Australia Trip Report
· Background to our current trip.
I had booked tickets for my Australia Visit in April 2020 from Kolkata to Perth and Sydney to Kolkata and one Sector tickets Perth to Brisbane. As luck would have Covid struck and lockdown was announced all over. The International ticket fare was refunded by Singapore Airlines, but Sector tickets were booked on Jetstar which did not refund tickets but said we can plan travel within a year. So we lost this amount of about 50000. We had paid Visa fees of Rs 10000+ 2500(Rs 12500 per person) to Agent for Visa processing. We got Visa for 6 months then. In 2022 Australia Government announced that all tourists Visa applied in 2020 and not used will be able to re-apply without paying any fees. So, this time we paid only 2500 per person to Agent for processing fees. We got Visa in May 2022 which was valid for 3 years.
· Tickets and Hotel Booking
As stated above I got my Australian Visa in May 2022, which was valid for 3 years, so I had ample time in hand to plan for my trip. Though the peak season for Australia Visit is November to February but my son who is in college has longer vacation only in June, so I had to plan my visit in June only for this reason.
Credit Card are not the preferred mode of payment for most of the people and even if people use credit cards, they don’t use it suitably and don’t derive its optimum benefits.
In February 2022 India’s leading Bank Axis Bank ltd announced a monthly bonus of 25000 Edge Points on their Magnus Card if spends exceeded by Rs 1 lac in a calendar month. On spending 1 lac one was anyway getting 6100 points. This offer was withdrawn by Axis Bank in July 2023. For 15-16 months I used Axis Magnus (and Reserve ) as my primary Card for spendings and earned about 7 lac points. The Said 7 lacs points were transferred to Singapore Airlines times to time at a ratio of 4:5 and I had about 5.67 lac points in my Singapore Airlines account.
IN March 2024 I Started to finalise my Australia Trip with tickets and Hotel Bookings.
So I booked Kolkata to Perth tickets (3-hour layover at Singapore) in Business Class with points in my account. I had to spend 1.10 lac points on each ticket and about Rs. 4750 as taxes on each ticket. Both Flights from Kolkata to Singapore and Singapore to Perth were A350 aircraft and tickets were booked in Business Class for both sectors.
Revenue Rates for the same would have been by Rs 1.20 lacs per ticket but I had paid less than Rs 5000 as taxes on each ticket.
Return Ticket
There is a drawback on Singapore Airlines where you can book Return tickets via points from the same points, but you cannot book Multi City tickets burning your Miles/Points. As we had planned to visit Melbourne and Sydney and take return flight from Sydney, we could not book Return Journey tickets, but we had to book separate PNR tickets.
Sadly, Business Class tickets were not available for Sydney to Kolkata journey, and we had to book in Economy class for the same. We had two options either to take normal layover flights at lesser points value or to take 1-3 days halt at Singapore in same tickets at a higher point value. So, for Return Journey we booked Sydney to Kolkata with 2 days halt in Singapore. The PNR for both leg of the journey was same with Check-in luggage also handed over to us at Singapore Airport.
Revenue Rates About 70000 for same day flights on both sector with no option for 2-3 days transit at Singapore. We booked our tickets at 75000 Miles per ticket and about Rs. 10700 as Taxes on each ticket. Our flight had 2 days transit at Singapore.
Sector Tickets
1. Our first journey was Perth to Melbourne. We booked this ticket through Revenue on Qantas and paid Rs 19000 on each ticket.
2. Our Second Journey was from Melbourne to Sydney. We booked this flight on Virgin Australia but through Singapore Airlines Partner Airlines Program. I had already exhausted my Singapore Airlines Miles but transferred approximate number of points from Axis Bank to book this ticket. Revenue Rate for this ticket was about Rs 5500-6000 per ticket but we used about 12000 points per ticket and Rs 1850 as taxes on this ticket.
Hotel Booking through Marriot Bonvoy points acquired through my Amex Platinum Charge Card.
