Just Booked 4 nights to CPT for next Sat. 28th December - Tell me I'm not mad please?
Dec 22, 2013, 4:35 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Stirling, Scotland
Programs: Amex Centurion - BA Silver - IHG Diamond Elite - HHonors Diamond - M&M
Posts: 2,013
Just Booked 4 nights to CPT for next Sat. 28th December - Tell me I'm not mad please?
I've just booked me and the better half:
Saturday 28/12/13 (next Sat.)
EDI-LHR-JNB in F using a July '14 expiring 2for1 & 75k miles.
Then a JNB-CPT using some OnBusiness points and £111.
Getting into CPT at 12:50 on Sunday 29th.
Of course flights back this side of the usual back to work dates over the following weekend are almost completely full so there was nothing coming back for us in F or J.
Had a bunch of OnBusiness points that were going to expire on 31st so I used these to book:
Thursday 02/01/14
CPT-LHR-EDI in Y+
Had been swaying with going to see a mate down in Cape Town for a while but really wanted to get F or J back, never done BA long haul in anything but F or J for a long while so Y+ will be a new experience for me.
Am I mad to do CPT for 4 nights?
Saturday 28/12/13 (next Sat.)
EDI-LHR-JNB in F using a July '14 expiring 2for1 & 75k miles.
Then a JNB-CPT using some OnBusiness points and £111.
Getting into CPT at 12:50 on Sunday 29th.
Of course flights back this side of the usual back to work dates over the following weekend are almost completely full so there was nothing coming back for us in F or J.
Had a bunch of OnBusiness points that were going to expire on 31st so I used these to book:
Thursday 02/01/14
CPT-LHR-EDI in Y+
Had been swaying with going to see a mate down in Cape Town for a while but really wanted to get F or J back, never done BA long haul in anything but F or J for a long while so Y+ will be a new experience for me.
Am I mad to do CPT for 4 nights?
Dec 22, 2013, 4:44 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Edinburgh UK
Programs: BA Silver, HHonours Gold, Mucci of Pucci, Oyster Card, Nectar Card, Father's Day Card
Posts: 9,372
I did 4 nights in LA when I managed to get 3 CW redemptions on the A380.
Had a great time.
If you want to do it why not?
Had a great time.
If you want to do it why not?
Dec 22, 2013, 4:44 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: ARN
Programs: Mucci Entry Level, BA Gold, EK Pleb, SK Pleb, QR Pleb
Posts: 3,585
No, CPT four days is short but well used, you can have a wonderful mini vacation. I wouldn't fly Y, have four nights and fly back in Y. F/J is no problem, you sleep your way there.
I will be at Ferrymans Jan 1 in the afternoon, if you see me I will bring the drinks
I will be at Ferrymans Jan 1 in the afternoon, if you see me I will bring the drinks
Dec 22, 2013, 4:58 pm
#7
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,148
I went to LA recently for 4 night/5 day break and it was great.
It doesn't bother me sitting in Y or Y+ even for a long haul as getting to the destination is the most important part.
A blast of the SA sunshine will be great and keep an eye on availability before Sat as you MAY be able to go direct and save some time.
Go for it and enjoy!
Pete
It doesn't bother me sitting in Y or Y+ even for a long haul as getting to the destination is the most important part.
A blast of the SA sunshine will be great and keep an eye on availability before Sat as you MAY be able to go direct and save some time.
Go for it and enjoy!
Pete
Dec 22, 2013, 5:21 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Stirling, Scotland
Programs: Amex Centurion - BA Silver - IHG Diamond Elite - HHonors Diamond - M&M
Posts: 2,013
Thanks folks, not as bad as 1 night I did to LAX many years ago.
Good to be flying down in F as I always prefer that, makes for a nice start.
Will be keeping an eye on the availability in case anything better opens up.
Hotels seemed a bit of a problem so just dumped some HHonors points for the Doubletree so now ready to go, oh better tell the other half......gone to bed now, will have to tell her in the morning....
