Best value flights to Asia over xmas period? Help a newbie!
 

Hi all,

I have what is probably a very basic question, but I hope you might be able to help. And if, as maths teachers always say, you can 'show your working' (or point me in the direction of sites/threads which can) so that I can help myself to answer such questions in future, then even better!

We are planning to go to Asia for 3-4 weeks in December-January 2018-2019. Ideally we'd like to leave 27-31 December, and return 22-24 January. The earliest we can leave is the evening of Friday 14th December, and if possible I'd like to spend my birthday (20th January) away.

I am looking for London-Asia flights that will maximise tier points for minimum money. At the moment, Finn Air business class to Bangkok is coming it at around £1800 - is this a decent price? Ideally I'd like to spend a bit less - my sweet spot would probably be WTP+ for around £1000 (I know it can't be relied upon, but we appear to be on a winning streak of being upgraded to J from WTP+!), but it's around £1500 so J at £1800 feels better value. I don't particularly mind where we fly to ie Bangkok, KL, Singapore, HK etc as further flights are inevitable on this trip anyway.

We're planning to divide our time between Laos and a beach somewhere. I don't mind if we do the entire trip London-Laos-Beach-London on one ticket, or if we break it up and fly from London to BKK/KL/Singapore/HK and then pick up cheap Air Asia flights into Laos and to/from the beach. In terms of beach, Thailand is probably easiest from Laos, and we'd probably go east (so fly from Luang Prabang or Vientiane to BKK and road/boat to Ko Samet/Mak/Kud/Chang), but also open to flying to Phuket/Krabi/Samui, or going to a beach in Malaysia if flying from London to KL is better value than BKK.

I have heard tell of ex-EU/ex-INV etc, and while Mr Editor may take some convincing. I am open to doing this if there are substantial savings to be had, but prices I've found are similar to those from London. Equally, I don't mind extra stops if they will lower costs and increase TPs.

If it's relevant, we have Amex 2-4-1 vouchers we can use, and we will be Silver by the time we take this trip.

Any light that fellow FT'ers can shed would be very much appreciated - thank you!

If you can find availability it will probably be one of the better uses for your 241, but do you also have the avios to burn: probably around 165k?

We do have the avios but I've not found any availability after 14th Dec.

Lots of availability into Tokyo, but also HK given the recent equipment swap opening up seats

Yes I can only see seats to PEK/PVG/ICN/TYO - quite a detour so one of those would probably have to appeal in it's own right.

These deals might appeal, though no avios/TPs: https://www.headforpoints.com/2018/0...fthansa-swiss/

£1600 pp in J ex AMS to BKK, but you need to take the outbound on Christmas Day!! Great way to escape the hullabaloo

Or £1285 on the 31st

I can't see anything to HK after 12th Dec, until 3rd Jan? (Although this might not be too late - thanks!)

Tokyo to Laos is quite expensive so that might be out.

Oooh! Tempting! Thank you!

Have a look at Finnair into Phuket and use that as a base. Lots of flights from there to other places using Air Asia.

Did you see the price for the 31st £1285

£1,290 pp

AMS-BKK in BA CW

31/12/18-24/1/19

Edit: antipest beat me to it!

Thanks - price to Phuket is similar to the ±£1800 to BKK though, or have you found it cheaper?

RESULT! You win! ^:)

Thanks so much!

Any one of your preferred return is available at that price too (20-25/1/19 is the window I can see); the key is the 31/12/18 or 1/1/19 departure.

I did find ex AMS 29DEC - 26JAN in J for £1263.00 BUT with a few of draw backs ! This is not thru ba.com, only on Travelpack.com. Also, not same day connections either out or back, both need overnights in LON before carrrying on with the next. Also, this is on the direct LHR-BKK-LHR BA777 & from what I've heard the BKK route can get slightly neglected with poor cabins - Not to say you wouldn't get a perfectly decent seat / cabin and perfect flight !

If you are looking to spend £1K this could be an option ??