I need some help please Bris Syd or Melb to Europe Business Class

[Vicki Barber]

This is my first time using this site so please bear with me ?! My Partner and I are going on our first European holiday and could really use some help with booking of flights. I am a Gold member with virgin and we use the family benefits system. I am in my late fifties and had a back operation a couple of years ago so aside from really wanting to go business class it is just about a necessity for me. I would like to use Virgin/Etihad so I can help my status credits along I would love to go on an A380 but also have to bear in mind the cost. We have been saving up FF points and currently have 300,000. We are looking at 1st August 2016 to 29 August or there abouts. We live on the Gold Coast so obviously its easier to fly out of Brisbane but dont mind if it make a diffence in our flights. Also I dont really mind what city we arrive in as we could work our itinary around that. Would love to use Abu Dhabi and Dubai as stopovers.

Thank you so much in advance for your help

 

[Bolthead]

This is my first time using this site so please bear with me ?! My Partner and I are going on our first European holiday and could really use some help with booking of flights. I am a Gold member with virgin and we use the family benefits system. I am in my late fifties and had a back operation a couple of years ago so aside from really wanting to go business class it is just about a necessity for me. I would like to use Virgin/Etihad so I can help my status credits along I would love to go on an A380 but also have to bear in mind the cost. We have been saving up FF points and currently have 300,000. We are looking at 1st August 2016 to 29 August or there abouts. We live on the Gold Coast so obviously its easier to fly out of Brisbane but dont mind if it make a diffence in our flights. Also I dont really mind what city we arrive in as we could work our itinary around that. Would love to use Abu Dhabi and Dubai as stopovers.

Thank you so much in advance for your help

Hi Vicki, welcome to AFF.

Not sure what help you are after. You can play around with flights using a number of websites such as Skyscanner: Cheap flights | Free flight comparison at Skyscanner Australia or Google Flights: https://www.google.com/flights/ as well of course with Virgin Australia: https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/

Sorry, don't mean to be rude however as I don't know your skill set when it comes to using computers or the internet so if these suggestions are not your cup of tea then perhaps a travel agent. You are posing a tough question because of the number of variables involved.

As well there is the Thread on AFF called Flight Search Assistance: Flight Search Assistance Here you can ask your question however this does come with conditions which at the moment you don't meet. (not sure why I suggested this then ) It's worth a read anyway.

Also if you haven't already done so subscribe to Virgin's flight specials as well as Singapore Airlines incase they have some specials. Good luck...

 

[drross]

welcome to AFF Vicki. Etihad fly in and out of Abu Dhabi. Emirates is Dubai. I presume you want to use your 300k points towards your flights??

 

[Vicki Barber]

welcome to AFF Vicki. Etihad fly in and out of Abu Dhabi. Emirates is Dubai. I presume you want to use your 300k points towards your flights??

Thanks for replying - I was thinking we could drive from Dubai to Abu Dahabi to catch the flight home..... If I could use some points that would be helpful but not a must. Im really after maximising status credits/ points and wondering how best to do that at the most cost effective way I can. I have looked at flying to Singapore seperatley then flying on to Europe but everything I have looked at seems to work out the same cost from Australia

I have looked at skyscanner etc I was just after maybe some advice on the best cities to put in the search

I have just looked at the search assistance link and I dont mind paying, so do I need to post the question there as well?

Thank you

 

[Boca68]

Thanks for replying - I was thinking we could drive from Dubai to Abu Dahabi to catch the flight home..... If I could use some points that would be helpful but not a must. Im really after maximising status credits/ points and wondering how best to do that at the most cost effective way I can. I have looked at flying to Singapore seperatley then flying on to Europe but everything I have looked at seems to work out the same cost from Australia

I have looked at skyscanner etc I was just after maybe some advice on the best cities to put in the search

I have just looked at the search assistance link and I dont mind paying, so do I need to post the question there as well?

Thank you

Hi Vicki and welcome.

Where are you planning to arrive in Europe? And perhaps also are you planning to fly intra-Europe?

Your arrival city could make a difference. London is a preferred arrival for many, but not always optimal regarding price.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai arn't that convenient as stop overs on the one ticket, but I do like the idea of driving between the two. It would be a decent drive. Actually just looked it up on Google maps, not far at all! A couple of hours. Some reason, I had in my head it would be 5 to 6 hours.

I'd stick with VA/Etihad. Search multi-leg trips Brisbane-Abu Dhabi-(your european destination?) and return to begin with. Then just keep playing around with options. i.e - Leaving Sydney , or flying via a major Asian hub like Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong. Even try seperate tickets. Say one return to Singapore then another Singapore to Europe? Just make sure you leave plenty of connection time and preferably flights in the same alliance, i.e. Star Alliance or One World.

Best advice, is to just keep playing around with searches. Use Skyscanner of course or Cheapflights. But also use (and preferably book with ) the dedicated Airline websites.

Good Luck

 

[Bolthead]

Thanks for replying - I was thinking we could drive from Dubai to Abu Dahabi to catch the flight home..... 'snip'......

Thank you

Vicki, also keep in mind that if you end up in Dubai, Etihad have an office where you can check in your bags and they then provide a free bus to Abu Dhabi airport. Follow this link for more info. City check-in We used this last year after we disembarked from our cruise and it worked well. The only down side was it is not close to shops if you have to kill some time.