*** Holidays & Travels 2023 Thread ***

Last year we went to St Lucia, so this year is a cheaper year

At the moment, all we have got is a few days booked for a golf trip, then a week in a cottage in Scotland
If funds permit, we will probably try and get abroad for a week at some point, but we are saving for a more expensive holiday in Antigua next year, so it might just be UK breaks this year
 
Raymond Lin said:
I know you are using Avois...but rough estimate, how many points are we talking about and what is the out of pocket cost because NYC in First/Business Class can't be chap. Maldives is not cheap, Iceland is not cheap.

I know everything is relative but...rough number per person? NYC/Iceland?
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The NYC trip for two people is just over 5K - that includes the Intercontinental on Times Square for 6 nights. When the sales are on (as one currently is) you can search through all the flights and some have a lot lower cost than others. The outbound cost was about £1200 for business I think, and one flight had first for £1400, then maybe £800 for the return I think? The hotel didn't make up that much extra and while you can definitely holiday there for a lot less money, it's such a nicer experience in the premium cabins - it just takes a bit more planning.

As for Avios, anywhere in Europe isn't that bad to get to and the avios cost is based on the distance and cabin involved. Iceland I think was about 30K avios and maybe £50 taxes per person? We also use companion vouchers gained through our BA Amex cards which give you a second seat in the same cabin for no extra avios. Maldives were abot 140K and maybe £800 in taxes per person, which you won't get an economy seat for as it's an 11 hour flight.

Getting the companion vouchers is much easier than building the avios, but the pandemic helped in that regard as we couldn't fly anywhere but still earnt them on the Amex.

Taxes and fees are the killer, especially to America, but you're getting business class seats which usually cost several thousand each way.
 
Penfold101 said:
The NYC trip for two people is just over 5K - that includes the Intercontinental on Times Square for 6 nights. When the sales are on (as one currently is) you can search through all the flights and some have a lot lower cost than others. The outbound cost was about £1200 for business I think, and one flight had first for £1400, then maybe £800 for the return I think? The hotel didn't make up that much extra and while you can definitely holiday there for a lot less money, it's such a nicer experience in the premium cabins - it just takes a bit more planning.

As for Avios, anywhere in Europe isn't that bad to get to and the avios cost is based on the distance and cabin involved. Iceland I think was about 30K avios and maybe £50 taxes per person? We also use companion vouchers gained through our BA Amex cards which give you a second seat in the same cabin for no extra avios. Maldives were abot 140K and maybe £800 in taxes per person, which you won't get an economy seat for as it's an 11 hour flight.

Getting the companion vouchers is much easier than building the avios, but the pandemic helped in that regard as we couldn't fly anywhere but still earnt them on the Amex.

Taxes and fees are the killer, especially to America, but you're getting business class seats which usually cost several thousand each way.
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What do you mean by "which you won't get an economy seat for as it's an 11 hour flight"

That they don't do one? Or you would not consider doing economy for an 11hr flight.....because i am going to Japan soon and out bound is economy and it's going to be like 15hrs!

It's also £1500+ !!! :eek::eek: (Return is PE but still....)
 
Penfold101 said:
Can't argue with that. The best justification I've heard so far though is why are you paying to be miserable in economy?

That's what I tell my bank manager...
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The way i look at is is...an extra £1000 get me a heck of an upgrade in hotels for the entire holiday, vs 2 fligfhts.

I have enough points i think to get an Business class long haul....just not found the right deal yet.
 
Raymond Lin said:
What do you mean by "which you won't get an economy seat for as it's an 11 hour flight"

That they don't do one? Or you would not consider doing economy for an 11hr flight.....because i am going to Japan soon and out bound is economy and it's going to be like 15hrs!

It's also £1500+ !!! :eek::eek: (Return is PE but still....)
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Yes, I think I missed out a few words there between brain and keyboard - you won't get an economy seat for that price as it's such a long flight...

Raymond Lin said:
I went to Singapore in economy too, 14hrs, although i slept across 4 seats, pandemic, empty flight! That's how you do it lol, £500 for lay flat.
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I would be happy to do that, and have done on military flights, but I don't think the other half would approve...

Raymond Lin said:
The way i look at is is...an extra £1000 get me a heck of an upgrade in hotels for the entire holiday, vs 2 fligfhts.

I have enough points i think to get an Business class long haul....just not found the right deal yet.
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Yeah, it's not for everyone but I enjoy the airport/flight experience at the start and end of the holiday now, instead of dreading it. By using the air miles we can blow the rest of the budget on the hotel, as we did in the Maldives.

The Avios redemption system isn't the easiest to use - I had to do a lot of reading and searching to get my head round it and put it to good use.
 
Penfold101 said:
Yes, I think I missed out a few words there between brain and keyboard - you won't get an economy seat for that price as it's such a long flight...



