Business Class Flights UK to Auckland
Mar 7, 2019, 4:02 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: BA Bronze SPG
Posts: 273
An alternative is to use your 241 companion voucher to get as far east as you can HKG/PEK/SIN and then get reward tickets for getting to AKL assuming avios is no problem. We are doing Australia this way INV-LHR-HKG-CNS all in J and then BNE-HKG-LHR-INV. (Y/F/J). I followed the advice on here and looked like SYD was a non-starter for us. We got reward seats on Cathay and Qantas no problem and all booking 355 days out.
Mar 7, 2019, 4:09 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: QF, TK, VA, SQ
Posts: 695
As for fares, Feb should hold some good deals but you may have to be flexible with dates and/or origin cities. The best origin cities I've found for Oneworld are similar to what flatlander has mentioned, but I'd also check from cities in Italy (FCO, MXP/LIN, BLQ)- though for CX, AMS/BRU seem to be the sweet spot.
Full disclosure I just booked a trip back to Aus out of Italy and via DXB (QF*EK) partially for value but also partially for status reasons, as I'm an expat still working on QF Lifetime status
Mar 7, 2019, 4:11 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 517
This is a good point. I had read the original post as suggesting that OP was looking for 2-4-1 flights to SYD. On a 2-4-1, SYD is as far as you can go, leaving aside questions of onward availability, because it must be on BA-operated flights. The onward trans-Tasman has to be on a separate ticket.
Ah I often don;t make myself clear, so the wife says
Would be great to use companion voucher or Avios, but if not then just cheapest way of getting business class to Auckland (Sydney not important) on a good hard product.
Mar 7, 2019, 5:17 am
#19
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 2,334
I have recently flown Business from LHR to AKL via Dubai with Emirates for £2600 return
Given the onboard bar, the A380s and the beauty of the cabin crew I will take it any day over BA
Given the onboard bar, the A380s and the beauty of the cabin crew I will take it any day over BA
Mar 7, 2019, 5:24 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,435
China Airlines for around £2500 leaving LGW. 1-2-1 seating, decent food, pleasant staff. The only annoyance is the transit stop in BNE though it’s pretty quick and there is a decent lounge to use there.
Mar 7, 2019, 6:14 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 517
Wow, bargain, as std price on their website is over £10,000 for two PAX! Would be very happy on Emirates
Mar 7, 2019, 6:46 am
#22
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: BA
Posts: 29
Can find ARN-AKL in Jan 2020 on CX for around £2500, routing via LHR and HKG.
Can force CX343 to Gatwick on the way back to get your luggage, and if you happen to miss your onward flight to ARN from LHR, that would be an awful shame...
Can force CX343 to Gatwick on the way back to get your luggage, and if you happen to miss your onward flight to ARN from LHR, that would be an awful shame...
Mar 7, 2019, 7:35 am
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 517
Thanks HRE found £5700 70k SEK, for that trip, (for 2 PAX) what do you mean re forcing CX343 Gatwick re baggage?
Last edited by Richardc77; Mar 7, 2019 at 7:53 am
Mar 7, 2019, 8:43 am
#25
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: BA
Posts: 29
By taking the Gatwick flight from Hong Kong, you will get your bags back in London as they can't check bags through to Stockholm if you have to change airports (BA flights to ARN leave from LHR). So although you have to position out to Stockholm to start the journey you may avoid having to go back there on the return.
Mar 7, 2019, 8:45 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,472
I would probably keep an eye out for a QR deal out of Europe - pretty high chance one comes along for OP. Jump on the first one that reaches an acceptable price. Just don't count too much on getting TP/Avios for the trip - AAB is making noise about leaving oneworld again and it would be a right shame to find yourself 600TP short of where you thought you'd be!
Mar 7, 2019, 9:08 am
#27
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 494
Finnair via HEL is also worth consideration. They offer good fares to the far east, but I don't know how it works out beyond HGK, SIN or other transfer points.
For one trip a few years ago, I found that the most effective route to BNE was with ANZ via LAX and AKL, but that was booking at short notice at a busy time of year.
For one trip a few years ago, I found that the most effective route to BNE was with ANZ via LAX and AKL, but that was booking at short notice at a busy time of year.
