Six top destinations

New York: £204
Northwest Airlines from Gatwick via Detroit. Must be booked by April 20. Full payment required when booking. Valid for departures until April 30. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Airline Network (0870 2349915).

Sydney: £529
Gulf Air from Heathrow via Bahrain and Singapore. Must be booked by April 30. No minimum stay. All travel must be completed by June 30. Quest Worldwide Travel (0870 4423513).

Los Angeles: £289
Northwest Airlines from Gatwick via Minneapolis. Must be booked by April 20. Valid for departures until April 30. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Trailfinders (020-7938 3939).

Hong Kong: £320
Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow. Must be booked by April 18. Full payment required when booking. Valid for departures until June 17. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. Airline Network (0870 2349915).

Amsterdam: £55.40
BMI from Heathrow. Must be booked online. Valid for departures indefinitely. No minimum stay, maximum one year.

Paris: £98.80
British Airways (0870 8509850) from Manchester. Must be booked online (£15 supplement if booked by phone). Valid for departures indefinitely. No minimum stay, maximum one year.

The pick of the rest

Perth: £499
Malaysia Airlines from Heathrow via Kuala Lumpur. Must be booked by April 21. Valid for departures until June 15. No minimum stay, maximum one year. Travelbag (0870 8146544).

Johannesburg/Cape Town: £395
Qatar Airways from Heathrow, Gatwick or Manchester via Doha. Valid for departures until June 30. Minimum stay three days, maximum two months. Quest Worldwide Travel (0870 4423513).

Bangkok: £342
Etihad Airways from Gatwick via Abu Dhabi. Must be booked by May 18. Valid for departures until June 30. No minimum stay, maximum 30 days. Opodo (0870 2417051).

Dublin: £53.75
BMI from Heathrow. Must be booked online. Valid for departures indefinitely. No minimum stay, maximum one year.

And the rail alternative

Cologne or Aachen: £69
Eurostar (08705 186186) from Waterloo or Ashford to Brussels, then Thalys or German Railways ICE high speed train. Must be booked at least three days before departure. Minimum stay one Saturday night.

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.