Newbie looking for advice SYD to EUROPE 2014

[Parraboy]

Hi Everyone,

Long time lurker first time poster. I am planning on taking the family ( 2 Adults & 2 kids 13 & 10 ) SYDNEY to EUROPE next September/October. We want to do London - Paris - Rome concluding with with a 12 day cruise departing from Southhamption UK to Spain etc. Looking at my options and seeking your advice please.

QFF with over 150,000 points
THAI over 80,000
MH over 60,000 points
VIRGIN over 35.000
ETIHAD over 20,000

Thinking of doing SYD to LONDON one way on my QFF points ( 128,000 ) and then paying the difference for return legs. Since looking at possibly LCA to Singapore then Singapore to ROME and reverse...

AS it is over 1 year away, I cant book any flights yet. I am just trying to get a plan together to target it. I am hoping we can get the trip to and from Sydney for around $5000 ?

Open to suggestions and advice please. I dont have an issue transiting through Asia and actually think a two day stop over on way back at Beijing would be awesome for kids to experience.....

Thanks in advance....

take care

Parraboy

 

[Isochronous]

I'm pretty sure Finnair fly Beijing - of the oneworld carriers they probably have the best China coverage to Europe.

 

[SYD]

One way long haul fares are usually prohibitively expensive. So you might want to play with using points to get to Asia (return) and pay for Asia to Euro open jaw (ie into London and out of Rome/Paris). Or pay to DXB/AUH (ret) and use points into/out of Euro. Even then, it might be 2 of 4 on points and 2 paid.

The VA/EY points won't go far (pity EY wasn't credited to VA). Thai points should get you all to Europe from the Middle East and you might be able to pick up one way fares back. Or again, look at 2 of 4 split (ret).

Presumably it would make sense to do London then the cruise? Otherwise you have to back track. Where does you cruise finish - Barcelona? From there you can fly cheaply to Paris or Rome, plus train options to Paris.

 

[aikman]

What I would do in your situation is to look out for fare specials late this year or early next year. October is low season and you should be able to get fares to Europe below $1500 per person during that time. You can then have a choice of your inbound, outbound and stopover cities.

Your points are scattered and there isn’t enough in one program to ensure that all four of you travel together on the same flights. You could perhaps use 128,000 QF points for one person’s return ticket but then you’ll be locked in to that QF/EK/oneworld flight when purchasing the other three tickets which could be but may not necessarily be the best value. You can perhaps use your various points for your additional internal European flights instead if you don’t want to fly LCCs.

 

[casanovawa]

$5000 for 4 people is going to be a challenge specially with QF seeing their fuel surcharges are not inconsiderable even on their awards... Also all flying together as you have a mix there of different alliances with your points...

Did someone say with expedia brazil without fuel fines on a qantas sale could get down around $1000 return to Europe?? I think i saw about $1400 recently... Even around the $1400 mark, a couple of those and perhaps a few credit card applications for another 50,000-70,000 might get you close..

Looking on QF sites you can awards with EK/QF back through Dubai Paris-Sydney for 64,000 QFF points plus 220 euros so whats that 256,000 for the 4 of you plus about 900 euros... Or about 256,000 for two of you return, maybe the adults anyway, and whatever taxes those would amount to (A$800??) or so.... and buy the other two on sales through expedia brazil for the kids???

Perth to Paris on EK one way is 56,000 QFF points plus A$151 so maybe a cheap Tiger fair of $120 or so over to perth plus 4 one ways at 224,000 and A$600 might be an option in one direction??? and try for something else on the return? Try for a cheapy Lifemiles one way on star alliance on the way back??

The other way is maybe to get to Asia first then book fares from there, but getting the 4 of you to Singapore etc is probably going to cost about $500 each return or so??? So there's $2000.. Maybe Scoot can get you there and back a bit cheaper?? and then look for return open jaw sales using cheaper asian airlines as SYD says...

So it can be done, looking hard for some sales might help you, and like i said maybe a few credit card applications for you and your wife, plus investigate the Lifemiles membership...