If you’re headed to Australia or Asia, this just might be the thing that makes your trip perfect. Thai Airways offers a delightful first class suite, with some of the best Thai food you’ve ever tasted and plenty of Dom Perignon to go along with it. If that’s not your speed, there’s Air China’s truly gigantic seat, too. Both are possible on flights between Asia and Australia in either direction, for just 50,000 points or roughly $693 if you have no points at all, thanks to an easy but clever trick.
The first thing to know is that this is made possible by either using your Citi Thank You points, or by using your Avianca LifeMiles. If you don’t currently have either – you can buy the LifeMiles needed for a one way ticket on either airline for just $693. A round trip would be double. No matter which airline you want to fly to you will book via Avianca’s LifeMiles program.
50,000 points for a 9+ hour first class flight is incredible. Throw in a private suite and some Dom Perignon on the Thai Airways option, and this is an outstanding bargain. By far the easier airline to book this with via Avianca Lifemiles, is Air China. Flights between Beijing and Sydney in First Class are easy to find and book. This is 100% possible on Thai Airways’ better first class, via Avianca Lifemiles – you’ll just need to get your hands a bit dirtier to successfully book.
For Thai First, search segment by segment. LifeMiles gets screwed up, booking Thai instead of Air China because of connections. Any connection from North Asia to Bangkok, where all Thai Airways flights to Australia will depart will be in business class, and then the onward flight to Australia will be in First Class Suites. If you can find flights where the segments are available individually, you can call Avianca to book these, if they won’t show up online. If you’re struggling – hire professionals to help you book.
If you are dead set on flying Thai Airways over Air China, and don’t want any hassle, spend an extra 10,000 miles to book from Bangkok or somewhere in Southeast Asia. For some reason, it’s a shorter distance, but costs more points. Since you can transfer Citi ThankYou Points into Avianca, it’s even more reasonable than ever before. 60,000 points would run just over $800 one way, if you presently have no points, but that’s not bad for the long flight to Sydney in a gorgeous suite.
Don’t buy points unless you find seats you want imminently, like immediately, that are available. If you find them, you can buy all the points necessary right here. To book, simply use LifeMiles.com, entering your search details and cabin on the home page. You’ll be presented with available dates where the cabin you’d like is available. Once again, if you’re struggling, hire pros. It’s worth it for an experience like this. Not every date will be available, so flexibility is a big key.
Hi, I would like to know how to book SIN to SYD with Thai First Class with 60k points? Currently, the search engine shows BKK to SYD as 60k for First but if not mistaken, your post mentioned that anywhere in Southeast Asia to SYD should be 60k. How can I add the SIN-BKK leg on BIZ or First and not spend any further extra points to redeem?
The Star award chart you linked to shows BKK-SYD as 60k in F one way.
The point is that if you start from somewhere other than Bangkok the segments price lower at 50k.
Thank you for that. I appreciate the response.