Most cost effective way to go MEL - NBO - MEL?

[MrHyde]

Hi,

I am planning a holiday for the family (2 Adult + 1 infant) to Nairobi and am stuck on how best to do it. Since, I will be paying for it, I would like to minimise the hit to my back pocket. Also, I will be a Qantas Platinum flyer by then (Sep 09) as well as have over 300,000 points in QFF.

My initial thought was to fly MEL - SYD - JNB on Qantas and then JNB- NBO on Kenya Airways. This would cost about $7500 (inc taxes) and then I could look at using the points to upgrade SYD - JNB to business. I've already looked at buying J outright with Classic Awards, but none are available for the period I am looking at flying. However, I've been told that upgrades on the SYD - JNB are very rare due to high loading.

The alternative is to go MEL - LON - NBO on QF/BA for a better chance at getting upgrades, but this would cost a lot more.

The cheapest way is to go MEL - SIN - DOH - NBO on Singapore/Qatar Airways. I can get this for about $4800 for all three of us... a significant amount compared to $7500 for Qantas.

Do people have any other suggestions. I would really like to use my QF points as well as lounge privileges if I can. I've found travelling with an infant, the lounges are very good and provide much needed relief on long flights. However, I am not willing to pay an additional $3000 for it.

Also, if I redeem J class flights through Classic Awards, will the infant be charged full points or half or none?

Cheers,
MrHyde

 

[Mwenenzi]

Look also at Emirates. Air Mauritius may also go to NBO. From LON (LGW/LHR) there are several low cost carriers to NBO. To JNB can go on CX (Cathay Pacific) and then back track up to NBO

Be careful you don't spend more on fares just to get points or the possibility of getting a 2 (or 3 ?) J upgrade’s with your points.

 

[MelUser]

Be careful you don't spend more on fares just to get points or the possibility of getting a 2 (or 3 ?) J upgrade’s with your points.

I would always recommend paying more to have an upgradeable ticket if I have points to upgrade!

 

[Mwenenzi]

I would always recommend paying more to have an upgradeable ticket if I have points to upgrade!

Agreed if the chance of an upgrade is high. But as in post 1 SYD-JBN and vv upgrade chance is not good.

 

[MrHyde]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have a look at the low cost options from London. Another thing I am looking at is getting a MEL - LON - NBO Y return flight QF/BA all on points. It comes out to 376,000. Means I don't get J class, but save a lot of airfare.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Another thing I am looking at is getting a MEL - LON - NBO Y return flight QF/BA all on points. It comes out to 376,000. Means I don't get J class, but save a lot of airfare.

Plus $$ for tax & fuel surcharges. Touching LHR cost $$$$$$$


Edit: Also look a Mombassa
http://www.kenyaairports.co.ke/kaa/flight_info/schedule.html?st=a&ft=i
http://www.kenyaairports.co.ke/kaa/flight_info/airlines_int.html

 

[MrHyde]

Thanks. ThomasCook and Thomson fly from LON to Mombasa, but they aren't exactly cheap. British Airways is the same price from LON to NBO. (about 200 pounds plus taxes).

So far, the best option seems to be to use points to fly to JNB (Y to and F back) for a cost of 336 000 points + $1000 in taxes. The flight from JNB to NBO is $1600 on Kenya Airways. This way I use all my points and total travel cost is about $2600.

I've never flown in First class before. Is it worth in on the JNB - SYD sector? They don't seem to have any Y or J award flights available on the return sector.

 

[docjames]

How old is the +1?

My only observation is that maybe if the child is young, the shortest, most direct routing is a better option. In this case, it would appear to be one of the cheapest also (MEL-SIN-DOH-NBO).

 

[MrHyde]

He will be 15 months by the time the trip takes place. We could also take a break in JNB if needed.

When he was 3 months old, he went MEL - SYD - HKG - BAH and then did BAH - DXB - HKG - MEL and he was brilliant. He slept through the 9 hours from HKG - MEL and he never does that at home. I am expecting him to cause us more trouble this time round from all the stories I've heard.

 

[wandering_fred]

It's not the deal that it was when the AU$ was a bit higher, but you might want to look at the fares to Nairobi exSIN. Kenya Airways(TG to BKK) Air Mauritius, Air India and SAA all have published fares available via the SIN on-line TAs.

In the current environment it really depends on how inexpensively you can get to Singapore or Bangkok. Perhaps TG offers an exOz combination fare.....

Happy wandering

Fred