EK & QR: CRK/MNL to Europe (with Qatar Stopover) Business for $3.5K AUD up

[BensAdventures]

So I was needing to get to Europe (UK & Central/Eastern Europe) but start in the Philippines, so started playing with dates.

I'm flying our later this month, and back 2.5 weeks later. I ended up flying from CRK and back to CRK, as the savings compared to MNL were significant on certain days. Both EK and QR fly out of Manila and Clark.

I ended up getting the following for $3.6K: CRK-DOH-MAN (Stop), WAW-DOH (Stop), WAW-CRK. The CRK-DOH-CRK are in the 787-8, so business looks reasonable, and fully lie flat. DOH-MAN is on the 777ER, so hoping for QSuites, but let's see. WAW-DOH is on the A330, so similar seats to the 787, just a little older. I would have been a bit cheaper if I could have arrived in the UK later in the day, but this connection gets me into the UK at 7am, ready to get to work.

If I'd flown EK, it would have been around $3.4K, but older Angle Flat seats from CRK-DXB and same from WAW-DXB.

EK I would have got QFF Points, but no Status credits, and QR I get both, but less points on some routes. I don't care much about the status credits this year, but in the end it was more about arrival times.

Anyway, I think ex Asia, these are some nice deals currently!

 

[Melburnian1]

From MNL to UK/Europe, Oman Air offers a very similar fare with each J seat having aisle access. Limited YouTube reviews but what I've viewed show excellent ground (except in MNL) and air product. Ability to ticket as 'open jaw'.

Avoid travel out of UK if at all possible due to the dreaded Air Passenger Duty.

 

[BensAdventures]

From MNL to UK/Europe, Oman Air offers a very similar fare with each J seat having aisle access. Limited YouTube reviews but what I've viewed show excellent ground (except in MNL) and air product. Ability to ticket as 'open jaw'.

Avoid travel out of UK if at all possible due to the dreaded Air Passenger Duty.

Yeah, I looked at Oman air too, good point. For me the QR flight times worked best, but using Doha as a base to get to UAE and Oman isn't ideal, but it works.