I would be happy to do that, and have done on military flights, but I don't think the other half would approve...



Yeah, it's not for everyone but I enjoy the airport/flight experience at the start and end of the holiday now, instead of dreading it. By using the air miles we can blow the rest of the budget on the hotel, as we did in the Maldives.

The Avios redemption system isn't the easiest to use - I had to do a lot of reading and searching to get my head round it and put it to good use.
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I have about 100k in Amex points and 100k in Avois...i know 1pt per penny is not the best but right now i don't see anything really worth spending the points on. I do like the airport experience too, the Gold get free Priority Pass, although honestly at times due to circumstances outside my control i spend zero time in the lounge.

The companion voucher thing...no good for me, no companion lol
 
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Raymond Lin said:
I have about 100k in Amex points and 100k in Avois...i know 1pt per penny is not the best but right now i don't see anything really worth spending the points on. I do like the airport experience too, the Gold get free Priority Pass, although honestly at times due to circumstances outside my control i spend zero time in the lounge.

The companion voucher thing...no good for me, no companion lol
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Depending on when the voucher was earned, they changed the rules to make it more flexible. If it was after September 2021, you can use it as a solo traveller to halve the number of avios needed!
 
Raymond Lin said:
I have about 100k in Amex points and 100k in Avois...i know 1pt per penny is not the best but right now i don't see anything really worth spending the points on. I do like the airport experience too, the Gold get free Priority Pass, although honestly at times due to circumstances outside my control i spend zero time in the lounge.

The companion voucher thing...no good for me, no companion lol
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It's worth saving the Amex points until they have an offer on Amazon gift cards. They often do 25% extra promos etc and it's the most flexible way of using points.

Lounges of late are rubbish. I've had Priority Pass for like 10 years via Amex and I don't bother even trying anymore; they're often full, you have to pre-book, have no food out, or are flat out closed at what I'd consider normal hours. Think it must be staffing issues but yeah, not worth it anymore.
 
Raymond Lin said:
I might use my other card to get the voucher then instead of racking up Amex points...
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It has to be the BA Premium Plus card, which has a £250 annual fee but gets you the voucher and 1.5 avios per pound spent. If you don't have one, let me know and I can get a load of avios by recommending you...:D
 
now this i've never understood .. holidays ... i've lived in 3-4 country's and except for small things there all the same .. so why bother ?and yes i have done holidays.. wife said i had to .. but 2-3 days in it's exactly like home ? same problems just different buildings and people is it just me ?
and the money could be spent on different things
 
Trying to make Flores (Azores, not Indonesia) work but turning out to be a headache to get to in half/end of term times as no direct flights from UK and would need a stopover somewhere. First year in 7 we have the chance to go abroad but son is in first year of school so trapped by school holidays.
 
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flea.rider said:
now this i've never understood .. holidays ... i've lived in 3-4 country's and except for small things there all the same .. so why bother ?and yes i have done holidays.. wife said i had to .. but 2-3 days in it's exactly like home ? same problems just different buildings and people is it just me ?
and the money could be spent on different things
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Don't know where you've lived but I haven't seen anything in the UK that looks like the Maldives...
 
Penfold101 said:
It has to be the BA Premium Plus card, which has a £250 annual fee but gets you the voucher and 1.5 avios per pound spent. If you don't have one, let me know and I can get a load of avios by recommending you...:D
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Oh, the Black one. I don't have that one but it's probably too much annual fee for me to stomach. I currently have the free Blue BA one and the Gold, I don't need to pay for a second card which don't spend enough to get the voucher, i think you need to spend £10k to get it? It's achievable but I guess...although it would mean i need to cancel the Gold.
 
flea.rider said:
now this i've never understood .. holidays ... i've lived in 3-4 country's and except for small things there all the same .. so why bother ?and yes i have done holidays.. wife said i had to .. but 2-3 days in it's exactly like home ? same problems just different buildings and people is it just me ?
and the money could be spent on different things
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You have those experiences because you haven't been to places that is different to the UK? Have you left continental Europe? and been to a country that doesn't speak English?

It's less of a "holiday" for me, but more an adventure, or a sense of it, with a safety net....I wouldn't go to the jungle of the Amazon alone for example.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Oh, the Black one. I don't have that one but it's probably too much annual fee for me to stomach. I currently have the free Blue BA one and the Gold, I don't need to pay for a second card which don't spend enough to get the voucher, i think you need to spend £10k to get it? It's achievable but I guess...although it would mean i need to cancel the Gold.
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Yes, 10K spend for the voucher. The free one gives you a companion voucher but only in economy I think? Either way you're right - you basically have to go balls deep into the program to make it all work, and it's a lot of effort but worthwhile in the end I think. I don't think I'd ever have flown business class to the Maldives and back otherwise...
 
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