Qantas stopover cities: Singapore rates ahead of Dubai, Hong Kong
By David Flynn, March 25 2013
Australian travellers rate Singapore above Dubai and Hong Kong as the most popular transit point or stopover city for flights to Europe, according to Qantas.
Singapore has long been the pivot point for Qantas' Kangaroo Route from Sydney and Melbourne through to London, but as of March 31st those Qantas flights will detour via Dubai as part of the Qantas-Emirates alliance.
Read: Qantas, Emirates reveal shared frequent flyer benefits
The airline polled travellers on their preferred stopover city and found that 64% put Singapore at the top of the list. Qantas claims this was followed by Dubai at 61% – a surprisingly high position, considering that at the time of the poll no Qantas flights were travelling via Dubai.
Hong Kong listed as the traveller's third choice for a transit or stopover, at 60%, followed by Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Most of those cities are already part of alternatives to the Kangaroo Route, especially Hong Kong, which is served by Cathay Pacific and Virgin Atlantic from Australia as well as British Airways on the London-Hong Kong leg.
Read: The other Kangaroo Routes – eight one-hop ways to get to London
What's your preference: if you're flying from Australia to Europe, which airport or city would you most like to be your stopover?
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 780
Singapore - what's not to like?
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
To be honest Singapore doesn't appeal to me much, it's fine as a stop-over in the airport but then so is Hong Kong. If you're to break your trip and go into the city then I suppose Singapore has enough to occupy you for a day with the shops and eateries and nice hotels but over-all I find it a bit boring and would rather spend a day in Hong Kong. The downside of HK is that it's not nearly as clean and orderly as Singapore and I suppose that is what a lot of 'stop-over' travellers want, something clean and easy and no hassle.
19 Mar 2013
Total posts 38
I would much rather stop over in Hong Kong than Singapore. Don't see the appeal of Dubai at all, except that it makes the first half of the Sydney-Europe leg longer and so when you get onto the plane for the second leg you're closer to your destination.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
So who from AUSBT is going on the junket this Sunday to test out QF's claims on DXB?
:)
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
We'll be there, no mistake! :)
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
Good to hear. I shall be devouring it as much as the pile chocolate eggs building up in my kitchen!
10 Mar 2011
Total posts 526
Singapore or Hong Kong for me are much better as a stop over point that Dubai... however I rarely actually stop over so I don't really care where the plane stops temporarily....
If it was possible, I would actually prefer a non-stop the whole way and avoid all of them totally!
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
I wonder if the QF economy catering from DXB will be any better?
Or will it still be the same old stodgy stew with a glorified sounding name on the menu! LOL
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Jan 2014
Total posts 5
The new Qantas catering from Dubai was not good, SIngaproe was much better. We were served a hummus wrap thing for supper at 2am and then a fritata for breakfast on arrival into london. Not impressive at all for a long haul flight
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Jan 2014
Total posts 5
The new Qantas catering from Dubai was not good, SIngaproe was much better. We were served a hummus wrap thing for supper at 2am and then a fritata for breakfast on arrival into london. Not impressive at all for a long haul flight
Qantas - Platinum One
18 Jan 2011
Total posts 82
Not sure how 61% can prefer Dubai and 60% can prefer Hong Kong if 64% prefer Singapore... these percentages don't quite add up!
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
I'd suggest that'd because they were rated by preference, not just a 'pick one' choice..?
19 Sep 2012
Total posts 11
Hong Kong all the way - can't beat a day in town for some quick shopping and some Cha Siu Bao!
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
That's something I like about Hong Kong, if you have a long stopover at the airport between flights, even on the same day, it's so easy to get into town on the Airport Express, do some shopping and eating, you can even vsit night markets if your flight from HK is late enough!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Sep 2011
Total posts 77
Bangkok, a brothel on steroids
03 Jan 2012
Total posts 96
I'm with Aus Flyer. When are we going to get an airline brave enough to do Australia to London non-stop? Then we won't have to put up with anywhere in the 3rd World. The Queen - who left Perth after here last tour of Oz in 2012 - did the trip non-stop on her BA-provided plane and was home with her feet in front of the tellie in a little over 16 hours. That's gotta be good!
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
Don't you think that if an airline could run a commercial Sydney-London non-stop service, they would already be doing so?
I've read somewhere that you can do non-stop on a commercial jet if there are almost no passengers and almost no baggage, but I don't think that would make it very profitable. I'm sure the cost of the Queen's "ticket" would be a lot higher than what any of us would be prepared to pay for a non-stop Sydney-London flight.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 455
You don't have to be a Genius to see why Singapore rates at the top.I have done 10 visits there over the years and always find something to like that's appeals each time.Add to that a really good transport system,interesting sightseeing plus the cleanliness factor and it makes for a pleasant stopover.I spent three days there coming home in 2011 from the UK and loved it.
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
I find three days is the limit for my time in Singapore, after that it's just boring, but yes, as a (very) short stopover there's no doubt it has a lot to offer. Clean and easy to get around, very true.
Malaysia Airlines - Enrich
24 Feb 2013
Total posts 3
but to me, Kuala Lumpur is the best stopover. Food, beer, wine and other stuff is very cheap. I can smoke freely without having fine by authority.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
Booze isn't THAT cheap in Malaysia. Smoking is cheap, though, but to me all three cities are fantastic.
I guess that's how I grew up, though, perpetually on stopover :P
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 455
Kuala Lumpur is Nice too.They have both the Twin Towers and the KL Tower.If you have a chance do one or the other It's worth it and there's a lot of other sightseeing offered if you book here before you go through the assorted brochures on Malaysia.Getting around isn't too complicated and it's affordable.Five days is more than enough to fit it all in.If I was to do another Europe TRIP again I would most likely stop there for something new even though I have been twice.
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
I think a lot of people are writing Dubai off without giving it a chance. I am a big Hong Kong lover (to the extent that I looked at moving there a few years ago), but stopped over in Dubai for the first time about two years ago and thought it was amazing,
That said, the new flights are not particularly well timed for business travel. I'll be going via Asia and getting a proper nights sleep on the plane if I'm just transiting between flights.
10 Mar 2011
Total posts 526
I actually think that Qantas should have kept their Singapore stopover. Why not partner with Emirates... Let Emirates do the routing via Dubai with a Qantas codeshare and Qantas keep the London via Singapore and have an Emirates codeshare. How good would that have been from an options perspective... Those who are just going to London can choose either routing... QF frequent flyers still benefit to Europe.... Those people who prefer a longer first leg go via Dubai and the others via Singapore. Covers all bases!
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 455
Me too.Just because Adelaide and soon Perth no longer are served Nonstop with Qantas up to Singapore doesn't mean they should have switched routings.Going via Asia for those of you who have done the UK/Europe run means on the second sector a proper nights sleep and depending on where you are starting from a decent transit stop.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Oct 2012
Total posts 133
The big probleme with Dubai I have found is that the locals are not so friendly. They push in lines at customs , first or business it doesnt matter, let alone waiting for a cab , I love the place but the people need to embrace tourists if it is going to be a viable alternative to the more friendlier Asian stop overs.
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