Buys and girls, I am finishing to write up my routing possibilities to the Maldives via Asia and I hope that you guys will help me decide what my best options are.
It will probably be the longest post in this thread, so I am asking all of you to forgive me.
TIA.
I have all currencies.
Here it goes..
I have 2 priorities
1) Maximize our time in MLE.
2) maximize F cabins.
Now, I have to leave the Maldives Thursday to make it home to NYC for Shabbos. Would I be able to leave NYC the Motze Shabbos before and be in MLE Sunday night so I have a full Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday and some of Thursday in the Maldives that would be fine. But thats not possible... The earliest I can get to the Maldives would be Monday morning, and as much I wanna leave after Shabbos, I am not going to shlep to the Maldives for less then 3 1/2 days.
SO, I have to leave before Shabbos, stay somewhere in Asia for Shabbos so I can be in MLE Sunday afternoon/evening.
Now, if I ANYWAY have to be in Asia, why not explore Asia!
The first thing I have to look for, is a place where I can leave Motze Shabbos and be in the Maldives Sunday afternoon/evening.
I also want a place which is nice, as well as a place with some nice F cabins transiting that hub.
Now for where to stay is Asia? I don't know. You guide me based on all what you read here. But I would love to fly SQ R, MU R, EK F, CX F, EY F, KE F. Top priority now is MU R followed by SQ R and EK F
Here are some of my fantasies...
Option #1
Monday night JFK-ICN KE F, be Wednesday in ICN, Wednesday night ICN-HKG KE F, be in HKG till after Shabbos. Now getting to MLE is where this becomes complicated, CX has a direct flight Sunday which lands in MLE 8:45 PM which is no good because I am not in MLE until Monday morning, the only 2 other options to get me in MLE Sunday about 3:00 PM are QR via DOH and EK via DXB. Both don't have availability as of now.
for the return I would do MLE-SIN-PVG on SQ/MU (again no availability here) and catch MU R Friday morning 11:30 and land In JFK 2:30 (the zman is around 7:30)
Cost would be 160k KE miles for the KE and MU F/R flights plus HKG-MLE and MLE-PVG flights which Im not sure now how to book. (No availability yet)
Pros:
1. MU R (I fear that availability will be gone soon).
2. I get to check out ICN and HKG.
Cons:
1. Have to leave the Maldives Thursday morning
2. Im not set yet with the HKG-MLE and MLE-PVG flights
3. No direct flight from HKG-MLE and MLE-PVG.
Option #2
Starting with KE as above, but heading to PVG for Thu-Sun, (instead of HKG) im considering PVG rather than HKG just because QR has availability out of PVG to MLE via DOH and I arrive in MLE Sunday mid day.
Returning is the same as option #1
Pros:
1. MU R
2. I have flights (availability) from PVG to MLE
Cons:
As option #1 besides for that I a have flights with availability PVG-MLE (also I am not getting to see HKG?)
Option #3
Monday night JFK-ICN KE F, be Wednesday in ICN, Wednesday night ICN-SIN KE J, be in SIN till after Shabbos.
Sunday morning SQ J SIN-MLE, im in MLE 10:45 AM (YEY!)
Return as option # 1/2.
Pros:
1. MU R, KE F
2. Getting to see ICN and SIN
3. Im in MLE Sunday morning with a direct flight from SIN (YAY)
Cons:
1. Have to leave MLE Thursday morning.
2. Not set with MLE-PVG flights.
3. MLE-PVG is not direct.
Option #4
The outbound is the same as option # 3 the inbound will be EY F, leaving MLE Thursday
night! (or EK F if availability opens up)
Pros:
1. KE F, SQ J, EY/EK F
2. Getting to see ICN and SIN.
3. I am in MLE Sunday morning.
4. I don't have to leave MLE Thursday morning
5. All flights are set!
Cons:
1. Missing out on MU R
Option # 5
Monday night JFK-ICN KE F, be Wednesday in ICN, Wednesday night ICN-BKK KE F, be in BKK till after Shabbos.
Sunday morning PG J BKK-MLE, Im in MLE 11:30 AM (YEY!)
The inbound would be as option # 4 (EY/EK F)
Pros:
1. KE F, PG J, EY/EK F
2. Getting to see ICN and BKK.
3. I am in MLE Sunday morning.
4. I don't have to leave MLE Thursday morning
5. All flights are set!
Cons:
1. Missing out on MU R
I am considering either option 4 or 5
Any help/imput will be greatly appreciated!!!
ilherman