HEL and DME/SVO - doable as a 241 open jaw?
May 19, 2019, 2:21 am
#1
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HEL and DME/SVO - doable as a 241 open jaw?
I’ve had been planning a trip to Russia for next summer using Avios and an Amex 241 voucher. The plan was to fly into LED, spend a week there before taking the train to Moscow.
given that LED has now been suspended we were thinking of flying into HEL instead, spending a few nights there before taking the train to LED, finally flying out of DME or SVO a couple of weeks later.
I understand that there are various rules around what constitutes a valid open jaw route, but I’m not familiar with all the intricacies. Can anyone help me?
also, which airport would you recommend for the return leg? DME or SVO. We would be in Club, so lounge access would be a factor.
given that LED has now been suspended we were thinking of flying into HEL instead, spending a few nights there before taking the train to LED, finally flying out of DME or SVO a couple of weeks later.
I understand that there are various rules around what constitutes a valid open jaw route, but I’m not familiar with all the intricacies. Can anyone help me?
also, which airport would you recommend for the return leg? DME or SVO. We would be in Club, so lounge access would be a factor.
May 19, 2019, 3:12 am
#3
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Is next summer that of 2019 or 2020? I believe that the LED flights only stop in October?
May 19, 2019, 4:33 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2017
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That will be a really interesting holiday if you’ve not been that part of the world before.
Helsinki is a great city for a couple of days, especially if you can arrive in style on the A350. I’m sure the train ride to St P will allow you to see lots more of the countryside than you would see from the plane. St P is stunning, we usually stay in the Indigo Hotel on work trips, which is very friendly by local standards and near some good restaurants. Train to Moscow is meant to be pretty civilised, but apparently quite serious airport style security to get on it. The great thing about both of these trains is that you’ll miss sitting in the traffic to get to and from LED airport.
I’m flying into DME and out of SVO on my next trip in 10 days time, so happy to share thoughts after that. SVO only gets the A321 with club world at the moment, whereas DME gets a wide body and the A321 once a day, so this may alter your decision. However, we are a long time out, so there is a good chance the equipment will change.
Helsinki is a great city for a couple of days, especially if you can arrive in style on the A350. I’m sure the train ride to St P will allow you to see lots more of the countryside than you would see from the plane. St P is stunning, we usually stay in the Indigo Hotel on work trips, which is very friendly by local standards and near some good restaurants. Train to Moscow is meant to be pretty civilised, but apparently quite serious airport style security to get on it. The great thing about both of these trains is that you’ll miss sitting in the traffic to get to and from LED airport.
I’m flying into DME and out of SVO on my next trip in 10 days time, so happy to share thoughts after that. SVO only gets the A321 with club world at the moment, whereas DME gets a wide body and the A321 once a day, so this may alter your decision. However, we are a long time out, so there is a good chance the equipment will change.
May 19, 2019, 4:56 am
#6
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For an open jaw 2-4-1 reward booking generally the jaw can’t be more than either of the two flights. So for LHR-AAA/BBB-LHR the distance for AAA to BBB can’t be more than either LHR-AAA or BBB-LHR.
May 19, 2019, 6:15 am
#7
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Thanks Karfa. I remember the distance equation, but thought that there was something else as well. Does the fact that the flight to HEL has Clun Europe whilst back from DME/SVO it’s Club World have any baring?
May 19, 2019, 6:37 am
#8
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thanks for the suggestions.
May 19, 2019, 6:49 am
#9
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If you're buying a cash fare, then the fare components used to price the itinerary also have to be combinable with each other. That's more tricky, but tools like ITA can quickly show you whether any fares on the routes in question are combinable with each other.
May 19, 2019, 8:28 am
#10
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For some reason I thought there were issues visa wise coming in from (rather than out to) Finland. I may be getting confused with Belarus. And/or car versus train travel. Seat 61 doesn't mention anything.
https://www.seat61.com/helsinki-to-s...g-by-train.htm
StP to Moscow and back by rail is super easy.
https://www.seat61.com/helsinki-to-s...g-by-train.htm
StP to Moscow and back by rail is super easy.
May 19, 2019, 8:31 am
#11
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Not BA related (apart from the route suspension) but last trip I used the 3 day visa free rule to go to StP by ferry from HEL.
https://stpeterline.com/visa-free-rule
https://stpeterline.com/visa-free-rule
May 19, 2019, 11:57 am
#12
Join Date: May 2017
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Also, since you talked about taking a train from Helsinki to Russia, pay attention to the dates when your visa is valid. The Helsinki-Moscow night train is somewhat of a visa trap because some people forget to check on which side of midnight you check the border and either try entering the country half an hour before the visa becomes valid, or exiting eight hours and a half after the visa expired. This is not something you would want to experience.
May 19, 2019, 12:14 pm
#13
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You're doing the same trip as me! Initially were going to fly LHR-LED, fly up to Moscow, take the famous( forget it's name right now) back to LED and fly back. Now looking to alter it to Finnair-Nordic outbound then just fly back direct on BA DME-LHR.
Happy to share great places including a secret speakeasy bar most Helsinki residents don't know about. Going for my Birthday in November ( this year) and will do a trip report once we get back
Happy to share great places including a secret speakeasy bar most Helsinki residents don't know about. Going for my Birthday in November ( this year) and will do a trip report once we get back
May 19, 2019, 12:25 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2014
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Also, since you talked about taking a train from Helsinki to Russia, pay attention to the dates when your visa is valid. The Helsinki-Moscow night train is somewhat of a visa trap because some people forget to check on which side of midnight you check the border and either try entering the country half an hour before the visa becomes valid, or exiting eight hours and a half after the visa expired. This is not something you would want to experience.
May 20, 2019, 3:02 am
#15
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You're doing the same trip as me! Initially were going to fly LHR-LED, fly up to Moscow, take the famous( forget it's name right now) back to LED and fly back. Now looking to alter it to Finnair-Nordic outbound then just fly back direct on BA DME-LHR.
Happy to share great places including a secret speakeasy bar most Helsinki residents don't know about. Going for my Birthday in November ( this year) and will do a trip report once we get back
Happy to share great places including a secret speakeasy bar most Helsinki residents don't know about. Going for my Birthday in November ( this year) and will do a trip report once we get back
BTW - the train from St. P to Moscow is the Sapsan