You're going to thank me after reading this.

So, I was reading a TR by some poor guy who had to endure Jetstar from Singapore to Auckland. That's over 9 hours of flying on an LCC. Wouldn't be caught dead doing that, though I'd probably die in the process anyway.

That's what I thought anyway. His TR actually makes Jetstar sound like a pretty good way to fly. And his ticket worked out to be S$ 600, or AED 1,800, or USD 500. Round trip, including purchased food and amenity kits etc. Not bad for such a long flight.

So, naturally, the first thing I had to do was figure out how much EK wanted for this routing. You can fly via either BNE or MEL, which does give some flexibility. EK's cheapest fare is just above S$ 900, or AED 2,700 or USD 750. Probably worth the difference.

Here's where it gets interesting. If you purchase a flex fare, and that costs about S$ 1100, or AED 3300, or USD 900, you get a lot of miles. Like seriously, a LOT. 22,000 to be precise. And that's tier miles. There's another good 4-5k of miles accelerator bonuses to be had.

And if you do this in J for about S$ 4,000, you get 38,500 tier miles. But given that the MEL flights are apparently easy to get op-ups on, why spend all that extra money, right?

I think I know where I'm going for my next holiday.

Excellent find Grasshopper! Excellent.

Use EF to check loads as some of the flights in Y in late Aug are already oversold in Y, meaning if you have status on EK, op-ups will be plentiful.

Also remember that there are a lot of Aussies in Europe at present, and at some point, will be returning home, which adds to high loads. The loads at present between SIN-MEL have been sporadic, but my op-up rate over the last 3 flights have been 3 out of 4 (2 from Y to J and one from J to F).

Unfortunately this next holiday is going to be a while away, unless I want my credit card to burst in flames. I'm very tempted though, and need something to calm my nerves!

A drug addiction would be so much easier to deal with...

Holy Sh**... this got me leaning forward in my seat.


Damn I just did a SIN - MEL on the DBS promo for S$734 and received a meagre 3000 miles
$1.1K for 22K tier miles is awesomely sweet.

Ok so who's up for a mileage run. I just booked my hotels for Prague. But seems like its time to cancel those.



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And I've been wondering the past few days if EK will bring back the sale fares they had ex-SIN back in May 15 - 25. All the other airlines have slashed prices for the annual NATAS travel fair. This seems a lot sweeter. Ha!


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Ok I think I'm really going to do this. While I've been to Mel a few times. I've not done Brisbane or Aukland. So perhaps I'll do AKL + 2 stopovers!

Btw thanks ung1 for posting this.

I totally understand what you mean. For the past few months I've always had a holiday to look forward to for the following month. Now I just returned from my most recent trip with none on the horizon and I can't sleep properly at night! I keep dreaming that I'm overseas!

90% sure I'll take this up. Have hotel points to burn in Auckland and Brisbane and will crash on a friend's couch in Melbourne again!
Plus weather's still pretty good, and the AU$ and NZ$ have depreciated significantly recently!


*** Since I have to call in to book a Flex ticket. Will the mileage be spotted and rectified since the I'm calling in?

I KNOW that feeling. I can't rest if I don't have a trip booked. And considering I just got back from a long holiday 3 weeks ago I can only say I'm going insane. All I have booked right now is a return leg of a flight to Dubai - how boring.

I'm also definitely going to do this, at some point. Can't take any time off right now but sometime later in the year. If you want to do it again, maybe we can do it together. I mentioned it to some of my friends and they all think I've lost it (I might have let slip that I didn't care whether I actually got out of the airport at AKL).

Haha yeah I just did 3 weeks in Melbourne doing pretty much nothing.

I did tell my friends I could camp at the airport, for the return, but they were sensible enough to tell me to just visit the city since I've not been to NZ.

How long do you reckon this is going to last? I want to call in to book, but I'm afraid it will be spotted by the operator? Seeing that it's the weekend I'm guessing we're safe for now?

