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After a two-year hiatus from overseas travel, AFF member Paddy55 recently returned to Europe in the luxury of First class! Using points they secured tickets on Qantas and Emirates to Paris, from where the tour through France, England, Germany and Scandinavia began!
Our member has dedicated the trip to Woolworths and American Express as it was through Woolies and Amex that they earned most of the points spent on this trip.
Well, because of all I’ve learnt on AFF, I’ve made sure we shop at Woolies with my Amex and generally use Amex everywhere humanly possible. With 6 kids between us at home for a fair bit of the past decade it’s made paying for food something that put a smile on my face. I should give an honourable mention to Qantas epiQure and, bless their hearts, Bonus Points.
After a night in Sydney (also booked using points, of course) our member was driven to the airport in style by their chauffeur driver – a standard inclusion with Qantas and Emirates First class tickets. The unusually light Sydney traffic meant even more time to enjoy the fine dining and spa treatment in the Qantas First lounge ahead of the flight to Dubai on QF1.
Even though we’re using points we’re still entitled to the Chauffeur Drive. Chap arrived on time, very chatty, and a very quick run into SYD… of well, more time than planned in the Lounge
A pleasant flight was had to Dubai. Our member particularly enjoyed the warm service and (most of) the food. But they couldn’t help noticing that the A380 is starting to show its age. In Paddy55‘s opinion, Qantas’ new A330 Business class is a better hard product than First class on the A380s. Thankfully, the A380s will be refurbished from sometime next year.
After a stopover in Dubai – and a most enjoyable lounge experience – our member boarded an Emirates flight to Paris…
Well, everything that QF lacks in the hard product, EK makes up for it in spades! (Does Alan ever fly EK F I wonder). We were in the referb’ed F with super comfortable seats, quality headphones and a crisp, bright screen of Lord knows what size. All just superb which I think it should be in long haul F! Crew were really good – a bit ‘looser’ than last time I flew EK F 4 years ago, and the shower towards the end of the flight is just a fantastic and practical luxury, really freshening you up!
From Paris our member set out on a sightseeing tour of France including Bordeaux and the Pyrenees wine region. Getting around with a mixture of hire cars, trains and planes, the trip is set to continue to Scandinavia… but not before a couple of side-trips from Paris to London and Munich!
Follow the trip report HERE.
