Sydney: £494:

Olympic Airways from Heathrow via Athens and Bangkok. Must be booked by March 28. Valid for departures until June 30. No minimum stay, maximum one year. Bridge The World (0207-734 7447).

Hong Kong: £351

Alitalia from Gatwick via Milan or Rome. Must be booked by March 31. Valid for departures until April 30. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Thomas Cook Flights Direct (0870 7520066).

New York: £167

Air India from Heathrow. Valid for departures until March 31. No minimum stay, maximum one year. Trailfinders (020 -7937 5400).

Los Angeles: £226

Northwest Airlines from Gatwick via Detroit. Same fare available to San Francisco. Must be booked by March 26. Valid for departures until April 5. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum stay one month. Quest Travel (0870 4445552).

Amsterdam: £87

British Airways from Gatwick. Valid for departures until April 12. Minimum stay two nights including a Saturday, maximum one month. Going Places Holiday Line (0161-908 7967).

Paris: £78

British Airways from Gatwick. Valid for midweek departures until April 5 (weekends £89). Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Thomas Cook Flights Direct (0870 7520066).

The pick of the rest

St Petersburg: £221

Czech Airlines from Heathrow via Prague. Valid for departures April 1 - October 31. No minimum stay, maximum. Travellers must be under 26 or students with a valid international student identification cards. usit CAMPUS (0870 2401010).

Kathmandu: £374

Gulf Air from Heathrow via Bahrain. Valid for departures April 28 -August 19. No minimum stay, maximum four months. Bridge The World (020-7911 0900).

Tenerife: £110

Monarch Airlines charter Manchester. Departs April 27 for seven nights. (AVRO 020-8695 4440).

Kuala Lumpur: £339

Royal Jordanian from Heathrow via Amman. Valid for departures May 1 - June 30. Minimum stay six days, maximum 45 days. Trailfinders (020-7938 3939).

And the rail alternative

Paris/Brussels: £70. Lille £60

Eurostar from Waterloo. Must be bought at least 14 days before departure. Valid for departures until March 22. Minimum stay one Saturday night or two other nights. Eurostar (08705 186186).

• 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.