dajdavies

Looking at taking four people Australia

There's reward availability in CW to both Hong Kong and Singapore on the dates we're interested in (got 2 x 2-4-1 vouchers and sufficient Avios)

I'd need to book an onward return to Australia separately and aware they'll be no delay protection, interlining of bags etc.

Would anyone recommend the Singapore route over Hong Kong or vice versa - for example which is the easiest airport to reclaim and recheck bags?

Hong Kong seems to be the better option of the two as could fly Cathay Pacific to Sydney and then back from Brisbane (and drive between the two cities), there also seems plenty of time between connections.

Anything else I should consider?

Thanks

Andy

000

Both HK and SIN are wonderful airports and routing options. Personally I don't think you can go wrong with either.

SIN is probably the most efficient airport in the world. It's a regular award winner. From dors open to walking out of the terminal (or back to departures in your case) with your checked bags is routinely a 20 min affair (but obviously allow longer!).

HKG is also a fabulous airport. Immigration queues can sometimes be 20 mins on their own, though this is varies throughout the day. If back to backing with checked bags you walk out into the arrivals area, across the concourse into the lifts and head upstairs to check in. It couldn't be easier, I've done it lots of times.

If on separate tickets, I'd recommend overnighting in either city. They're fantastic and a good night's sleep in a hotel definitely helps with eliminating jet lag when going down under

rossmacd

If you are straight through, then either options is viable, with SIN being slightly quicker journey time (due to its physical location!).

That being said, if you were to take 1-2 nights stopover, I would definitely go to HKG as it has so much more to do and fun than SIN. Also, the lounges available to HKG are stunning.

highpeaklad

I'd recommend staying one or 2 nights in either. It really helps with the jet lag so you can hit the ground running in Oz.

francismc

I've personally have done this journey - going from UK to Singapore. Stayed for 5 days in Singapore.

sigapore down to Sydney; again 5 days stay. Over to Melbourne for 4 days then up to Hong Kong staying for 5 days.

i managed first going to SIN and from HKG; bought a cheap one-way WTP by BA from Singapore to Sydney. Internally used Qantas and then Cathay Pacific business using avois also.

at Sydney airport; I was able to upgrade cheaply to club - can't remember what I paid but it wasn't much.

Key thing here is that I had plenty time within each city and was an amazing experience

Bullswood

In my experience, SIN beats HKG (and everywhere else!) in terms of ease of arrival or transfers - the transfer desk will even collect & transfer your bags from the belt without you having to go landside on separate bookings. Having said that, on through flights I prefer to route via HKG as the SIN/SYD is just too short for a decent sleep!

In any case, I would guess you'll build in a long transfer or stopover if you're travelling on unprotected onward tickets?


Only other suggestion is that unless you have some bargain onward flights to Oz (the only ones that come to mind are the frequent MH biz sale fares SIN/SYD) does this really add up as worthwhile/a good use of Avios even with the 2-4-1s? Cathay currently offer a sale fare of LHR or LGW/SYD for GBP2700 and you might get your required open jaw routing ex BNE (as well as a bucket full of Avios/TPs), while Singapore are selling CPH/SYD for GBP2300....

henkybaby

Don't forget LHR-SYD on MH for £1500.... See the premium fares thread.

Rami Tamimi

HKG transit counters can do that as well and the security check is much easier in HKG,as you don't have to take your belt/watch off.

...and in terms of lounges HKG is a clear winner for oneworld because SIN BA and QF lounges are nothing to write home about.

Fruitcake

Yes, and Kuala Lumpur is a nice stopover too.

Bullswood

The outbound lounge comparison SIN vs HKG might be somewhat academic unless the OP is on a qualifying OW ticket or flight for those sectors. If he's thinking of buying Business Class on QF,CX or BA for the to/from Oz legs, I doubt whether the separate ticket equation will be attractive! I recently looked at trying the same process to tag on to BA's bargain basement fares MUC/HKG and it was nigh impossible to beat the straightforward fares ex UK or EU to SYD.

1010101

SIN may be the better option if you were going straight there and back as as its shorter and you can stay on the same aircraft all the way. Otherwise I'd go through HK. You can fly to/from more Australian cities, you'll be on CX instead of BA, and there is much more to do in HK than in Singapore.

Another minor point is that SIN has idiotic gate security that wont allow you to take water/liquids purchased in the airport through, which is a problem on such long sectors. In HK only flights bound for the US and Australia have this restriction.

Forever in Seattle

Last few times I have gone outbound via HKG, back via SIN.

Get the best of both worlds so win/win :-)

Globaliser

Although in physical layout HKG is about as easy as it gets, you might want to be aware that baggage delivery at HKG has been getting progressively slower over the last couple of years. We're talking about maybe an extra 10-15 minutes on average over what it used to be, but it's worth bearing in mind if you are tempted by a short connection. (Which is a temptation you should try your utmost to avoid anyway, if you're travelling onwards on a separate ticket.) Although asking the transfer desk to intercept your bags and check them in for you without you having to clear to landside would be helpful, if they're picking the bags off the belt in the same place as passengers are then the same delay will affect that service too.

dajdavies

Thanks for the comments and suggestions

We'd already discounted the MH offer as my wife said "she wasn't getting on a MH flight"

Going J all the way with CX is the other thing I have been considering.

With the 2-4-1's was considering doing the BA leg in J, and onward in premium economy which is about 5K cheaper than the CX J price all the way, (onwards in J is about 1K cheaper than CX)

My challenge is it's easier for me to earn 2-4-1's than it is for me to spend them, and we may be moving country later this year so it seemed convenient to use them up.

orbitmic

Both are fine. SIN-Oz will typically be cheaper than HKG-Oz with big low cost competition. In terms of sheer airport use if you really aren't staying over (too bad though) SIN is a notch above HKG.