Use VA points for Etihad A380 apartment or SQ A380 suite.

[VAG newbie]

Apartment to/from SYD from 1st July on A380. That has shower and is bigger than EK suite.

Way bigger! EK suites is arranged in 1-2-1. Apartment is 1-1! Yes, you heard me right, they only use single aisle on a A380! You get a lounge, a 2m bed and you still have space to walk around!

 

[KCMil]

And BOOKED!!! Thank you EY, I now have a first appartment rtn to LHR from MEL via SYD with A380 apartment SYD-AUH-LHR and rtn. Chauffeur car tsfr's at either end. Nice deal......thanks for the heads up VAG newbie.

 

[smit0847]

And BOOKED!!! Thank you EY, I now have a first appartment rtn to LHR from MEL via SYD with A380 apartment SYD-AUH-LHR and rtn. Chauffeur car tsfr's at either end. Nice deal......thanks for the heads up VAG newbie.

Did you book with VA FF points? what was the total points plus taxes cost?

 

[RooFlyer]

Apartment to/from SYD from 1st July on A380. That has shower and is bigger than EK suite.

Thanks, OK. Seems the EY web site is a little out of whack. On the Awards booking page ('Guest Seats'), on SYD-AUH for Nov '15, for A380 a video can be popped up showing Y, J, F and Residence and the F video 'just' shows a suite, a la EK. Also, the adjacent 'OpenSeats' selections are First Suite Saver and First Suite Freedom - again, no mention of Apartment . Odd.

But I see from seat maps that yes, their A380s only have Apartments and Residence, and B777s, B787s, A340s and A330s have F suites only.

 

[KCMil]

186000 plus $97.50. My account is looking a little depleted now, but the smile on my face is quite wide.

 

[PLANT]

186k in points is one way?
Yet you state return and this is different to newbie 187.5k points one way????
Can we get a trip report with photos please?

 

[VAG newbie]

186000 plus $97.50. My account is looking a little depleted now, but the smile on my face is quite wide.

Wow! That's 40 hours in apartment (and don't forget the free spa in AUH!) Don't forget to take lots of pictures and share with us!

I'm still on my way to accumulate that much points to make a rt trip. So far I got enough for only oneway. But I'm leaning more towards apartment than SQ suite now. Sorry, SQ, in 2007 it was revolutionary, but in 2015 it's kind of a norm for first class to have a suite.....

 

[VAG newbie]

186k in points is one way?
Yet you state return and this is different to newbie 187.5k points one way????
Can we get a trip report with photos please?

I just checked velocity award chart. For 9501-15000 miles, the points for F is definitely 187.5k. It's one way. I think KCMil just did a typo (or velocity made a mistake?)

 

[RooFlyer]

The one way taxes etc on the EY web site is A$85.12 Can't see VA giving anyone a discount there (ie return cash would be >$97.50)

 

[scwappy]

The one way taxes etc on the EY web site is A$85.12 Can't see VA giving anyone a discount there (ie return cash would be >$97.50)

Sure are !! Return taxes much higher if coming back from the UK due to APD and run into approx $300

 

[RooFlyer]

Sure are !! Return taxes much higher if coming back from the UK due to APD and run into approx $300

Of course.

 

[Alanslegal]

I have been spending some time looking for ways to squeeze in an Apartment flight on my mid year RTW eloping holiday wedding party. I am looking at AUH-SYD but can't find two seats for August. Oh well, guess I will have to slum it on EK F DXB-BKK and TG F BKK-SYD. EY Apartments I will see you in 2016.

 

[VAG newbie]

I have been spending some time looking for ways to squeeze in an Apartment flight on my mid year RTW eloping holiday wedding party. I am looking at AUH-SYD but can't find two seats for August. Oh well, guess I will have to slum it on EK F DXB-BKK and TG F BKK-SYD. EY Apartments I will see you in 2016.

Or just be content with studio business class, which arguably is almost as good as many first class, and you save yourself heaps of miles.

I personally already got an existing booking GRU-AUH-BNE on EY in J in Oct. Am thinking about upgrading to apartment, but thought maybe I'll just try the studio first.

 

[Spizz]

If your using a mixture of F & J with EY is still classified as all First under the points table?

 

[Duffa]

Or just be content with studio business class, which arguably is almost as good as many first class, and you save yourself heaps of miles.

148,000 for J and 186,000 for F appt - SYD - LHR, I think I'd go the extra 38k points for the upgrade?

 

[VAG newbie]

148,000 for J and 186,000 for F appt - SYD - LHR, I think I'd go the extra 38k points for the upgrade?

No, it's 125k in J and 187.5 in F. That's 62.5k difference which is quite significant though.

 

[VAG newbie]

If your using a mixture of F & J with EY is still classified as all First under the points table?

Yes, F will be charged. It is probably better connect at SYD to fly the apartment

 

[lovestotravel]

172437 points and $380 per person LHR-MEL in F is great, now hurry up and get the A380 to MEL, since SQ don't fly the A380 to MEL I have to look at other options

Plus it's much easier to earn VA points than SQ points

I am moving my travel back to VA now simply as I can use the points on a great EY product with SQ as a backup

Trying to redeem QF FF points on QF/EK is too hard and their product is no longer up to the standards of EY/SQ

 

[VAG newbie]

172437 points and $380 per person LHR-MEL in F is great

How did you do that? I thought VA doesn't allow mile purchase?

 

[Spizz]

Plus it's much easier to earn VA points than SQ points
I am moving my travel back to VA now simply as I can use the points on a great EY product with SQ as a backup
Trying to redeem QF FF points on QF/EK is too hard and their product is no longer up to the standards of EY/SQ

Partially agree with you. I already have enough QF points. I find transferring to VA & SQ points to be the same if you are doing so via a program like Amex or Citi as they both have the same transfer rate. So I'm leaving my points warehoused on my cards for now for flexibility so I can transfer to either VA or SQ depending on my travel plans.

Also partially agree on the hard product of EK in comparison to EY/SQ. However their soft product i.e. food is much better, and I have yet to read about EK running out of food in F unlike Etihad. For me it is the best of both worlds. I can use EY/SQ on the way out and can fly EK directly back home as opposed to going via SYD/MEL which for me is preferable on my return leg. Always best not to have all your points in the 1 program *IMO*.

BTW here is a TR of the new Etihad Apartments. Certainly will be trying it, though the Residence does look underwhelming in that video-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUmZfifHzBI

How did you do that? I thought VA doesn't allow mile purchase?

Where does it say that they purchased the points from VA?

And you can purchase enough points via another program to fly Etihad Apartments. The cost 1 way from SYD-LHR was all up including taxes around $3k.