Six top destinations

Hong Kong: £393

Cathay Pacific from Heathrow. Must be booked by September 30. Valid for departures between November 1 and December 7. Minimum stay three nights, maximum three months. ebookers (0870 8146024, ebookers.com).

Sydney: £499

China Eastern Airlines from Heathrow via Shanghai. Must be booked by September 19. Valid for departures until November 30. Compulsory, complimentary overnight stay in Shanghai on UK-bound flight. No minimum stay, maximum 90 days. Trailfinders (020-7938 3939, trailfinders.com).

Los Angeles: £359

US Airways from Gatwick or Manchester (same fare available to San Francisco). Must be booked by September 7. Valid for departures until December 16, then December 24-March 31. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum 30 days. Quest Worldwide Travel (0870 4423513, questtravel.com).

New York: £262

Kuwait Airlines from Heathrow. Must be booked by October 14. Valid for departures until October 31. No mnimum stay, maximum three months. Thomas Cook Flights Direct (08701 111111, thomascook.com).

Amsterdam: £58.10

BMI from Heathrow. Must be booked online. Valid for certain departures indefinitely. No minimum stay, maximum one year. BMI (flybmi.com).

Paris: £101.90

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

The pick of the rest

Casablanca: £187

Lufthansa from Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham or Edinburgh via Frankfurt. Must be booked by September 15. Valid for departures November 1-January 31. Minimum stay one Saturday night, maximum one month. German Travel Centre (020-8429 2900).

Auckland: £595

Cathay Pacific from Heathrow via Hong Kong. Must be booked by September 20. Valid for departures November 1-December 5. Minimum stay seven days, maximum one year. Travelbag (0870 8146544, travelbag.co.uk)

Rio de Janeiro: £506

Iberia from Heathrow, Manchester or Birmingham via Madrid. Valid for departures until November 30. Minimum stay six days, maximum one month. Journey Latin America (020-8747 3108, journeylatinamerica.co.uk).

Heraklion: £192

Monarch Airlines charter from Gatwick. Departs September 13 for seven nights. Avro (0870 458 2847, avro.co.uk).

And the rail alternative

Bordeaux: £99

Eurostar from Waterloo or Ashford. Valid for departures indefinitely. 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.