Switzerland next summer

[The six of us]

I will be taking my family to Switzerland next May (wife & I plus kids who'll be 9, 7, 4 & 2 yrs old). We don't yet have a concrete plan but will have a stopover some where along the way, stay about 2 months, then return through Canada.

We currently have about 280,000 Altitude points and are accruing them at about 5,000 per month. I'd like to find out the best way of utilising these point as I've never redeemed any to date. I expect we wont have enough to put toward tickets, but perhaps upgrades, car hire, accommodation etc would be best.

Any advice would be welcome as we've not flown for five years, and then we had only two kids....

 

[DrAndyC]

What about at least 3 return flights with krisflyer (singapore airlines) to zurich from oz at about 80000pts each return (with the online bonus) and then buy discounted fares for the kids? You never know, you may be able to squeeze in 4 flights with the points with a few more points.

 

[albatross710]

We currently have about 280,000 Altitude points and are accruing them at about 5,000 per month. I'd like to find out the best way of utilising these point as I've never redeemed any to date.

The 280,000 Altitude pts will convert to 140,000 KF pts, not quite enough for two Y tickets on SQ, then you also have to pay their fuel levy & taxes.

The most cost effective use of the Altitude pts for me was to convert them to retail spending cards and use them as cash substitutes. The 280,000 pts will allow you to acquire 16 x $100 retails cards ie $1,600 of groceries, hardware and electronic goods. Substitute this spending for other spending.

Slightly OT, when you are in Switzerland consider obtaining a half-price abonnement card (SBB: Railpasses - The Half-Fare Card) which will provide you half price travel on public transport. The Swiss rail and public transport is excellent and my guestimate is that in two months of tourist activity you will more than cover the cost.


Alby

 

[DrAndyC]

Oops...yep, forget my singapore idea...i thought u said "ascent"

 

[auriga]

Unfortunately sounds like your points are nowhere near enough.

To return via Canada will also severely restrict your airline options. Maybe have to do a RTW ticket, or go on one of the American airlines.

 

[The six of us]

Thanks everyone for your input. I suspected we woudn't have enough points to purchase tickets, but how about upgrades? I read elsewhere that upgrading from economy to premium economy for about 17,000 points, that could be worth while for us. I need to also look into redeeming Altitude points for car hire, I assume that should be possible.

The comment about Canada not being good for points, does Qanatas not go there? There was also an RTW ticket referred to, I'm afraid I'm not up on the jargon yet.

As for the Swiss Rial 1/2 price ticket, we did that last time. My wife is Swiss so she knows her way around, but it is good to recommend it to anyone going there for a period because they are great value. Most buses,ferries and some cable cars, museums etc are also 1/2 price with this deal. We've been looking recently and found they are conciderably cheaper to buy over the counter in Switzerland rather than through the 'Euopean Rail' type ticket agencies here.