Shortest Club World Route options ?
Dec 14, 2017, 11:18 am
#16
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Glasgow / London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 3,457
Moscow also offers F, which would make it an even nicer trip and potentially worth the visa effort. In fact, if you've never been, it's an amazing city and definitely worth the visa. I'd highly recommend it!
Dec 14, 2017, 11:23 am
#17
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
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Yes, it's possible. Technically you are not transiting without a visa but it can be done, see my write up here from earlier this year https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28775010-post1838.html
Dec 14, 2017, 11:33 am
#19
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
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yes, as in go to the destination, step off the aircraft, and then reboard the same aircraft to go back. it wasn't for points in my case, but instead a chance to use up a 2-4-1 in f with a friend and take advantage of DME being RFS so cash cost wasn't high
Dec 14, 2017, 11:42 am
#20
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Phuket Thailand
Programs: HH Diamond, BA Gold, IHG Gold, Oman Gold
Posts: 1,038
They also fly the 787-900 some days, which has First. It is good value. You can get visa easy enough, if you live in Edinburgh or London, but will add some cost to the trip. Jan is very cold, but you will get some great prices on Hotels. Bear in mind Russian Christmas is 7th Jan, so flights can be very busy around those dates
Dec 14, 2017, 11:44 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
As well as MAD there are also the Finnair flights on the A350 - 241 won't be usable but the redemptions are very affordable. HEL is cold in winter too, but no visa issues and it is a nice plane and a reasonable length flight.
Dec 14, 2017, 11:50 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 804
I had a look and all the Finnair flights are in A319 jets for some reason lol
Dec 14, 2017, 12:01 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 804
Maybe I'll just go standard Club or even economy seats somewhere else - gonna have a look later thanks
Dec 14, 2017, 12:12 pm
#25
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Plat (OWE)
Posts: 493
Flight number is AY1332/1331. Service concept is similar to CE, full flats but who needs them for a 3 hour flight.
I wouldn't recommend Helsinki in January but would consider TLL, 25 minutes hop from HEL, no visa needed.
Nice old town, very cheap compared to Helsinki, AY has 6-8 flights daily with ATR turboprop.
There is a separate thread in this forum.
Last edited by ff_flyer; Dec 14, 2017 at 12:15 pm Reason: typo
Dec 14, 2017, 12:51 pm
#26
formerly mattking2000
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB
Programs: BA|AC|AZ|SPG|H|FPC
Posts: 1,187
Chiming in here... If your gf (and for that matter, you) hold an HKSAR passport you will not need a visa for Russia -- thought I'd point out that possibility as she seems to be coming from HKG.
Dec 14, 2017, 1:02 pm
#27
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Personally I would look to Beirut, Tel Aviv or Amman, probably in that order. All three are interesting places and BEY/AMM are served by the midhaul CW product. TLV has a variety of equipment. All 3 places aren't too restrictive on visas,, other than Lebanon requires a passport without evidence of visiting Israel.
You may be able to avoid some of the Russia visa hassle if you get yourself a ticket to one of the World Cup games. You then need a Fan-ID which will save the fingerprinting and cost of the visa. It is valid between 4 June and 25 July 2018, and the cheapest football tickets are US$105. They're not going to check on whether you go to the game or not.
You may be able to avoid some of the Russia visa hassle if you get yourself a ticket to one of the World Cup games. You then need a Fan-ID which will save the fingerprinting and cost of the visa. It is valid between 4 June and 25 July 2018, and the cheapest football tickets are US$105. They're not going to check on whether you go to the game or not.
Dec 14, 2017, 2:09 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
Dec 14, 2017, 2:28 pm
#30
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,111
You may be able to avoid some of the Russia visa hassle if you get yourself a ticket to one of the World Cup games. You then need a Fan-ID which will save the fingerprinting and cost of the visa. It is valid between 4 June and 25 July 2018, and the cheapest football tickets are US$105. They're not going to check on whether you go to the game or not.
Thanks for the useful hint, the visa hassles have been putting me off Russia.
Last edited by flatlander; Dec 14, 2017 at 2:44 pm