British Airways

British Airways offers some very flexible multi-city fares between Australia and Europe, particularly if you want to include stops in Asia and the UK along the way. With British Airways and eligible partner airlines, there are numerous ways to construct the journey in each direction.

Rather than simply flying Australia to London and return, these fares can allow you to stop in Asia in either direction, spend time in London and then continue to destinations throughout mainland Europe. You can also use different Asian gateways on the outbound and return journeys, rather than having to retrace the same route.

The real advantage is the number of different ways the fares can be constructed. Depending on your dates, destinations and available booking classes, it is possible to build some excellent multi-stop itineraries within the one airfare. Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First Class options are available, with the routing possibilities varying depending on the cabin and fare selected.

British Airways fares can use several different airlines between Australia and Asia, which opens up a huge number of possible routing combinations.

Common options include Qantas, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines, with routings through major Asian cities including Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo.

Depending on the particular fare, other airlines and destinations can also be included. There is no single routing you need to follow, and sometimes changing the Asian stopover or airline can make a significant difference to the final airfare.

This is where these fares become particularly useful. We can look at the whole trip and work out which combination of airlines, stopovers and flights gives you the best overall itinerary.

The stopover options are one of the biggest advantages of using a British Airways multi-city fare, with a large choice of Asian cities available on the way to and from Europe.

Popular choices include Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo. Options include Qantas to Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo, Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, Malaysia Airlines to Kuala Lumpur, and Japan Airlines or Qantas to Tokyo.

Depending on the fare and flights used, more complex itineraries can also include destinations such as Bali, Koh Samui and other cities throughout Southeast Asia.

You don’t need to use the same routing in both directions. For example, you could stop in Singapore on the way to Europe and return through Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur or Tokyo, allowing you to include two different Asian destinations within the same trip.

London can also be included as a stopover rather than simply somewhere you change planes. You can spend time in the UK before continuing with British Airways to your main destination in mainland Europe.

With the right combination of flights, a single multi-city fare can include two different Asian stopovers, London and your main European destination, giving you plenty of options when building your itinerary to Europe.

British Airways has two different long-haul Business Class seats, Club Suite and the older Club World seat, and there is quite a difference between the two.

Club Suite is the newer product and gives every passenger direct aisle access, a privacy door and a fully flat bed approximately 198cm long. It is an excellent Business Class seat and a major improvement over the older product.

The older Club World seat is still found on some aircraft. It also converts into a fully flat bed, approximately 183cm long, but the configuration is denser and not every seat has direct aisle access.

Both include lounge access, priority services, Business Class dining, bedding and an amenity kit. If the choice is available, we would certainly favour a flight with Club Suite, so it is worth looking at the aircraft as well as the flight times when comparing options.

British Airways First Class can be surprisingly good value on some multi-city fares, particularly when the difference between First and Business Class is relatively small. Depending on the fare and availability, other oneworld First Class products can also be incorporated.

One useful option is Qantas First Class from Sydney to Singapore, which can be combined with onward British Airways flights as part of selected BA fares. This provides another way to include First Class while still taking advantage of the broader routing options available through Asia.

British Airways First offers a small cabin with an individual suite and a fully flat bed approximately 198cm long, along with upgraded dining, bedding and service, additional baggage and priority airport services.

At London Heathrow Terminal 5, eligible First passengers can use the First Wing for dedicated check-in and security, while the Concorde Room provides BA’s premium First Class lounge experience.

First is available on fewer aircraft and routes than Business Class, so it can make more sense to mix First and Business Class on the same fare, retaining First where it offers the best value while using Business Class where it provides better routing or availability.

British Airways calls its Premium Economy cabin World Traveller Plus, and it is a worthwhile option for travellers wanting more comfort without the considerably higher cost of Business Class.

It is a separate cabin with wider seats, additional legroom and greater recline than Economy. Seat layouts vary by aircraft, and the cabin also includes priority boarding, additional baggage allowance, an amenity kit, noise-cancelling headphones, in-seat power and an upgraded meal service.

Premium Economy can work particularly well on multi-city fares where you have several long-haul flights. You receive considerably more space than Economy while still having access to many of the same Asian stopover and European routing options.

For travellers who don’t need a fully flat bed but want a more comfortable journey to Europe, it is certainly worth comparing against the Economy fare.