Best way to use points for Europe trip?

[zzyss]

Here's the situation: my wife and I would like to take our baby son to visit the in-laws in Belgium during my company Christmas shutdown period at the end of this year. My parents would also like to tag along. We are in Sydney, my parents are in Adelaide.

Just trying to figure out what the best way to organise this trip would be, given I have:

• ~575k points in Wesetpac Altitude (I have the Black cards)
• ~45k points in American Express Ascent (I have the Platinum Edge card)
• ~40k points in Velocity Frequent Flyer (I don't have any loyalty cards specifically for this)

CC spend, and hence points accumulation, is in the order of about 2-4k a month.

We'd prefer to fly Singapore Airlines, but others are OK too as long as they're one of the major airlines. I looked up Krisflyer and it would cost 95k points one way saver/standard (before 15% online booking discount) 1-way from Zone 9 to Zone 12 (arriving in Paris... they don't fly directly to Brussels - that's not too bad... the inlaws can actually come and pick us up or we could take the train) but my points would not quite cover just my wife and I.

The upgrade chart shows 77500 points for the same, which would put my wife and I in business, but we'd be up for the cost of the flight, which a quick lookup on Zuji shows would probably be in the order of $2400 return. Plus my parents don't get anything.

Do you have any advice or options I should be thinking about or considering?

 

[dajop]

HWe'd prefer to fly Singapore Airlines, but others are OK too as long as they're one of the major airlines. I looked up Krisflyer and it would cost 95k points one way saver/standard (before 15% online booking discount) 1-way from Zone 9 to Zone 12 (arriving in Paris... they don't fly directly to Brussels - that's not too bad... the inlaws can actually come and pick us up or we could take the train) but my points would not quite cover just my wife and I.

What about flying into Amsterdam instead of Paris, which is in zone 11, which is 80K (- 15%) one way?

Also, to upgrade, you need to be on a "flexi" fare - not sure if the $2400 fare you quote is that type of fare.

 

[zzyss]

What about flying into Amsterdam instead of Paris, which is in zone 11, which is 80K (- 15%) one way?

Good point. Didn't think of that - it *is* a shorter drive but it means my parents won't get to see Paris (their first time to Europe

Looking at the cheaper flights since I don't have enough points to upgrade everyone anyway.

 

[dajop]

Good point. Didn't think of that - it *is* a shorter drive but it means my parents won't get to see Paris (their first time to Europe

You can always do Paris one way and Amsterdam the other (book them as separate one way flights), haven't done the math on whether you have enough, but it would be (80+95)-15%. For paid fares should be able to do this as well, but not a separate one way bookings, rather as what is called in the industry as an open jaw, into one city and out of another.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

If you can transfer to MH you could do CDG or AMS for abour 51K in J each way.

Points + miles works out not too bad either at roughly 3.5-3.7K return if using just 1K of miles

 

[dajop]

If you can transfer to MH you could do CDG or AMS for abour 51K in J each way.

Points + miles works out not too bad either at roughly 3.5-3.7K return if using just 1K of miles

Yeh, forgot about that. So the OP with Altitude & Ascent points could get 3 pax there on points, and the fourth on points + pay.

 

[zzyss]

Will have to check whether the wife and parents would be happy to fly MH...

 

[zzyss]

So, uh... yeah. Looks like MH is out of the question :-(
What a tragedy. I can't even begin to express the sorrow I have for the victims right now.