Maybe I'll do it twice. So I can shower on the A380 one of these days!

This isn't a mistake fare or anything. It is a published fare from SIN to AKL, and the Skywards mileage awarded is also according the rules of the programme. The only discrepancy is that there are no discounted (non Y/J/F) fares from most of SE Asia to NZ - only to OZ.

And there's no A380 involved. BKK-SYD-AKL doesn't work. Or you mean just to rack up enough miles and upgrade to F.

Roger that so I won't have to rush to book then.


Meant the A380 on another flight. Previously I was on it from DXB - JFK in Jan. Sat on 81K which is not too bad. But would like shower at 40K feet for sure! Ha!

Hi,

I am kind of confused & do not understand why is everybody so much looking forward to bang his/her $$$$ to do an YCL MR on EK

I mean ok EK is Good. Ok ok its pretty Damn Excellent in F. I love it.

But why to do an MR in Y especially if you r gonna be buying Y too??

Pls advise & moreover especially if u r in SIN then you have a world of oppurtunity infront of you even if you are in Y. Why EK???

All ok if you fancy the EK Gold Card Kit & the May be not so common OpUp once in a while that you might get on a Holy day. Otherwise looks like the Alliances offer a better deal for Y paxs if they are in the League or looking forward to getting in it@:-).


Pls correct me.


Safe Flying

EGT

Well, firstly, the miles earned this way are cheaper than buying them off skywards.com. I sort of have nothing better to do in life, so I'm happy doing a Y MR (with the hope of an op-up somewhere).

Second, I've never been to Auckland so a few days there would be a good change from SIN.

Third, I'm based out of DXB and SIN, so EK/ EY are the only options. I don't like SQ. I love EK, but their whole Saver and Flex thing is making attaining status very difficult. A couple of these AKL runs a year and then I won't care so much about buying Saver fares.

1) As far I know that mate YOU are in IT and can give a BANG to lot of IT stuff on a roll sooo you have much more to do than you wanna tell us. Its ok we won't call IRS & why the $%@# would you wanna buy miles on skywards.com?? I think they NOW cost an arm & a leg!!!

2) AKL rocks. Kind of that is You need to push & push. Then it really rocks.@:-) Atleast you start feeling it that way. PM when you plan to be there. We might try to rock it together^

3) Try SQ. Even if its just for a change. You never know. Wonders happen & Love is Blind.

Safe Flying

EGT

1) I wouldn't buy the miles on Skywards, but still a good deal. A flex ticket to DXB costs the same and you earn 10k miles vs. 40k miles. It's too good. I really have nothing to do these days, literally, but I'm on a self imposed exile in SIN till I've found something useful to do.

2) Totally - that would be fun. Since I'm on exile in SIN, PM me if you're ever here. It's a bit harder to rock this city, but we can try.

3) I might try SQ on miles in a premium cabin. Their FF programme is rubbish, so I'm definitely not going to turn over all my revenue travel to them. They have lots of little things that annoy me. I flew them to DPS last year (AVOD was off for half the flight) and to DXB a couple of times a few years back (old planes, no miles, annoying crew, DXB T1).

Ok mate since I am gonna be crash landing in from DME so the Caviar & the Vodka is on me. You arrange the Sling & Satay part & we ask the Big Daddy
(8 BL) to take care of the other stuff If he chickens out then I do have back up plan

I am sure that our miles can buy us a 3 night accomodation since 1 night would pass away in the bar's only & the 2nd night hopping & jumping around. Right???

Won't fly EK to SIN though just for the sake of it!!!!

C Ya Sooooon. Perhaps this will be after Diwali only as have the 1st one getting ready to come out to the real world after 9 months of interior suffocation & my owner is really looking forward to it. So I do the odd jobs now & then around the globe when I can but do try to stick my butt near the Big B inorder to not to sleep in the dog house when around

Safe Flying

EGT

Haha, consider it done. See you around.