OneWorld to ICN?
Oct 31, 2024 | 11:04 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2024
Posts: 8
OneWorld to ICN?
Can I tap into collective expertise on how best to get to Seoul while accruing Avios and TPs (so a OneWorld airline), in June 2025?
BA not offering any options to SEL at all, and other OneWorld options are uncompetitively expensive.
I note that BA LHR to PVG is cheap (Ł1300 CW one-way looks a relative bargain), and onward connections via KAL are cheap with 3 flights a day. But I am wary of a split itinerary across airlines, as it would be a real drag to have a BA flight delay or cancellation and it be my problem to resolve, with a jet-lagged family and in Shanghai.
Am I worrying too much about an unlikely problem? It seems BA has no option to Korea - have I missed an obvious option??
BA not offering any options to SEL at all, and other OneWorld options are uncompetitively expensive.
I note that BA LHR to PVG is cheap (Ł1300 CW one-way looks a relative bargain), and onward connections via KAL are cheap with 3 flights a day. But I am wary of a split itinerary across airlines, as it would be a real drag to have a BA flight delay or cancellation and it be my problem to resolve, with a jet-lagged family and in Shanghai.
Am I worrying too much about an unlikely problem? It seems BA has no option to Korea - have I missed an obvious option??
Oct 31, 2024 | 11:15 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Silver (ex-GGL and Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,467
I'm surprised Finnair is expensive.
Looking for a random date in November, so quite soon, Finnair is competitive with all the other one-stop options that don't require an overnight transfer (LOT, which has a 14h layover, looks pretty good given that WAW is a nice airport and the timings are convenient if you don't mind sleeping in an airport hotel mid-trip).
Going all the way forward to June, Finnair is again competitive on a one-way (LOT is again cheaper, but otherwise you'd have to deal with something like Air Astana).
It's usually a little cheaper to fly Finnair from an EU starting point, but you only get 360 return TPs for that routing (albeit plus positioning flights) whereas UK departures get 440 return. Once you account for APD and Heathrow charges, the difference is minimal and barely worth the cost of a positioning flight, let alone the time, effort, and risk.
If you want to go via Qatar, bear in mind that it's in no way en route between northern Europe and Korea - Finnair is a better, shorter routing as well.
Looking for a random date in November, so quite soon, Finnair is competitive with all the other one-stop options that don't require an overnight transfer (LOT, which has a 14h layover, looks pretty good given that WAW is a nice airport and the timings are convenient if you don't mind sleeping in an airport hotel mid-trip).
Going all the way forward to June, Finnair is again competitive on a one-way (LOT is again cheaper, but otherwise you'd have to deal with something like Air Astana).
It's usually a little cheaper to fly Finnair from an EU starting point, but you only get 360 return TPs for that routing (albeit plus positioning flights) whereas UK departures get 440 return. Once you account for APD and Heathrow charges, the difference is minimal and barely worth the cost of a positioning flight, let alone the time, effort, and risk.
If you want to go via Qatar, bear in mind that it's in no way en route between northern Europe and Korea - Finnair is a better, shorter routing as well.
Last edited by Cymro; Oct 31, 2024 at 11:27 am
Oct 31, 2024 | 11:48 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 639
Last weekend I saw a Finnair Business Classic fare from LHR to Seoul via HEL for Ł2,880 for travel next April which, as others have said, is a good TP run at a total of 440 Tier Points for the round trip between London and Seoul via Helsinki in both directions.
Last edited by traveller5; Oct 31, 2024 at 12:26 pm
Oct 31, 2024 | 11:50 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 34,985
Can I tap into collective expertise on how best to get to Seoul while accruing Avios and TPs (so a OneWorld airline), in June 2025?
BA not offering any options to SEL at all, and other OneWorld options are uncompetitively expensive.
I note that BA LHR to PVG is cheap (Ł1300 CW one-way looks a relative bargain), and onward connections via KAL are cheap with 3 flights a day. But I am wary of a split itinerary across airlines, as it would be a real drag to have a BA flight delay or cancellation and it be my problem to resolve, with a jet-lagged family and in Shanghai.
Am I worrying too much about an unlikely problem? It seems BA has no option to Korea - have I missed an obvious option??
BA not offering any options to SEL at all, and other OneWorld options are uncompetitively expensive.
I note that BA LHR to PVG is cheap (Ł1300 CW one-way looks a relative bargain), and onward connections via KAL are cheap with 3 flights a day. But I am wary of a split itinerary across airlines, as it would be a real drag to have a BA flight delay or cancellation and it be my problem to resolve, with a jet-lagged family and in Shanghai.
Am I worrying too much about an unlikely problem? It seems BA has no option to Korea - have I missed an obvious option??
Oct 31, 2024 | 12:12 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2024
Posts: 8
Wow, some great suggestions and clearly I need to look more closely at some of the other airline options! Passengers are Mr and Mrs and a 16-year old.
I was hoping to book through BA for bonus BA Amex Avios, but will look more carefully at options to book directly with other OneWorld partners.
I was hoping to book through BA for bonus BA Amex Avios, but will look more carefully at options to book directly with other OneWorld partners.
Last edited by Jaydub2; Oct 31, 2024 at 4:50 pm Reason: Clarification
Oct 31, 2024 | 3:30 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,904
Can I tap into collective expertise on how best to get to Seoul while accruing Avios and TPs (so a OneWorld airline), in June 2025?
BA not offering any options to SEL at all, and other OneWorld options are uncompetitively expensive.
I note that BA LHR to PVG is cheap (Ł1300 CW one-way looks a relative bargain), and onward connections via KAL are cheap with 3 flights a day. But I am wary of a split itinerary across airlines, as it would be a real drag to have a BA flight delay or cancellation and it be my problem to resolve, with a jet-lagged family and in Shanghai.
Am I worrying too much about an unlikely problem? It seems BA has no option to Korea - have I missed an obvious option??
BA not offering any options to SEL at all, and other OneWorld options are uncompetitively expensive.
I note that BA LHR to PVG is cheap (Ł1300 CW one-way looks a relative bargain), and onward connections via KAL are cheap with 3 flights a day. But I am wary of a split itinerary across airlines, as it would be a real drag to have a BA flight delay or cancellation and it be my problem to resolve, with a jet-lagged family and in Shanghai.
Am I worrying too much about an unlikely problem? It seems BA has no option to Korea - have I missed an obvious option??
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incheo...tional_Airport
