Six top destinations

Sydney: £534

Japan Airlines from Heathrow via Tokyo. Must be booked by February 28. Valid for departures until March 31. No minimum stay, maximum one year. Bridge the World (0870 4441716, bridgetheworld.com).

Hong Kong: £375
Lufthansa from Heathrow, London City, Manchester, Birmingham or Edinburgh via Frankfurt. Must be booked by February 28. Valid for departures until March 31. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Quest Travel (0870 4423513, questtravel.com).

New York: £185
American Airlines from Heathrow. Must be booked by February 25. Valid for departures until March 31. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Britannia Direct (0800 000747, BritanniaDirect.com).

Los Angeles: £231
American Airlines from Heathrow. Must be booked by February 25. Valid for departures until March 31. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Trailfinders (020-7937 5400, trailfinders.com).

Amsterdam: £63
BMI British Midland from Heathrow. Must be booked online (£5 if booked by phone 0870 6070555). Valid for departures indefinitely. No minimum stay, maximum one year. BMI British Midland (flybmi.com).

Paris: £69
British Airways from Manchester. Must be booked online (£10 supplement by phone 0845 7733377) and at least 30 days before travel. Valid for departures indefinitely. British Airways (ba.com).

The pick of the rest

San Francisco: £220
Northwest Airlines from Gatwick via Detroit. Must be booked by February 28. Valid for departures until April 10. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Thomas Cook Flights Direct (0870 752 0066, thomascook.com).

Santiago: £491
Aerolineas Argentinas from Gatwick via Madrid and Buenos Aires. Valid for departures until March 31. Minimum stay five days, maximum one month. Trailfinders (020-7937 5400, trailfinders.com).

Lanzarote: £139
Monarch Airlines charter from Gatwick. Departs February 27 for seven nights. (0870 0360116, avro.co.uk).

Nice: £86.80
BMI British Midland from Heathrow. Must be booked on line (£5 if booked by phone 0870 6070555). Valid for departures indefinitely. No minimum stay, maximum one year. BMI British Midland (flybmi.com).

And the rail alternative

Paris/Brussels: £70. Lille: £60
Eurostar from Waterloo or Ashford. Same-day weekend return fare. Valid for Saturday and Sunday departures. Eurostar (08705 186186, eurostar.com).

· NB Fares can change rapidly. These were available in reasonable quantities at the time of writing, but they can sell out in a sudden rush.