Buying Asia Based Business or PE fares to EUR

[Gold60]

Hi All,

What is the best way to go about buying a cheaper return BIZ or PE fare from Asia to EUR please ?

I am looking at warehousing my few remaining points; earning what points I can over the next couple of years; use these points for a return award seat from AU to Asia; and then pay for a Biz or PE return fare to EUR.

I do not think I will have enough points by the expected use date to try for a return AU to EUR Biz fare.

Any ideas would, as always, be most appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Melburnian1]

I once used a travel agency, Chan Brothers, in Singapore that has (or had) a good online site.

It was efficient: even though I was booking for someone else, they travelled without problems (although this may have been prior to many airlines insisting that 'third party' travellers have a paper copy of the front and back of the credit card used to purchase the tickets.

 

[Happy Trails]

If you have the time and flexibility you could wait for a suitable promotion.
The last two years I've been able to get BKK-LHR for around A$2000 with QR and AY for example.
MH also have some good sales from time to time.
Probably others too, but those are the ones I'm most aware of.
Suggest you subscribe to their mailing lists.

 

[craven morehead]

If you have the time and flexibility you could wait for a suitable promotion.
The last two years I've been able to get BKK-LHR for around A$2000 with QR and AY for example.
MH also have some good sales from time to time.
Probably others too, but those are the ones I'm most aware of.
Suggest you subscribe to their mailing lists.

Happy Trails was that in PE or J ?

 

[Happy Trails]

Happy Trails was that in PE or J ?

Sorry, should have said 'J'.

 

[Limewood]

We have used QFF points and other times AS miles from HKG to Europe and not had any probs. finding 2 x J award seats either. Last time we commenced in Hong Kong due the huge award fees charged by out of OZ by Qantas. Was J HKG/CDG/DOH/PER/BNE award booking on CX, QR, QF, cant remember the points but very reasonable and fess just few hundred for both.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi All,

What is the best way to go about buying a cheaper return BIZ or PE fare from Asia to EUR please ?

I am looking at warehousing my few remaining points; earning what points I can over the next couple of years; use these points for a return award seat from AU to Asia; and then pay for a Biz or PE return fare to EUR.

I do not think I will have enough points by the expected use date to try for a return AU to EUR Biz fare.

Any ideas would, as always, be most appreciated.

Thanks.

Googleflights is a good starting point. They have a map where it lists prices based on multiple destinations from a given starting point. So you can try the usual favourites such as KUL, SIN, BKK, CGK, CMB (even HKG at times) and then use the map. KUL and CGK will give a lot of options from 2nd tier ME carriers such as Kuwait and Saudia. Oman Air often has specials our of SIN, KUL and MNL to Europe (well under AUD2000 in business class return). CMB is a great starting point, but by the time you get there you're already half way to Europe.

There's another option... use your points to get one way to Europe and buy returns from Europe to Australia. But watch the validity of the return ticket as some have restrictions less than a year. Easy to get sub AUD3000 fares (return) in business class if you have flexibility of departure point in Europe. Even SQ had a special around that price recently.

Although with the above you have to conisder full business class exAU to Europe can now be had for ~AUD4400 (VN). Full flats all the way. The savings of going via Asia are a lot less than they used to be.

 

[wandering_fred]

A lot of the advantage of buying in SE Asia disappeared when the AU$ went from $1.10 to $0.80......

Sale fares to Europe from BKK on MH or KUL on UL are still worth keeping an eye open.

Happy wandering
Fred

 

[Mrmaxwell]

The deals might not be as good as they used to be but another point to remember is I have usually been able to get much better deals during peak travel times ex-Asia than ex-Oz. Any airline departing Oz these days seems to just automatically double or triple fares every school holiday period regardless (I don't even have kids!).

 

[LittleFokker]

All of the above plus keep an eye on Flyertalk Premium Deals

(I ALT-F for BKK most days)

 

[lly]

Agreed with the above poster. Not long ago QR had deals from SGN to European cities in J for just over $700aud rtn which I booked all thanks to flyertalk

 

[Happy Trails]

QR have 'companion' offers just now from BKK and CMB (probably others too) to Europe in J from around AUD2400.

 

[kelvedon]

QR have 'companion' offers just now from BKK and CMB (probably others too) to Europe in J from around AUD2400.

Yes, Companion J sale from SIN too. Oslo $2729 SGD, Geneva/Paris $3399 SGD. Book by 16 Oct.
https://www.qatarairways.com/en-sg/offers/fly-premium.html

 

[OZDUCK]

Yes, Companion J sale from SIN too. Oslo $2729 SGD, Geneva/Paris $3399 SGD. Book by 16 Oct.
https://www.qatarairways.com/en-sg/offers/fly-premium.html

That is a very good fare - $2,755 to Helsinki - cheaper than what I paid for Finnair last year..

