2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan – Avios Edition.
May 9, 2018, 5:50 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: BA Exec. Club Silver
Posts: 7
My aim is to spend the avios on the RWC! Although very much aware that if I miss out on availability then there are most likely going to be some very overpriced flights to be paid for!
Already we can see that the 2-4-1 vouchers are at the ready!
Already we can see that the 2-4-1 vouchers are at the ready!
May 9, 2018, 7:28 am
#17
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,109
May 15, 2018, 6:32 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 56
(waits for someone to tell me this an inefficient earning route!)I suppose, worse case, we will buy economy tickets, and Uua to WTP
May 15, 2018, 12:52 pm
#19
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (for now) and Lifetime Gold, Marriott fan thanks to Bonvoy Moments
Posts: 5,115
Got to get tickets to the games first though - my ballot application got me nada for the Irish pool games
May 15, 2018, 1:41 pm
#21
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Dublin
Programs: BA Bronze! Avis PC
Posts: 312
I reckon the CX day flight from DUB to HKG 12 hrs should be doable in Y followed by an Avios flight in J to any of the CX destinations in Japan..maybe even FUK just for the boarding pass
Last edited by MM00LL2; May 15, 2018 at 1:47 pm
May 16, 2018, 4:02 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,634
May 16, 2018, 5:04 pm
#23
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London
Programs: Thai Royal Orchid Plus Gold, BA Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 348
I love Japan and have looked into this before, so I feel obliged to answer.
Right, Mike_Smith, how many Avios have you got?
If you don't have to UUA or GUF, then there are so many more creative options that are not BA. Despite all my misgivings about BA, BAEC really is a wonderful FFP for OW redemptions.
Others have covered a couple of options when you do a long-haul positioning flight to somewhere convenient in Asia then take a short hop to Japan. Note HKG, BKK, KUL etc. are not such short hops - HKG-TYO being over 4 hours for example and BKK-TYO over 6 - OTOH they also provide an opportunity to try solid Asian carriers such as CX and JL for relatively low Avios redemption rates. HKG-TYO is 20,000 Avios one way in J, and 40,000 in F!!
Let me also offer some ex-Europe options:
1) JL has already been mentioned and again is fabulous in J (enclosed Apex suite with all aisle access, amaaaaazing food, lightning fast wifi). Direct LHR flights with IMO much more sensible arrival times than either the BA LHR-NRT and LHR-HND flights (jetlag wise and being able to check into a hotel in Tokyo, with will almost without exception deny any early check in attempts to the minute). Reward availability typically scarce if you look far in advance, I suspect they get snapped up around T-330 by eager Japanese FFs (btw anyone able to read Japanese, they have a truly fascinating points/miles hacking culture) - however, 1-2 J award seats typically are made available around T-14 to T-7, and a couple of F seats if you are lucky?
if no availability to/from LHR, you can also try FRA, CDG, HEL (see also option 2).
See also option 4.
2) AY. They market themselves as the shortest route to Asia - it's true. Only 75000 Avios J one way from HEL to not just NRT, but you can also choose other major Japanese cities KIX, NGO and perhaps my favourite, FUK (simply for the awesomeness factor of being able to say you've done FUK-HEL).
JL and AY codeshare their two HEL-NRT flights, one on the metal of each respective carrier departing within 15 minutes of each other, so take your pick based on personal preference / award availability. IMO the seat and the food is better on JL (the only time I flew AY in J, they ran out of reindeer steak and whatever else they served me was forgettable..) Note the AY metal is 2-class (Y/J) whereas the JL metal is 3-class, handy if your Avios only goes as far as PE (50,000 Avios)
Avios poor but have OW status? Snag a reward seat in Y and assign yourself an exit row seat on AY's A350. No bubbly, but IMO the hard product is fabulous as Y goes and would give BA 787 PE and JL 787 PE a run for their money.
Bonus points (because you're a miles hacker): do a return or open jaw to/from a non-TYO airport, and position using what must be one of the highest value per Avios redemptions in existence: a domestic JL flight, for the princely sum of 4500 Avios. For something ridiculous like GBP 10 you have the option of upgrading to J.
