Six top destinations

Sydney: £499
Malaysia Airlines from Heathrow via Kuala Lumpur. Must be booked by March 15. Valid for departures until March 31. No minimum stay, maximum one year. Travelbag (0870 8901458, travelbag.co.uk).

New York: £184
United Airlines from Heathrow. Book by March 31. Valid for departures until April 10. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Quest Travel (0870 4423513, questtravel.com).

Hong Kong: £359
Malaysia Airlines from Heathrow or Manchester via Kuala Lumpur. Book by March 15. Valid for departures until March 31. No minimum stay, maximum one year. Bridge the World (0870 4441716, bridgetheworld.com).

Los Angeles: £224
United Airlines from Heathrow. Must be booked by March 31. Valid for departures until April 10. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Quest Travel (0870 4423513, questtravel.com).

Amsterdam: £68.40
bmi British Midland from Heathrow. Must be booked on line (£5 supplement if booked by phone 0870 6070555). Valid for departures indefinitely. No minimum stay, maximum one year. bmi British Midland (flybmi.com).

Paris: £59
British Airways from Birmingham. 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 Jose (Costa Rica): £464
KLM to Amsterdam from Heathrow, London City, Stansted and regional airports, then Martinair. Valid for departures April 16-June 30. Minimum stay six days, maximum three months. Trailfinders (020-7937 5400, trailfinders.com).

Tenerife: £99
Monarch Airlines from Manchester. Departs March 28 for seven nights. Avro (0870 0360116, avro.co.uk).

Venice: £96.30
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).

Beijing: £399
Malaysia Airlines from Heathrow or Manchester via Kuala Lumpur. Must be booked by March 15. Valid for departures until March 31. No minimum stay, maximum one year. Bridge the World (0870 4441716, bridgetheworld.com).

And the rail alternative

Paris/Brussels: £59. Lille: £55
Eurostar from Waterloo or Ashford (no advance purchase required but may not be available at last minute). Valid for travel from March 11. Minimum stay one Saturday night. 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.