In this post:
BA short-haul A380 flights on sale
I previously wrote about the chance to fly the BA A380 on Short-haul routes to Madrid and Frankfurt this winter. Today the flights are on sale and will operate from 8 November – 2 December.
- Heathrow to Frankfurt
- Mon-Fri/Sun
- BA 902 depart 7:05 am arrive 9:50 am
- Return BA903 depart 11:25 am – arrive 12:15 pm
- Sat
- BA908 depart 3:55 pm – arrive Frankfurt 6:40 pm
- Return BA909 depart 8:10 pm – arrive 21:00
- Mon-Fri/Sun
- Heathrow to Madrid
- Mon-Fri/Sun
- BA462 depart 3.15 pm arrive 6.45 pm
- Return BA463 Depart 8:15 pm – arrive 9:30 pm
- Sat
- BA456 depart 6.20 am arrive 9.55 am
- Return BA457 depart Madrid 11:25 am – arrive 12:55 pm
- Mon-Fri/Sun
If you fancy making a weekend out of it and don’t fancy the early start Saturday, Iberia uses a long haul aircraft (A330) on their 10.30 am flight or an A350 on the evening flight. Madrid is a great place to spend a weekend with lots to do and sunny weather all year (though cold in winter).
Prices for one way A380 and one way A320 start from:
- Madrid economy return £100
- Madrid Club return £271
- Frankfurt economy return £105
- Frankfurt Club Europe return £230
The A380 seems to be slightly more expensive on most dates than the regular flights.
You can find prices and book here.
HT: @tofly_totravel
St Regis Dubai great offer
The new St Regis the Palm in Dubai opened in May 2021 and looks pretty fantastic. Although the Palm was once regarded as out of the way, there are now so many hotels on the Palm, you wouldn’t need to venture off the Palm to dine out or enjoy the bars.
There is a great value deal from Luxury Escapes which like all the holiday deals requires you to sign up for their email before purchase. Average room rates are around £350 a night so this is a good deal with prices starting at £569/room including taxes & fees.
Reviews on TripAdvisor are 5/5.
The hotel
Occupying the first 18 floors of the Palm Tower, The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm offers 264 guestrooms and 26 elegant suites — each with sweeping views of Palm Jumeirah and the Arabian Gulf, and personalised 24-hour St. Regis butler service. The hotel has a diverse selection of restaurants, bars, and lounges, including the iconic St. Regis Bar, Dip Pool Bar, and the ladies-only Her by Caroline Astor for its legendary afternoon tea ritual.
Unwind with a treatment or two at the luxurious Iridium Spa, work up a sweat at the state-of-the-art fitness centre, soak up some sun at the outdoor pool or walk next door to the connecting Nakheel Mall, which offers world-class shopping, a 15-screen cinema, and a variety of culinary options and entertainment venues.
Inclusions:
- Complimentary upgrade from a Deluxe Room to a Grand Deluxe Room
- Signature St. Regis butler service
- Breakfast at Cordelia Restaurant
- One three-course dinner at Cordelia Restaurant for every three nights you stay
- Tickets to The View at The Palm
- 20% off treatments to restore and renew at Iridium Spa
Half-Board Upgrade: Upgrade to the half-board package and for a nightly three-course meal at Cordelia Restaurant, per person.
You can travel until 30 Sep 2022 but the warning is that you can only cancel up to 7 days after purchase and no less than 21 days prior to the check-in date. However, you can book ‘Buy Now, Choose Dates Later’ or if you choose specific dates you are allowed to change for free up to 45 days before. Finally, f you can’t travel as a direct result of border closures or Government-imposed travel restrictions that directly impact your booking, Luxury Escapes will assist you with a date change or provide you with a Luxury Escapes credit towards future travel for any Limited Time Lux Exclusive accommodation, tour or cruise package.
More long haul bargains from £843
Yesterday I did a summary of the best ex-EU offers. One of the best deals at the moment is the Finnair flights but they do come with a warning. Unless you have status, you will have to pay for “extras” such as seat choice and lounge access. You can read more about these fares here.
Since yesterday a few readers have pointed out some other gems so here are some more bargains:
- London – Bangkok £1040 Finnair – Up to early Dec and then mid-May to early June 22
- London – Tel Aviv £385 Brussels Airlines
- London – Tel Aviv £585 Swiss
- London – Dubai £1088 Swiss/Lufthansa
- London – Abu Dhabi £1272 Lufthansa/Etihad
- London – Phuket/Chiang Mai £1333 Gulf Air/Bangkok Airways until Apr 22
- London – Sydney £2748 Asiana
- London – Cape Town £1426 Etihad
- London – Buenos Aires £1557 Iberia
- London – Rio de Janeiro £1446 TAP
- London Lima/Quito – £1338 BA/Iberia
Finally one of the best bargains is the Finnair flight which has now dropped to match Swiss which I mentioned yesterday.
- Stockholm – Bangkok £843 Finnair – Mon and Thursday until end of Apr 22