1. Our first destination was Perth but my sister lives there, so we did not had to book any hotel for our stay at Perth.
2. Our Second Destination was at Melbourne we postponed the booking of the hotels till May. One reason was that I had exhausted all my Marriott Bonvoy points and was waiting to accumulate some Points in AMEX. IN May after transferring all my AMEX points I was still short of some points so used some Cash + points option. I booked W Melbourne for 3 nights for 146000 points and 300 AUD cash. We booked Mega room revenue rates for the same is AUD 452 per night. For 3 nights the revenue rates would have been Rs 78000 but we paid Rs 17000 only towards the same.
3. Our 3rd destination was Sydney and we booked Marriott Hotel IN Circular Quay mainly for the location. We paid 212000 for 4 nights stay at this hotel and no cash. The Revenue rates for this hotel for the room we booked was Rs 25000 per night.
4. Singapore Hotel for 2 days transit. Many hotels in Singapore do not provide triple occupancy rooms so we had no option in most of the Marriott Hotels. The ones which were providing triple occupancy were demanding too many points which I did not had in my account. So, I booked Village Hotel Albert Court through Make my trip app at Rs 29000 for two nights on triple occupancy with breakfast. We got some discounts through Makemy trip as initially the booking amount shown was Rs 36000.
Ticket Rates (Approx) for a family of 3 Adults and room rates at actual Revenue rates.
DETAILS | REVENUE RATES PER TICKET | AMOUNT PAID | BENEFIT AMOUNT FOR 3PAX |
KOLKATA TO PERTH (Business Class) | 120000 | 0 | 360000 |
MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY (Economy) | 6000 | 0 | 18000 |
SYDNEY TO KOLKATA (Economy) | 80000 | 0 | 240000 |
MARRIOTT SYDNEY 4Nights, Opera House View. | 100000 | 0 | 100000 |
W MELBOURNE, 3 Nights, City View, Corner Room. | 78000 | 17000 | 61000 |
Amount Saved | 779000 |
Lounge and Hotel Reviews
· Kolkata Airport (International) Lounge
AT the time of Check-in at Singapore Airlines counter we were given 3 lounge Passes to access Premium Segment of Lounge near Gate 10 at Kolkata Airport as we were travelling by Business Class.
AT the time of Check-in at Singapore Airlines counter we were given 3 lounge Passes to access Premium Segment of Lounge near Gate 10 at Kolkata Airport as we were travelling by Business Class.
The Lounge has two segments first is in front of Gate 10 which is accessed by Normal Card Holders and the second segment is on Mezzanine Floor just above the ground level which is accessed by Business Class and Premium Card holders.
The lounge has no feel of an international Airport lounge. In fact Lounge at Kolkata Airport in Domestic is much better. Kolkata Domestic Airport has two Lounges and both are better than this lounge. The spread has some items less than Domestic Lounge. The Taste was good for most items. THIS LOUNGE NEEDS A HUGE MAKEOVER TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LOUNGE.
The Lounge has two segments first is in front of Gate 10 which is accessed by Normal Card Holders and the second segment is on Mezzanine Floor just above the ground level which is accessed by Business Class and Premium Card holders.
The lounge has no feel of an international Airport lounge. In fact Lounge at Kolkata Airport in Domestic is much better. Kolkata Domestic Airport has two Lounges and both are better than this lounge. The spread has some items less than Domestic Lounge. The Taste was good for most items. THIS LOUNGE NEEDS A HUGE MAKEOVER TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LOUNGE.
· Singapore Airport Lounge-Krisflyer Silver Lounge for Business Class
As we were travelling by Business Class we were eligible for Krisflyer Silver Lounge at Singapore Airport during our layover. Truly International Class Lounge with nice spread of food, fruits, salads. Tea, Coffee, Alcoholic beverages etc.
As we were travelling by Business Class we were eligible for Krisflyer Silver Lounge at Singapore Airport during our layover. Truly International Class Lounge with nice spread of food, fruits, salads. Tea, Coffee, Alcoholic beverages etc.
