KrisFlyer - Australia to Central Asia

[Mr H]

Looking to fly to Central Asia open jaw and I have some Velocity points that could convert to KrisFlyer. Never used KF before and wondering whether routing MEL-BKK-IST-ASB on TG-TK-TK would be allowed as a standard one way SW Pacific to Central Asia award or does the IST connection complicate things? Also, am I going to fall foul of maximum connection times?

Grateful for advice before committing my points to KF.

 

[burmans]

You can trial book an KF without actually having the points!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Looking to fly to Central Asia open jaw and I have some Velocity points that could convert to KrisFlyer. Never used KF before and wondering whether routing MEL-BKK-IST-ASB on TG-TK-TK would be allowed as a standard one way SW Pacific to Central Asia award or does the IST connection complicate things? Also, am I going to fall foul of maximum connection times?

Grateful for advice before committing my points to KF.

Yeah - it might be ok actually. Backtracking is not normally permitted, unless required by routing rules. Getting to ASB is generally via IST, with TK being the usual star carrier to do it. If not on TG via BKK you may be able to do it on SQ via SIN (and using Krisflyer you can book 'deluxe' aircraft such as the A380/77W/350 without restriction). But it's a long journey at nearly 40 hours

 

[Mr H]

Yeah - it might be ok actually. Backtracking is not normally permitted, unless required by routing rules. Getting to ASB is generally via IST, with TK being the usual star carrier to do it. If not on TG via BKK you may be able to do it on SQ via SIN (and using Krisflyer you can book 'deluxe' aircraft such as the A380/77W/350 without restriction). But it's a long journey at nearly 40 hours

Thanks. The timing doesn't bother me. As a non-sleeper I would rather have day flights and long waits overnight where I could sleep in a hotel. If I did it via SIN I could go in F or R from MEL to SIN but the rest would be in J - so a waste of miles. Besides, I have been in SQ R before and found it isolating - and in TK J which I really liked.

You can trial book an KF without actually having the points!

Alas, the SQ website doesn't recognise any of the airports in Central Asia so it would be a manual process.

 

[RooFlyer]

Not what you are asking, but just as a suggestion: I've never used Velocity points for Etihad, but assume you can get award seats ... so maybe Aust-AUH direct, a 90 min drive to DXB and then (horrors!) a paid short trip DXB-ASB on flyDubai. I know the thought of paid leg is anathema buts its a lot simpler overall and I reckon would save heaps of points.

I'm doing SYD-DXB on EK J next year on QF points, then taking flyDubai up to ASB. Pretty efficient and flyDubai is quite OK (flown with them before).

 

[Mr H]

Not what you are asking, but just as a suggestion: I've never used Velocity points for Etihad, but assume you can get award seats ... so maybe Aust-AUH direct, a 90 min drive to DXB and then (horrors!) a paid short trip DXB-ASB on flyDubai. I know the thought of paid leg is anathema buts its a lot simpler overall and I reckon would save heaps of points.

I'm doing SYD-DXB on EK J next year on QF points, then taking flyDubai up to ASB. Pretty efficient and flyDubai is quite OK (flown with them before).

It's a nice idea (thanks for creative thinking) but it actually doesn't cost much less in points in J and costs a heap extra when you add the Etihad surcharge, transfer from AUH to DXB and the $$$ for the paid flight. The MEL-BKK-IST-ASB route gets me three flights on two carriers. If I were paying that much, I'd prolly go MEL-CAN-URC-ASB with CZ in Y. Or redeem MEL-PEK-URC in J with CA and then paid URC-ASB with T5.

 

[RooFlyer]

Fair 'nuf. I hadn't factored in the EY surcharge and I'm doing DXB-ASB. In whY .

What are you doing in Turkmenistan ( if you don't mind me asking) and any chance of a Trip Report?

 

[Mr H]

Fair 'nuf. I hadn't factored in the EY surcharge and I'm doing DXB-ASB. In whY .

What are you doing in Turkmenistan ( if you don't mind me asking) and any chance of a Trip Report?

Yeah, [almost] all my paid flights are in Y too. Hoping to go to Turkmenistan as part of a road trip through various CIS countries. I always promise TRs but I know I never get round to writing them. Other people seem to do them so much better and do much more exotic things.

 

[stm1sydney]

I would say Turkmenistan classifies as "exotic". We would love a TR, please. Interested in Uzbekistan if you have that on the itinerary as well!

 

[burmans]

Suggest you search Trip Report Stans on this forum, there are 3 or 4 already.

 

[Mr H]

So routing via Europe is not a problem - but running into a rule that you can only have three sectors per one way redemption. Is that a thing?

 

[Mr H]

Got a routing allowed (eventually) MEL-SIN-DEL-IST-ASB in F/R/J/J on a single ticket. But coming back from DYU, computer says no. The only *A route from DYU is to IST, and they won't let me go DYU-IST-backtrack to MEL. They have said DYU-MEL is impossible on a single ticket.

 

[Mr H]

In case anyone is interested (future searches on Central Asia redemptions), I got a sweet mixed class one way TAS-ICN-SIN-MEL with OZ/SQ/SQ in J/F/R allowed for 108k miles plus a handful of taxes. So I have to get from DYU-TAS under my own steam - probably a cheapo Y with HY - booked 10 months out.

The other way is MEL-SIN-DEL-IST-ASB with SQ/SQ/TK/TK in F/R/J/J - also 108k miles and taxes, booked 8 months out.

 

[appaz]

In case anyone is interested (future searches on Central Asia redemptions), I got a sweet mixed class one way TAS-ICN-SIN-MEL with OZ/SQ/SQ in J/F/R allowed for 108k miles plus a handful of taxes. So I have to get from DYU-TAS under my own steam - probably a cheapo Y with HY - booked 10 months out.

The other way is MEL-SIN-DEL-IST-ASB with SQ/SQ/TK/TK in F/R/J/J - also 108k miles and taxes, booked 8 months out.

Any stopovers in either direction?

 

[Mr H]

Any stopovers in either direction?

No. I booked as two one ways and I am already taking enough time off work. I am doing 10 hours in DEL - enough time to step out of the airport and find a bed (and I know I'll need a transit visa) - and 16 hours in SIN - time for a banana leaf biriyani, a Guinness Extra and a sleep. I think there's also enough time to do a free airport tour of IST. But I have been to SIN, DEL, IST and ICN before so I won't feel heartbreak at not doing proper stopover.

 

[Mr H]

Both A380 flights now switched to 777ER - so no Suites for me