Advice needed: trip to SYD
Aug 8, 2017, 9:13 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR; TK Elite; ITA Executive; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,551
Advice needed: trip to SYD
Hello folks,
just wondering if someone here can give me some precious hints and suggestions.
Planning to visit Australia (SYD) for my first time in January. My budget for flights is as follows:
- 130,000 Avios
- Gold upgrade for one
- Joker
Am I right in saying that if I book a different stopover than SIN I will incur in a higher Avios balance needed? I really don't fancy J on the 777....
As of now my best bet is to book with Avios in W and upgrade to J with the voucher. Not too sure the above budget could take me somehow into F, even on one or two segments only.
Thanks for your precious help, much appreciated.
just wondering if someone here can give me some precious hints and suggestions.
Planning to visit Australia (SYD) for my first time in January. My budget for flights is as follows:
- 130,000 Avios
- Gold upgrade for one
- Joker
Am I right in saying that if I book a different stopover than SIN I will incur in a higher Avios balance needed? I really don't fancy J on the 777....
As of now my best bet is to book with Avios in W and upgrade to J with the voucher. Not too sure the above budget could take me somehow into F, even on one or two segments only.
Thanks for your precious help, much appreciated.
Aug 8, 2017, 9:23 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
I think 130k only gets you off peak to SYD. Peak, it's 220k vs 200.
Availability is very tight, so I think all three of those are needed to get you into J.
If you want F then you'll only need the GUF1 and a friendly travel agent - £2,600 or so from Oslo if you can find matching I and A class availability. However, you can save yourself the joker and the 130k avios, plus earn up to 80k avios if you earn as if it were a revenue A-class fare (not supposed to happen).
By the time you add on the YQ, it's about £2k extra to increase your avios balance by 210k, retain your joker, and travel in First.
Availability is very tight, so I think all three of those are needed to get you into J.
If you want F then you'll only need the GUF1 and a friendly travel agent - £2,600 or so from Oslo if you can find matching I and A class availability. However, you can save yourself the joker and the 130k avios, plus earn up to 80k avios if you earn as if it were a revenue A-class fare (not supposed to happen).
By the time you add on the YQ, it's about £2k extra to increase your avios balance by 210k, retain your joker, and travel in First.
Aug 8, 2017, 9:55 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR; TK Elite; ITA Executive; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,551
I think 130k only gets you off peak to SYD. Peak, it's 220k vs 200.
Availability is very tight, so I think all three of those are needed to get you into J.
If you want F then you'll only need the GUF1 and a friendly travel agent - £2,600 or so from Oslo if you can find matching I and A class availability. However, you can save yourself the joker and the 130k avios, plus earn up to 80k avios if you earn as if it were a revenue A-class fare (not supposed to happen).
By the time you add on the YQ, it's about £2k extra to increase your avios balance by 210k, retain your joker, and travel in First.
Availability is very tight, so I think all three of those are needed to get you into J.
If you want F then you'll only need the GUF1 and a friendly travel agent - £2,600 or so from Oslo if you can find matching I and A class availability. However, you can save yourself the joker and the 130k avios, plus earn up to 80k avios if you earn as if it were a revenue A-class fare (not supposed to happen).
By the time you add on the YQ, it's about £2k extra to increase your avios balance by 210k, retain your joker, and travel in First.
Aug 8, 2017, 10:47 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Australia
Programs: Aeroplan 50k, Hilton Diamond, Accor Plus Gold, SPG Gold, Hertz Presidents Club
Posts: 188
American Express Travel understand and can handle GUF ticketing: they've done a couple for me, exactly same routing!
Aug 9, 2017, 1:42 am
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Some folks here use Propeller Travel for such bookings. They seem to understand the exEU fares, but would appreciate their clients flying the entire ticket.
Aug 30, 2017, 6:30 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
Aug 30, 2017, 8:22 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR; TK Elite; ITA Executive; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,551
Aug 30, 2017, 8:49 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
BA in A would be 980 TPs vs 600 on QR, but the avios earning matters: about 50k difference.
Got any other plans for the GUF? You could use the price difference to most of the TP and half the avios gap with an upgraded ex-OSL premium economy to the US.
Aug 30, 2017, 8:56 am
#12
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,477
Given the fare difference is gained back in Avios value, there are many extra TPs, and BA F>QR J imo, I feel the OP is thinking along the right lines here.
Sadly the Pound's demise against the NOK has been more marked than most currencies, with a drop of about 28% from the time of the last ex-Norway sale. At that point Australia itineraries priced out around £1700, which would correspond to around £2350 today - not so much different to the price the OP is seeing.
Sadly the Pound's demise against the NOK has been more marked than most currencies, with a drop of about 28% from the time of the last ex-Norway sale. At that point Australia itineraries priced out around £1700, which would correspond to around £2350 today - not so much different to the price the OP is seeing.
Aug 30, 2017, 9:08 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR; TK Elite; ITA Executive; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,551
Still worth considering QR.
BA in A would be 980 TPs vs 600 on QR, but the avios earning matters: about 50k difference.
Got any other plans for the GUF? You could use the price difference to most of the TP and half the avios gap with an upgraded ex-OSL premium economy to the US.
BA in A would be 980 TPs vs 600 on QR, but the avios earning matters: about 50k difference.
Got any other plans for the GUF? You could use the price difference to most of the TP and half the avios gap with an upgraded ex-OSL premium economy to the US.
Aug 30, 2017, 9:11 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
As long as you know about the travel agent option and the six-month extension then I think you're on the right lines by chasing the TPs and avios then. If it was your last GUF then I'd go QR.
Aug 30, 2017, 9:13 am
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC GGL, HH DIAMOND, AVIS Presidents Club, Karahi Express
Posts: 1,229