Thoughts on UK to New Zealand Flat Bed Flights
Jan 9, 2019, 4:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 517
Thoughts/Advice on UK to New Zealand Flat Bed Flights
Two of us are planning to go to NZ next year in Feb or March and am looking for thoughts on the best value way to get there and back, most or all of the way on a flat bed (a must).
I have a couple of companion vouchers, plenty of Avios, but realise that getting two reward tickets in First or Club to Sydney are next to impossible, so am trying to work out all our options.
I know nothing about the likely impact of BA sales, Ex UK flights etc etc as I am a simple man, so have either paid full fare or use companion vouchers/Avios in the past. However I did have a quick glance at flights via Sydney in Club Class on BA and it was rather a lot of money!!
Would be happy to go via an SEAsian city for a stop over.
Any advice gratefully received
I have a couple of companion vouchers, plenty of Avios, but realise that getting two reward tickets in First or Club to Sydney are next to impossible, so am trying to work out all our options.
I know nothing about the likely impact of BA sales, Ex UK flights etc etc as I am a simple man, so have either paid full fare or use companion vouchers/Avios in the past. However I did have a quick glance at flights via Sydney in Club Class on BA and it was rather a lot of money!!
Would be happy to go via an SEAsian city for a stop over.
Any advice gratefully received
Last edited by Richardc77; Jan 9, 2019 at 4:45 am
Jan 9, 2019, 4:49 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,764
If you’re logged onto BAEC at 00:00 355 days before your travel, you should be able to secure 2 seats in CW. You then call in to add your inbound seats when they come available again 355 days before.
First is more difficult as there is no guaranteed release there.
Jan 9, 2019, 4:54 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 517
Thanks for the reply, I have done a few dummy runs recently of this and found nothing, but I'm happy to hear that it may be doable (we have maximum flexibility on travel dates).
Just incase it's not though, any other suggestions?
Just incase it's not though, any other suggestions?
Jan 9, 2019, 4:55 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: M&M, BA Silver, Accor LeClub Gold
Posts: 490
If I was flying to NZ I'm not sure I'd want to add an extra stop in SYD just so I could fly with BA. There are options with Cathay, Qatar and Malaysian who are all OneWorld and all would allow you to do the journey in 1 stop.
Jan 9, 2019, 4:56 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,254
I got MAN-AKL on QR for £1,300 last year - flat all the way and most comfortable. Although unusual there's always a chance of another flash (error?) sale
Below example currently £2,200
https://www.google.com/flights/#flt=...5*2.GBP.227065
I wouldn't use BA for this route
Below example currently £2,200
https://www.google.com/flights/#flt=...5*2.GBP.227065
I wouldn't use BA for this route
Jan 9, 2019, 5:15 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Lincoln, England
Programs: BAEC Silver, HHonors Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 256
As others say it is indeed possible to get CW seats on BA to Sydney by planning and grabbing the two seats at T-355 days. Using BA rather than other Oneworld carriers allows use of the 2-4-1 AMEX voucher.
One issue to take into account is that when arriving into Sydney you need to collect luggage, pass through Australian immigration and then recheck onto the flight to NZ using Qantas or Air New Zealand (these are three/four hour flights on narrow bady planes and definately do not have business/flat bed seating). I did this in 2017 and it is a tiring trip, especially the wait in Sydney.
Coming back we managed to only use BA from Singapore to London (A380) and paid for Singapore Airlines between Auckland and Singapore that was perfect.
One issue to take into account is that when arriving into Sydney you need to collect luggage, pass through Australian immigration and then recheck onto the flight to NZ using Qantas or Air New Zealand (these are three/four hour flights on narrow bady planes and definately do not have business/flat bed seating). I did this in 2017 and it is a tiring trip, especially the wait in Sydney.
Coming back we managed to only use BA from Singapore to London (A380) and paid for Singapore Airlines between Auckland and Singapore that was perfect.
Jan 9, 2019, 5:17 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,254
(these are three/four hour flights on narrow bady planes and definately do not have business/flat bed seating). I did this in 2017 and it is a tiring trip, especially the wait in Sydney. Coming back we managed to only use BA from Singapore to London (A380) and paid for Singapore Airlines between Auckland and Singapore that was perfect.
Jan 9, 2019, 5:45 am
#8
Join Date: May 2016
Location: London WC1
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 435
Jan 9, 2019, 6:41 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: Mucci Chevalier des Internautes Amables; BAEC
Posts: 970
Did this via HK in 2017 (coming back via SYD although I booked AKL-SYD separately in Y on Emirates) )on Cathay. It was <2000pp, found using google flights alerts about 6 months out.