Good to be flying down in F as I always prefer that, makes for a nice start.
Will be keeping an eye on the availability in case anything better opens up.
Hotels seemed a bit of a problem so just dumped some HHonors points for the Doubletree so now ready to go, oh better tell the other half......gone to bed now, will have to tell her in the morning....
Dec 22, 2013, 6:29 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,595
What a fantastic mini trip!
No not too far to go for 4 nights - you'll just come home wishing you were there for longer. Also no jetlag and with overnight flights in both directions.
Enjoy the Comair/BA product for the domestic hop JNB-CPT... the soft product puts Club Europe and Euro Traveller to shame.
No not too far to go for 4 nights - you'll just come home wishing you were there for longer. Also no jetlag and with overnight flights in both directions.
Enjoy the Comair/BA product for the domestic hop JNB-CPT... the soft product puts Club Europe and Euro Traveller to shame.
Dec 22, 2013, 11:11 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA - Gold for Life, CCR & GGL; IC Spire Elite Ambassador; Diamond Hilton Honors; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 6,720
pmcg - sounds like a fun, spontaneous and only slightly crazy thing to do - but definitely not mad - this is FT after all!!
Enjoy the good weather, F on the way there and try to sleep in WTP on the way back. At least you have the weekend to sleep when you get back.
Have a great trip.
Enjoy the good weather, F on the way there and try to sleep in WTP on the way back. At least you have the weekend to sleep when you get back.
Have a great trip.
Dec 22, 2013, 11:29 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 862
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I did four nights in CPT a couple of months back for business - despite the small time difference it certainly takes it out of you when you return! But was perfectly fine and settled on arrival and jumped straight into action (Wt+ there and F back).
I also had an apartment on the Waterfront, which was half the price and twice the space of a hotel. But using points is much cheaper!
I did four nights in CPT a couple of months back for business - despite the small time difference it certainly takes it out of you when you return! But was perfectly fine and settled on arrival and jumped straight into action (Wt+ there and F back).
I also had an apartment on the Waterfront, which was half the price and twice the space of a hotel. But using points is much cheaper!
Dec 23, 2013, 12:10 am
#13
Join Date: May 2008
Location: FZO
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Plat, Avis PC, Sixt Pl,
Posts: 772
Definitely not mad. Short LH trips take it out of me as I've got older, but I still do them. Excellent use of an expiring 241.
I went to HKG for 2 night in F/CW for new years eve a couple of years ago. Was a excellent experience all round. Always come back from these things saying we wont do it again, but then a deal comes up that I can't say no to.
I went to HKG for 2 night in F/CW for new years eve a couple of years ago. Was a excellent experience all round. Always come back from these things saying we wont do it again, but then a deal comes up that I can't say no to.
Dec 23, 2013, 12:34 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
I did a 3 night Cape Town trip in Jan 2012 with 4 mates.
It really is the ideal weekend break, because there is no time difference (give or take) and you fly overnight. You actually get MORE time on the ground going to CPT overnight Friday than you would flying to, say, Spain on Saturday morning.
If you live and work in London, it is easy to do:
Work Thursday
Off to Heathrow, fly overnight
All Fri, Sat and most of Sunday in CPT
Overnight flight back on Sunday and straight into work with no jet lag
It really is the ideal weekend break, because there is no time difference (give or take) and you fly overnight. You actually get MORE time on the ground going to CPT overnight Friday than you would flying to, say, Spain on Saturday morning.
If you live and work in London, it is easy to do:
Work Thursday
Off to Heathrow, fly overnight
All Fri, Sat and most of Sunday in CPT
Overnight flight back on Sunday and straight into work with no jet lag
Dec 23, 2013, 12:43 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: in a cabin
Posts: 6,521
Too short? We did three full days with two nights at a hotel:
Check this report for inspiration: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...e-country.html
Check this report for inspiration: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...e-country.html