Mar 7, 2019, 9:09 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 517
The "current" QR 777 seat is not a bad way to spend a flight, especially as a pair, but with the 77L fleet already being at 6/9 refitted I think there is little to no chance that AKL will be anything but a QSuite by the timeframe the OP is looking at.
I would probably keep an eye out for a QR deal out of Europe - pretty high chance one comes along for OP. Jump on the first one that reaches an acceptable price. Just don't count too much on getting TP/Avios for the trip - AAB is making noise about leaving oneworld again and it would be a right shame to find yourself 600TP short of where you thought you'd be!
I would probably keep an eye out for a QR deal out of Europe - pretty high chance one comes along for OP. Jump on the first one that reaches an acceptable price. Just don't count too much on getting TP/Avios for the trip - AAB is making noise about leaving oneworld again and it would be a right shame to find yourself 600TP short of where you thought you'd be!
Mar 7, 2019, 9:13 am
#29
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: AMEX PP;BAEC Bronze;Tesco CC Preferred;
Posts: 219
To show what is possible, in April 2017 I booked ARN to AKL on SQ (via DME and SIN) for £2065 for flights in Jan/Feb 2018. I then kept an eye open for a better deal, signing up for various airline newsletters and knowing the cancellation fee for each SQ ticket would be £234. LHR - ARN and back would be done BA on Avios Reward Saver with an overnight stop(s) at a hotel near ARN each way to allow for delays.
In November Qatar announced a sale which offered ARN - DOH - AKL ( 787 then 777) for £1320 and so I grabbed two of those and cancelled SQ with money back on my credit card within 5 days. QR also provided car, driver and hotel room each way for the long-ish stopovers. All worked well throughout and even opted for two nights at ARN outbound and had a great day’s sightseeing in cold Stockholm using the excellent airport bus.
In short, a remakable bargain, the main challenge being having to tell my wife to pack for temperatures ranging from - 20 to + 39 degrees!
In November Qatar announced a sale which offered ARN - DOH - AKL ( 787 then 777) for £1320 and so I grabbed two of those and cancelled SQ with money back on my credit card within 5 days. QR also provided car, driver and hotel room each way for the long-ish stopovers. All worked well throughout and even opted for two nights at ARN outbound and had a great day’s sightseeing in cold Stockholm using the excellent airport bus.
In short, a remakable bargain, the main challenge being having to tell my wife to pack for temperatures ranging from - 20 to + 39 degrees!
Last edited by Charlie Whiskey; Mar 7, 2019 at 9:18 am Reason: Sp
Mar 7, 2019, 9:18 am
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 517
To show what is possible, in April 2017 I booked ARN to AKL on SQ (via DME and SIN) for £2065 for flights in Jan/Feb 2018. I then kept an eye open for a better deal, signing up for various airline newsletters and knowing the chancellation fee for each SQ ticket would be £234. LHR - ARN and back would be done BA on Avios Reward Saver with an overnight stop(s) at a hotel near ARN each way to allow for delays.
In November Qatar announced a sale which offered ARN - DOH - AKL ( 787 then 777) for £1320 and so I grabbed two of those and cancelled SQ with money back on my credit card within 5 days. QR also provided car, driver and hotel room each way for the long-ish stopovers. All worked well throughout and even opted for two nights at ARN outbound and had a great day’s sightseeing in cold Stockholm using the excellent airport bus.
In short, a remakable bargain, the main challenge being having to tell my wife to pack for temperatures ranging from - 20 to + 39 degrees!
In November Qatar announced a sale which offered ARN - DOH - AKL ( 787 then 777) for £1320 and so I grabbed two of those and cancelled SQ with money back on my credit card within 5 days. QR also provided car, driver and hotel room each way for the long-ish stopovers. All worked well throughout and even opted for two nights at ARN outbound and had a great day’s sightseeing in cold Stockholm using the excellent airport bus.
In short, a remakable bargain, the main challenge being having to tell my wife to pack for temperatures ranging from - 20 to + 39 degrees!
Cripes that must take some dedication, and indeed the challenge of the wife....I better start stepping up my searching game.
Are there any tools that can assist with this guru level stuff for a newbie to it all?