 

[agentgerko]

I'm biased, being an agent myself, but I don't think the saving is really there. Say you pay Qatar $3399 pp to fly SIN/GVA/SIN but you've still got to pay $3500-4000 for SYD/SIN/SYD so you end up with a return Business fare to GVA of around $7000 pp, with the hassle of the journey break in SIN. Qatar is selling a SYD/GVA/SYD for $6605 pp return. Breaking your journey into sector fares can save money, and a good agent will do that for you. I regularly buy tickets off the airlines own websites with CX, SQ, VN and others to save clients money, But I just don't think buying Aust-Asia-Aust + Asia-Europe-Asia provides any great saving.

 

[BensAdventures]

I'm biased, being an agent myself, but I don't think the saving is really there. Say you pay Qatar $3399 pp to fly SIN/GVA/SIN but you've still got to pay $3500-4000 for SYD/SIN/SYD so you end up with a return Business fare to GVA of around $7000 pp, with the hassle of the journey break in SIN. Qatar is selling a SYD/GVA/SYD for $6605 pp return. Breaking your journey into sector fares can save money, and a good agent will do that for you. I regularly buy tickets off the airlines own websites with CX, SQ, VN and others to save clients money, But I just don't think buying Aust-Asia-Aust + Asia-Europe-Asia provides any great saving.

That's all good in theory, but I regularly buy return J fares from Asia to Australia return for around $2000 (sometimes less), and added to a QR or AY flight from BKK (or soon to be CMB with direct UL flights there) to Europe, for around $2500 (when I can) is a massive saving. I'm lucky though, I have work in Asia if needed too. I know this isn't for everyone, but the savings are there for those prepared to look for and be flexible enough to use them.

 

[agentgerko]

That's all good in theory, but I regularly buy return J fares from Asia to Australia return for around $2000 (sometimes less), and added to a QR or AY flight from BKK (or soon to be CMB with direct UL flights there) to Europe, for around $2500 (when I can) is a massive saving. I'm lucky though, I have work in Asia if needed too. I know this isn't for everyone, but the savings are there for those prepared to look for and be flexible enough to use them.

Have to assume you're referring to Business on low cost carriers like Scoot, AirAsiaX or Jetstar as no full service carrier is doing fares to SIN/BKK/HKG for around $2000rt. And that's fine if it works with your commitments. Just don't think it works well for someone whose sole destination is Europe. Mind you, Philippines did a sub$2000rt to Manila earlier this year but that's a rarity.

 

[Limewood]

We get to HKG anyway we can in Y daylight flight then out of there using AS miles (purchased when 50% extra deals are on) in J on OW airlines to both USA and Europe and save a bundle. Out of HKG fees are peanuts compared to QF and one can fly direct to so many cities. We enjoy a short stopover there too. Last trip to Europe we paid for Y BNE/HKG about a grand, then used AS miles HKG/CDG/DOH/PER/BNE was $6K in miles, so all up around $7K for two.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm biased, being an agent myself, but I don't think the saving is really there. Say you pay Qatar $3399 pp to fly SIN/GVA/SIN but you've still got to pay $3500-4000 for SYD/SIN/SYD so you end up with a return Business fare to GVA of around $7000 pp, with the hassle of the journey break in SIN. Qatar is selling a SYD/GVA/SYD for $6605 pp return. Breaking your journey into sector fares can save money, and a good agent will do that for you. I regularly buy tickets off the airlines own websites with CX, SQ, VN and others to save clients money, But I just don't think buying Aust-Asia-Aust + Asia-Europe-Asia provides any great saving.

Fares ex Asia appeal to a couple of markets... those using FF points (either can't get availability to Europe, or don't have enough points to get to Europe) or those prepared to pay and fly economy to Asia given the short flight time.

Flying economy to Asia (even premium economy on jetstar, Scoot during a sale) will get a mixed class to Europe for less than the price most airlines charge for premium economy all the way from Australia. With full flat beds and all the trimmings for the long hauls.

ex Australia, you're right, given some airliens are selling end-to-end business class for as little as $4300. doesn't make much sense to break the journey in Asia with separate tickets.

 

[Limewood]

Fares ex Asia appeal to a couple of markets... those using FF points (either can't get availability to Europe, or don't have enough points to get to Europe) or those prepared to pay and fly economy to Asia given the short flight time.

Flying economy to Asia (even premium economy on jetstar, Scoot during a sale) will get a mixed class to Europe for less than the price most airlines charge for premium economy all the way from Australia. With full flat beds and all the trimmings for the long hauls.

ex Australia, you're right, given some airliens are selling end-to-end business class for as little as $4300. doesn't make much sense to break the journey in Asia with separate tickets.

Aggree short haul to Asia the way to go before boarding a J flight paid or miles, however, in my opinion I'd take a full service airline any day with perks like lounge access, food etc over low cost airlines, on top of that, as seniors I'd have a stopover any day rather that do the 20+ hours stint.