SkyTeam member Saudia has an amazing business class fare of $734 from Madrid to Bangkok that’s widely available. The price drops even more if you have young children traveling with you.
Key details of fare basis JOWES:
- No day or season restrictions
- One stopover permitted each direction for $200 each
- Children under 12 are 25% off when accompanied by a passenger 16 or older
- Generally no change fees, though certain changes can cost EUR50, and fare appears refundable
This service is non-daily, but available whenever the connection works via Jeddah (slightly higher via Riyadh):
There’s a similar fare available for the return, and today I also learned that Saudia flies Malaga – Madrid. That’s only for picking up passengers in Madrid enroute back to Saudi Arabia, they do not sell the local service.
The Saudia business class seat on their Boeing 787 is the same as you’ll find on the American Airlines Boeing 787-9 and many Boeing 777-200s, the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond. You’ll earn 100% of flown miles crediting to Delta or 175% of flown miles crediting to Air France KLM Flying Blue.
(HT: Addam S.)
@ Gary — Given that Delta awards only 20% MQD, this doesn’t strike me as such a great deal for US-based readers. Once you add the cost of getting to MAD, the deal is meh. Unless I am missing something here…
Have to fly on Saudia =/= amazing
Booked it for an MQD run, thanks. I booked on KLM, but AF also available. Gives you a much longer flight to sleep and 40% MQD vs. 20% for Saudi’s.
Oh I would not position to Europe for this fare but if you are going to be in Europe anyway…
Not amazing. Ridiculous that this warrants a blog post.
Saudia is a dry airline, if that matters to you.
Gary
$788 from ARN-BKK one-way in business 7 July on Lufthansa
Even better is $584 from ATH-BKK one-way in business 7 Jul on Saudia
@Omar let Gary post what he wants. It is his blog. Your comment “Omar says: March 23, 2022 at 6:45 pm Not amazing. Ridiculous that this warrants a blog post” is not welcome. Please refrain from posting useless nonsense. Just stop reading the blog if you feel compelled to write useless nonsense. Please. Thank you.
@Gene you wrote “…Unless I am missing something here…” yes you are missing something here. This blog is read all over the world. There is no need for you to write what you wrote. Just leave it alone and stop complaining.
All you people: this is Gary’s blog. Stop complaining. It is a real downer when y’all just pick everything Gary writes apart. Please go away. Let the blog live in peace. Stop all the hate. Please.
No liquor would spoil it for me and who wants to layover in Jed for 5 hours on the way back.
I booked the Finnair MAD-BKK business class fare and I live in Austin. I was able to confirm SWUs on AA to and from MAD, so yeah, I think fares like this are useful to people in the USA.
I am looking for MQD runs to credit to Delta . I am a diamond but since Am is not offering USA to abroad, it’s becoming really difficult.
Any shared sky team runs preferably out of jfk would be greatly appreciated.
Not to dangerous countries.
Thank you so much
The fares gone now but thanks for the heads up !
a reader from Spain.