One option would be to use the 2-4-1 to KL/SIN or other SEAsian and benefit from a stopover - it’s a long long haul. I think if it’s the BA reward flight to SYD you can’t atop en route (but that may be incorrect!).
From Asia there are lots of options on the NZL routes (and you also have other options like Wellington and Christchurch.).
One option would be to use the 2-4-1 to KL/SIN or other SEAsian and benefit from a stopover - it’s a long long haul. I think if it’s the BA reward flight to SYD you can’t atop en route (but that may be incorrect!).
From Asia there are lots of options on the NZL routes (and you also have other options like Wellington and Christchurch.).
Jan 9, 2019, 6:55 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,197
Qatar from Oslo is usually the best value, sometimes Stockholm.
If the timings work better, you can sometimes fly to Sydney for one leg (certainly to/from Wellington, as I've done that on the way home). Timings actually look pretty good all the way to AKL - basically go to OSL late the night before, sleep late, get the late afternoon flight to DOH and then stay awake until around 5 a.m. EU time before (trying to sleep) for 10 hours or so.
This March, it's £2.5k + 600TP although Air China will do it for £1700.
If the timings work better, you can sometimes fly to Sydney for one leg (certainly to/from Wellington, as I've done that on the way home). Timings actually look pretty good all the way to AKL - basically go to OSL late the night before, sleep late, get the late afternoon flight to DOH and then stay awake until around 5 a.m. EU time before (trying to sleep) for 10 hours or so.
This March, it's £2.5k + 600TP although Air China will do it for £1700.
Jan 9, 2019, 7:02 am
#12
Join Date: May 2018
Programs: SAS Gold, Hilton Diamond, OWS
Posts: 244
Qatar from Oslo is usually the best value, sometimes Stockholm.
If the timings work better, you can sometimes fly to Sydney for one leg (certainly to/from Wellington, as I've done that on the way home). Timings actually look pretty good all the way to AKL - basically go to OSL late the night before, sleep late, get the late afternoon flight to DOH and then stay awake until around 5 a.m. EU time before (trying to sleep) for 10 hours or so.
This March, it's £2.5k + 600TP although Air China will do it for £1700.
If the timings work better, you can sometimes fly to Sydney for one leg (certainly to/from Wellington, as I've done that on the way home). Timings actually look pretty good all the way to AKL - basically go to OSL late the night before, sleep late, get the late afternoon flight to DOH and then stay awake until around 5 a.m. EU time before (trying to sleep) for 10 hours or so.
This March, it's £2.5k + 600TP although Air China will do it for £1700.
Jan 9, 2019, 7:12 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 289
My last time I went to NZ's West Island, I stopped in Singapore and stayed a night in the Crowne Plaza in Singapore airport.
It was 30k IHG points (so 60k for there and back, or GBP 150ish a night), and I found it well worth it. Very tidy hotel that's about as far away as T5C-T5A from arrivals and accessible via an airtrain, you get to arrive, crash for the night, spend the next day sightseeing, grab your bags and check-in.
Adds 24 hours to your travel time, but so much better than going all the way to the antipodes at once, even in J.
It was 30k IHG points (so 60k for there and back, or GBP 150ish a night), and I found it well worth it. Very tidy hotel that's about as far away as T5C-T5A from arrivals and accessible via an airtrain, you get to arrive, crash for the night, spend the next day sightseeing, grab your bags and check-in.
Adds 24 hours to your travel time, but so much better than going all the way to the antipodes at once, even in J.
Jan 9, 2019, 8:15 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 517
Just had a look at BA to Singapore, Hong Kong, KL etc, i’m sure First Class will be easy enough from LHR however the air fares to NZ from SEAsia seem to be the same as just flying from LHR to NZ via wherever, so would lose out by way of spending the Avios/Voucher/Taxes ��
Jan 9, 2019, 8:40 am
#15
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: BA GOLD
Posts: 604
My last time I went to NZ's West Island, I stopped in Singapore and stayed a night in the Crowne Plaza in Singapore airport.
It was 30k IHG points (so 60k for there and back, or GBP 150ish a night), and I found it well worth it. Very tidy hotel that's about as far away as T5C-T5A from arrivals and accessible via an airtrain, you get to arrive, crash for the night, spend the next day sightseeing, grab your bags and check-in.
Adds 24 hours to your travel time, but so much better than going all the way to the antipodes at once, even in J.
It was 30k IHG points (so 60k for there and back, or GBP 150ish a night), and I found it well worth it. Very tidy hotel that's about as far away as T5C-T5A from arrivals and accessible via an airtrain, you get to arrive, crash for the night, spend the next day sightseeing, grab your bags and check-in.
Adds 24 hours to your travel time, but so much better than going all the way to the antipodes at once, even in J.
