400k FF Points advice

[willjd]

Hi All

Would appreciate some advice from seasoned AFFs...

Have now amassed just over 400k ff points and looking at ways to use them for a wedding i have on 5th sept 2014 in UK. Will be the better half and a (first) new addition due in april.

I have attempted to upgrade flights to uk and back in july / august (our honeymoon) but as they have now removed 8 Business class seats the chances of points upgrades for a lowly silver are next to zero. (have again registered for upgrades in over xmas for uk but have two hopes, Bob and none. )

Anyway would love to take the wife at least premium economy somehow on this trip so if anyone has any suggestions i would really appreciate it. Have attempted to look on website but of course no availability shown or it shows the worst leg in economy and the short leg in business???

Thanks in advance

 

[markis10]

Have you bought the tickets yet, as ignoring the QFF points might be an option

 

[Limewood]

Possibly a cheap ticket to Hong Kong and do Cathay CX in J return from there to LHR.

 

[grussellt]

I'd give QFF a call. They may have some choices via KUL, or maybe a flight with more than a 2 hr layover.

 

[Mwenenzi]

More to post 3. Try mulitcity in the QF search engine. SIN HKG KUL BKK NRT or ? as an intermediate airport

Are you only looking at LHR ? Or including the other cities EK fly to: LHG, BHM?(Birmingham), Glasgow, MAN. Newcastle-on-Tyne.
And Paris is quick train trip from London

 

[Flying mermaid]

Or there are a huge number of J awards to Johannesburg with Qantas (I've spent nearly 900,000 points getting 5 J awards to take kids and partners to my dying Mum's 90th birthday in September - hopefully she will make it!) - there were 6 J awards on a large number of days in both August and September. Perhaps you could go and have a few days in a game reserve (maybe not so easy with a new addition) and then get a Y flight JNB to LHR - it is quite a short trip around 9 hours.

 

[markis10]

Or there are a huge number of J awards to Johannesburg with Qantas (I've spent nearly 900,000 points getting 5 J awards to take kids and partners to my dying Mum's 90th birthday in September - hopefully she will make it!) - there were 6 J awards on a large number of days in both August and September. Perhaps you could go and have a few days in a game reserve (maybe not so easy with a new addition) and then get a Y flight JNB to LHR - it is quite a short trip around 9 hours.

My concern with that is the current review of those flights and codeshare, there is a real chance the flight will go, and when its an award ticket you need availability on the alternative options in the award fare buckets to change.

 

[Flying mermaid]

My concern with that is the current review of those flights and codeshare, there is a real chance the flight will go, and when its an award ticket you need availability on the alternative options in the award fare buckets to change.

eek - what review? I knew getting 5 J awards was too good to be true......

 

[markis10]

eek - what review? I knew getting 5 J awards was too good to be true......

See here, previously both airlines have stated both SYD and PER flights would not be viable without the JSA:
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....iscussion/qf-saa-codeshares-go-per-55586.html

 

[Flying mermaid]

See here, previously both airlines have stated both SYD and PER flights would not be viable without the JSA:
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....iscussion/qf-saa-codeshares-go-per-55586.html

Ok thanks - sounds like they would keep SYD though? And only going via Dubai would make a long flight. It also sounds like Sep next year would still be OK as the joint venture still has time to run. Mr FM and I are going EK to Nairobi as we wanted to go F and are going to game reserves in Tanzania on the way back, but the ankle biters are going direct. So now I can add worrying about their flights to worries about my Mum!