3) IB since 2016 has resumed their MAD-NRT flights. A bit of a detour especially if positioning from the UK, but the nice thing about IB is that like BA it has off-peak redemption rates, whereas using Avios to redeem other OW carriers always require peak rates. Note IB has a different off-peak calendar to BA (and you can game this to your advantage); in order to access this and avoid extortionate YQ you must book on the Iberia site using IB Avios, not BA Avios.
One used to be able to move Avios freely across the IB and BA FFPs via Avios.com, now that portal has gone you'll need to look up the current workable method.
4) Feeling adventurous? Moscow. Apparently JL has flown this route from Tokyo for over 50 years and you can read up on the solemn history between the two countries if you ever need to kill time in transit without visa at DME. 75000 Avios in J and a JL Skysuite is yours.
(Just go via HEL, same amount of Avios, less visa pain for most people, and the duty free shops are better. If you like Marimekko and Moomins.)
Right, Mike_Smith, how many Avios have you got?
If you don't have to UUA or GUF, then there are so many more creative options that are not BA. Despite all my misgivings about BA, BAEC really is a wonderful FFP for OW redemptions.
Others have covered a couple of options when you do a long-haul positioning flight to somewhere convenient in Asia then take a short hop to Japan. Note HKG, BKK, KUL etc. are not such short hops - HKG-TYO being over 4 hours for example and BKK-TYO over 6 - OTOH they also provide an opportunity to try solid Asian carriers such as CX and JL for relatively low Avios redemption rates. HKG-TYO is 20,000 Avios one way in J, and 40,000 in F!!
Let me also offer some ex-Europe options:
1) JL has already been mentioned and again is fabulous in J (enclosed Apex suite with all aisle access, amaaaaazing food, lightning fast wifi). Direct LHR flights with IMO much more sensible arrival times than either the BA LHR-NRT and LHR-HND flights (jetlag wise and being able to check into a hotel in Tokyo, with will almost without exception deny any early check in attempts to the minute). Reward availability typically scarce if you look far in advance, I suspect they get snapped up around T-330 by eager Japanese FFs (btw anyone able to read Japanese, they have a truly fascinating points/miles hacking culture) - however, 1-2 J award seats typically are made available around T-14 to T-7, and a couple of F seats if you are lucky?
if no availability to/from LHR, you can also try FRA, CDG, HEL (see also option 2).
See also option 4.
2) AY. They market themselves as the shortest route to Asia - it's true. Only 75000 Avios J one way from HEL to not just NRT, but you can also choose other major Japanese cities KIX, NGO and perhaps my favourite, FUK (simply for the awesomeness factor of being able to say you've done FUK-HEL).
JL and AY codeshare their two HEL-NRT flights, one on the metal of each respective carrier departing within 15 minutes of each other, so take your pick based on personal preference / award availability. IMO the seat and the food is better on JL (the only time I flew AY in J, they ran out of reindeer steak and whatever else they served me was forgettable..) Note the AY metal is 2-class (Y/J) whereas the JL metal is 3-class, handy if your Avios only goes as far as PE (50,000 Avios)
Avios poor but have OW status? Snag a reward seat in Y and assign yourself an exit row seat on AY's A350. No bubbly, but IMO the hard product is fabulous as Y goes and would give BA 787 PE and JL 787 PE a run for their money.
Bonus points (because you're a miles hacker): do a return or open jaw to/from a non-TYO airport, and position using what must be one of the highest value per Avios redemptions in existence: a domestic JL flight, for the princely sum of 4500 Avios. For something ridiculous like GBP 10 you have the option of upgrading to J.
3) IB since 2016 has resumed their MAD-NRT flights. A bit of a detour especially if positioning from the UK, but the nice thing about IB is that like BA it has off-peak redemption rates, whereas using Avios to redeem other OW carriers always require peak rates. Note IB has a different off-peak calendar to BA (and you can game this to your advantage); in order to access this and avoid extortionate YQ you must book on the Iberia site using IB Avios, not BA Avios.
One used to be able to move Avios freely across the IB and BA FFPs via Avios.com, now that portal has gone you'll need to look up the current workable method.
4) Feeling adventurous? Moscow. Apparently JL has flown this route from Tokyo for over 50 years and you can read up on the solemn history between the two countries if you ever need to kill time in transit without visa at DME. 75000 Avios in J and a JL Skysuite is yours.