· Perth Airport Lounge (Domestic)
We did not access any Lounge at Perth Airport due to time constraints.
· Melbourne Airport Lounge (Domestic)
We accessed this Café called Biggie Smalls in Melbourne Airport. They have tie-up with Priority Pass network. This is a café and does not offer unlimited Food and Drinks. You can use your Priority pass membership and order food from their menu. Till AUD 36 they won’t charge you anything. If your order exceeds AUD 36, they will give credit of AUD 36 and you have to pay the balance figure. We first used one Priority Pass membership and ordered some food for us which was of bill value AUD 43. We paid AUD 7 towards the same. Then we used another Priority Pass card and ordered some croissant for takeaway. Our Bill was AUD 37 and we paid AUD 1 towards the same. Our third Priority pass card was not used at all.
· Melbourne Airport Lounge (Domestic)
We accessed this Café called Biggie Smalls in Melbourne Airport. They have tie-up with Priority Pass network. This is a café and does not offer unlimited Food and Drinks. You can use your Priority pass membership and order food from their menu. Till AUD 36 they won’t charge you anything. If your order exceeds AUD 36, they will give credit of AUD 36 and you have to pay the balance figure. We first used one Priority Pass membership and ordered some food for us which was of bill value AUD 43. We paid AUD 7 towards the same. Then we used another Priority Pass card and ordered some croissant for takeaway. Our Bill was AUD 37 and we paid AUD 1 towards the same. Our third Priority pass card was not used at all.
· Sydney Airport Lounge (International)
We used “The Centurion “lounge of American Express Bank at Sydney International Airport. The Lounge is situated near Gate number 55-57, We had to claim Tax Refund which is near Gate number 10. Our Gate number was 8 so we had to walk for about 10 minutes to reach The Centurion Lounge. The lounge is truly worthy of a Centurion Lounge. I used my Platinum Charge card for 1 +2 Guest entry. (Though my wife also had Platinum Charge Card, but we did not use that). The Spread has enough fruits, Salads, Breads, Hot and Cold Beverages. The sitting arrangement and ambience all perfect.
· Singapore International Airport Terminal 3 (Marhaba Lounge)
We used our Priority Pass membership to access Marhaba Lounge at Singapore Airport Terminal 3. The Lounge has a very good spread for even Vegetarians like me. It has Soups, Salads, do it yourself Salad, Cut Fruits, Whole Fruits, Hot and Cold Beverages, Soft and Hard Drinks. Curries, Rice, breads. Everything is there. The lounge had less crowd. The ambience and feel is truly amazing and world class. If you are visiting this lounge dont miss the Honey and Lemon drink.
We used our Priority Pass membership to access Marhaba Lounge at Singapore Airport Terminal 3. The Lounge has a very good spread for even Vegetarians like me. It has Soups, Salads, do it yourself Salad, Cut Fruits, Whole Fruits, Hot and Cold Beverages, Soft and Hard Drinks. Curries, Rice, breads. Everything is there. The lounge had less crowd. The ambience and feel is truly amazing and world class. If you are visiting this lounge dont miss the Honey and Lemon drink.
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Part 2 will include Restaurant and Hotel Reviews, Airport Security Checks and Sightseeing places Reviews in Australia and Perth
Regards
Navin Agarwal
YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON
INSTAGRAM AT WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/SHOTSBYNAVIN
X AT WWW.X.COM/SHOTSBYNAVIN
View attachment 20240626_192448.jpg
View attachment 20240626_193002.jpgView attachment 20240626_192955.jpg
Part 2 will include Restaurant and Hotel Reviews, Airport Security Checks and Sightseeing places Reviews in Australia and Perth
Regards
Navin Agarwal
YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON
INSTAGRAM AT WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/SHOTSBYNAVIN
X AT WWW.X.COM/SHOTSBYNAVIN
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