MSQ DO? Aug 2018
#1
Original Poster




Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Shanghai (PVG/SHA)
Programs: SQ Gold, AF Platinum, AA Platinum (sadly, expiring soon), QR Silver, EK, MU, HU, PR, HO, OZ, KE
Posts: 685
Just wondering, anyone interested in having a DO in MSQ Minsk, Belarus? Not the most common destination for many people, but I like different and quirky. 
5 days visa-free for many countries if you fly in and out of MSQ, and flights cannot be from/to Russia: Welcome To Belarus: 11 FAQs On Visa-Free Entry - BelarusFeed
Possible transit points
*A: FRA (LH), VIE (OS), WAW (LO), IST (TK), PEK (CA, Beijing offers 72-hour transit-without-visa for numerous nationalities as well)
SkyTeam: No SkyTeam airline that I know of flies to Belarus. Maybe fly to AMS or CDG and then take a B2 flight from there?
OW: HEL (AY)
MSQ is well-served by *A and award availability seems to be easily available, Im planning to be there during the first weekend of Aug, maybe 3rd to 7th, or something comparable up to a few days earlier.
As for sightseeing, there are various interesting sights such as the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Khatyn Memorial, former residence of Lee Harvey Oswald, UNESCO World Heritage castles... we will not be short of places to see! And anyway, youre in Belarus, it should be different enough anyway from wherever you came from to be interesting... unless you were originally from Russia/Belarus...
Heres hoping for some nice responses here! Come on everyone!

5 days visa-free for many countries if you fly in and out of MSQ, and flights cannot be from/to Russia: Welcome To Belarus: 11 FAQs On Visa-Free Entry - BelarusFeed
Possible transit points
*A: FRA (LH), VIE (OS), WAW (LO), IST (TK), PEK (CA, Beijing offers 72-hour transit-without-visa for numerous nationalities as well)
SkyTeam: No SkyTeam airline that I know of flies to Belarus. Maybe fly to AMS or CDG and then take a B2 flight from there?
OW: HEL (AY)
MSQ is well-served by *A and award availability seems to be easily available, Im planning to be there during the first weekend of Aug, maybe 3rd to 7th, or something comparable up to a few days earlier.
As for sightseeing, there are various interesting sights such as the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Khatyn Memorial, former residence of Lee Harvey Oswald, UNESCO World Heritage castles... we will not be short of places to see! And anyway, youre in Belarus, it should be different enough anyway from wherever you came from to be interesting... unless you were originally from Russia/Belarus...
Heres hoping for some nice responses here! Come on everyone!

#3
Original Poster




Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Shanghai (PVG/SHA)
Programs: SQ Gold, AF Platinum, AA Platinum (sadly, expiring soon), QR Silver, EK, MU, HU, PR, HO, OZ, KE
Posts: 685