(Just go via HEL, same amount of Avios, less visa pain for most people, and the duty free shops are better. If you like Marimekko and Moomins.)
May 16, 2018, 5:16 pm
#24
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London
Programs: Thai Royal Orchid Plus Gold, BA Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 348
I forgot to mention - one long-haul positioning option also worth looking into is LHR-ICN on BA, then connecting to HND using JL, a genuine short hop (2 hour flight) for 7500 Avios in Y. (For availability you can also look into JL from Seoul's secondary airport, GMP, to HND, though I have zero idea about the logistics of an ICN-HND transfer!)
Apparently JL killed their earlier NRT-ICN route because they couldn't compete with LCC flights costing peanuts, so that may be worth exploring.
Apparently JL killed their earlier NRT-ICN route because they couldn't compete with LCC flights costing peanuts, so that may be worth exploring.
May 16, 2018, 5:33 pm
#25
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London
Programs: Thai Royal Orchid Plus Gold, BA Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 348
Last post from me I promise!
At risk of committing sacrilege on the BAEC forum, do you have any VS miles (or Amex Reward Points, or Tesco Clubcard points..) lying around?
LHR-HKG on VS PE is by far more cost-effective than an equivalent BA or CX redemption, at 45000 Virgin miles *return*.
You could then proceed from HKG to Tokyo and enjoy a decent 4-5 hour J or F flight for much less Avios than a long haul flight.
At risk of committing sacrilege on the BAEC forum, do you have any VS miles (or Amex Reward Points, or Tesco Clubcard points..) lying around?
LHR-HKG on VS PE is by far more cost-effective than an equivalent BA or CX redemption, at 45000 Virgin miles *return*.
You could then proceed from HKG to Tokyo and enjoy a decent 4-5 hour J or F flight for much less Avios than a long haul flight.
May 17, 2018, 4:00 am
#26
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Rhineland-Palatinate
Programs: *A Gold (A3), HHonor Gold
Posts: 5,690
I forgot to mention - one long-haul positioning option also worth looking into is LHR-ICN on BA, then connecting to HND using JL, a genuine short hop (2 hour flight) for 7500 Avios in Y. (For availability you can also look into JL from Seoul's secondary airport, GMP, to HND, though I have zero idea about the logistics of an ICN-HND transfer!)
Apparently JL killed their earlier NRT-ICN route because they couldn't compete with LCC flights costing peanuts, so that may be worth exploring.
Apparently JL killed their earlier NRT-ICN route because they couldn't compete with LCC flights costing peanuts, so that may be worth exploring.
Piece of cake: AREX (Airport Express) train, journey time 30 minutes from terminal to terminal, 3500 WON, never more than 10-15 minutes between train is plan A. Plan B is a limo bus, cheaper but longer.
May 17, 2018, 5:52 am
#27
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London
Programs: Thai Royal Orchid Plus Gold, BA Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 348
Sorry yes you are absolutely right, and useful information!
May 30, 2018, 7:24 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 56
Great, thank you for the long write-up @ChampagneSocialist
By September we will have between 75-100K Avios, I know it will not be enough for 2 x return in J, but I might just buy more Avios if there is another 50% sale.
We applied for RWC Tickets in the current ballot. Hopefully July 10 we will be successful. 2 x quarter-finals, 2 x Semifinal, and the final.
lastly, I should mention, we are living in Dublin, so all flights will start here.
By September we will have between 75-100K Avios, I know it will not be enough for 2 x return in J, but I might just buy more Avios if there is another 50% sale.
We applied for RWC Tickets in the current ballot. Hopefully July 10 we will be successful. 2 x quarter-finals, 2 x Semifinal, and the final.
lastly, I should mention, we are living in Dublin, so all flights will start here.
Last edited by Mike_Smith; May 30, 2018 at 7:30 am
May 30, 2018, 9:21 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 940
By comparison and SAS, MAN-CPH-NRT in J is cŁ1.8k.
Looking at going for the group stages so 3 weeks ish dependant on ballot outcome/generous boss.
Oh for the days of a sub 1k ex DUB-HNL run and then having a JL HNL-TYO return in the middle. My my calculations would be 1200+ tp.