that immediately after booking Ł5k each for non-flex, and Ł7k each for flexible conditions - Ł10k 'saving' for 150k miles is not too bad at all

Sadly there's no way I could afford / justify Ł10k on flights, so it's not like I can put that money in the wedding pot.

Her work policy is Y, so anything better than that will be a bonus. I do just about enough miles earning for a redemption or MFU yearly for holidays. I've seen some tempting CW sale fares, which I'd consider in the future.

Absolutely - we'll do a tour. I really like Galleries south, so we may pop in just because we can. Photos of the lounge at YYZ look great too. I'll look forward to preflight dining and my 6foot6 bed for the return. I'm 6foot4, and don't fit fully flat in CW unless I bag 14A/K etc.

Grande Annee

Congratulations, and enjoy F! I look forward to another great trip report

r22r44bell47

"Booked Honeymoon in First".... and there was me thinking you were planning the whole.. err "honeymoon experience" in a BA F cabin Now that would have made a good TFTG

atsak

No, almost certainly not. Even the flight patterns from the SW are quite high over Niagara Falls (I haven't ever seen them on return from the US come to think of it), and the hold patterns for YYZ are out over my house (there's actually several I have noticed, my house is under one of them, living southwest of the airport).

The approach can be from the East or North East depending on the winds. On some very unusual days you may hold and approach from the West across the very exciting Highway 401. I have only done this once or twice from LHR / GLA.

Enjoy Niagara Falls while you're here; be sure to get to Niagara on the Lake as well.

malkie

Thanks for that info - I wasn't too sure.

We have 2A/3A on the way out, so we'll see whatever is to our left on landing - 7pm ish we land in June, so should be decent visibility.

Current plan is to spend ~4 nights in Toronto city centre, followed by ~7 nights in a spa on Lake Simcoe. We'll include a trip to Niagara Falls, and hopefully onto NotL. I've been before as a child (I was about 12), so know how beautiful the region is.

I'll skip the day trip to Buffalo this time

Any suggestions on hotels in Toronto ? Central within walking distance of entertainment would be good. I don't mind spending a little money, however I'd go for location over price - I plan to be out all day and only sleeping at the hotel, so I'm not desperate for absolutely luxury.

LeisureFirst

I must say that I also doubt my honeymoon (in June/July this year) would have been booked in First without FT. For a start it's the first time I've used an Amex 2-for-1 and without FT I might not have known enought about the Amex PP card to bother getting one. And I can't afford two F (or even A) tickets for two.

Also, thanks to FT, I've been in the F cabin enough times to know what seats I want. We're in 2A/K right now on both sectors, and will move up to 1A/K at T-3d if available, which past experience puts at about 50% chance. On the return, being somewhat a night flight (SFO-LHR but in early July so probably not too many hours of darkness, if any) I'm thinking about moving to 5E/F - but will probably stay put. After all those threads about honeymoon couples being sat apart due to BA's seating policy, we're actually choosing seats where we have to get up to chat - I want us to have the lovely view from row 1 or 2 - and if we don't like that we'll try to change for the way back.

Like some others in this thread, our first long-haul flight together was in Club (fully paid up!). I thought F would seem more special if my better half got to see CW first.

NA-Flyer

Hilton Toronto has a good location in downtown and recently renovated.
Westin on the lake side is good too.
However, if you are interested in upmarket and to impress your wife then stay in the Hazelton Hotel. It is the best hotel in Toronto....

Sixth Freedom

Very sensible. I always think that a bit of expectation management is a good thing when it comes to dealing with the ladies...