Around the world Business class ticket!

[defiantforce]

G'day all
My Fiancé and I have been looking around for a good around the world ticket in business class for quite a while. However, we have yet to travel on any RTW ticket yet due to various reasons. But I think I’d open this new thread about RTW ticket in business class to discuss with other people’s experience. Hopeful this will allow a friendly sharing discussion WRT RTW flight in business class.
So far I shop around for RTW in business class and came up with a couple options/airlines possible (assumptions 4 stops travelling either east or west):
1. By far the best deal I have seen is either Swiss Airline or Lufthansa. Both come in at about 6k including tax & surcharges. I did some research; the reviews for Lufthansa are not so good online while Swiss airline is all thumbs up. My travel agent told me that the to/from Australia flight will be on Qantas business (as Swiss and Lufthansa does not fly from Brisbane), so it will be good for the QFF people amount us.
2. Another option would be using OneWorld RTW. The flight destinations are a lot more flexible you are not restricted on one or two airline routes. However, this comes at a price, the 4 stops business class starts at about 10k. (still a good value considering how much we pay for Europe RTN business)
3. I had a friend just got back on their RTW honeymoon (5 stopes and made their own way across North America) with Qantas/BA (note only those airlines, not OneWorld). They have flown eco class (they paid 5300AUD for 2 all included), however, the travel agent also give them business class quotation, it come in about 8k including tax & charges
4. I also research into the Star alliance RTW business class ticket. It is more expensive than OneWorld and came in at around 10k as well. Skyteam has TW business class ticket as well; however, I didn’t get any quote for them. I believe Virgin is starting their RTW as well.
Let’s face it! RTW business class tickets are an amazing deal compare with any business class single/return ticket. However, it is still a big investment (especially travelling with your love ones). So I put it out to you guys to share any experience in the following area WRT RTW travel in business class:
· Pricing for RTW business class ticket
· Restriction on these tickets
· Airline experience in terms of
o Business class seats onboard service (including IFE)
o Staff performances (on the ground and in the air)
o Lounges and extra service provided by the airline
o Overall experience
· You overall recommendations and anything you want to add
Please post down below so we can all share your experience and benefit from it.
Thank you all in advance
Kind regards

Big Kev

 

[simongr]

2. Another option would be using OneWorld RTW. The flight destinations are a lot more flexible you are not restricted on one or two airline routes. However, this comes at a price, the 4 stops business class starts at about 10k. (still a good value considering how much we pay for Europe RTN business)

Note it is a 4 continent ticket - not 4 stops and you can have 16 flights.

 

[defiantforce]

Note it is a 4 continent ticket - not 4 stops and you can have 16 flights.

Hi simongr

My bad, thanks for the pick up! thats what I meant

Cheers

Big Kev

 

[serfty]

Of course, with a bit of creativity you can start a DONE4 from Auckland and pay a base fare of NZD12,499 (~AUD9,500). That's ~AUD2,200 less then ex Oz.

 

[Danger]

So I put it out to you guys to share any experience in the following area WRT RTW travel in business class:
· Pricing for RTW business class ticket
· Restriction on these tickets
· Airline experience in terms of
o Business class seats onboard service (including IFE)
o Staff performances (on the ground and in the air)
o Lounges and extra service provided by the airline
o Overall experience
· You overall recommendations and anything you want to add

I can only comment on the oneworld Explorer (round the world) fare (and oneworld itself, rather than Star). I'm currently on my second DONE4 (oneworld Explorer four continent business class ticket), ticketed ex-Johannesburg. With the current exchange rate you can do a DONE4 ex-JNB (or Windhoek, Namibia) for less than AUD8000 including taxes. The hurdle, of course, is getting to and/or from South Africa. That said, V Australia now fly there and you can use QFF points, either on QF ex-SYD or SA ex-PER.

The oneworld Explorer ticket is intricate and has lots of rules although they generally aren't very restrictive and by the sounds of what you're suggesting, shouldn't be a problem. Visit the oneworld website here and scroll down to the rule sheet (pdf file below the fare estimate heading) for the rules in all their detail.

Oneworld has some excellent lounges and some not so great ones to balance things up. The better lounges are, predictably, in each airline's hub/s. (There is a thread on this around here.) To my mind, the best of them (business wise) can be found at Heathrow (BA), Hong Kong (CX) and a few Qantas ports such as Melbourne, Sydney, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore (from my experience anyway, although none of it particularly recent unfortunately).

Staff wise, CX are exceptional, it would seem. QF staff are also generally well regarded, I believe, particularly on long haul. I find AA staff, while friendly, not of the calibre of QF. BA staff are also great.

Seating, the business class seats on QF's A380 (when they're flying) are very nice, as are BA's seats. I don't have a problem with CX's herringbone style that is now on the way out and has been subject to much critiscism, although I can see how they could be considered restrictive for larger folk. I would avoid AA business long haul where possible as they don't have fully lie flat, as far as I know.

On the topic of AA, note that within the continental US, AA generally operates two class aircraft: coach and first. If I remember correctly, this means that even on a oneworld Explorer business class ticket, you will be booked into and fly coach when they don't have a business cabin.

To maximise your QFF points, book on QF, BA or AA flights where possible. Additionally, codeshares also maximise the points. For example, CX fly JFK-HKG but booking on the AA codeshare will earn you more QFF points (as your status climbs).

There's a wealth of information on here and I'm by no means an expert. Post your questions and the answers will come!

 

[serfty]

...
On the topic of AA, note that within the continental US, AA generally operates two class aircraft: coach and first. If I remember correctly, this means that even on a oneworld Explorer business class ticket, you will be booked into and fly coach when they don't have a business cabin. ...

Two "cabin" AA domestic flights have First and Economy classes.

DONEx book into First class (A) on these flights unless there is no A available (A0) then they book into economy (L).

Can be anice little earner with 6 USA segments booked into FIRST class on a business class ATW. e.g -ORD-LAX-DFW-ANC-DFW-SEA-JFK- earns 810 SC's.

 

[Danger]

DONEx book into First class (A) on these flights unless there is no A available (A0) then they book into economy (L).

Why didn't I know that? That's exactly what's happening to me now! Thank you for the correction.

 

[defiantforce]

G'day

Thanks people for sharing the information.

I just got off the phone with my travel agent. I believe SwissAir is doing a special for travel until Dec 2011 on Business class RTW ticket (mix with Qantas Economy leaving/returning Australia) the quote I got is 4.5k ish (4 continent). SOOOO tempted to just book the tickets now^^

I guess if you have some QFF point, you can still upgrade the qantas legs to business. it works out about 2k less per person. Good deal!

Keep up the discussion, this is good stuff!

Cheers

Big Kev

 

[Alanslegal]

I guess if you have some QFF point, you can still upgrade the qantas legs to business. it works out about 2k less per person. Good deal!

Not a bad deal at $4.5k but remember that just because one has QF points - doesn't guarantee the upgrade - it only gives you entitlement to enter the cabin upgrade lottery.

 

[defiantforce]

G'day

You are absolutely right, Alanslegal. Thats one thing I hate about QFF as Qantas will always try to sell the J/F seats before upgrading someone. and they do not notify you until just before check in (for successful upgrade that is). All other airline either confirms on request or notifiy you 24-48 hrs before hand.

So, on face value the mix class seems good, but in reality. the SwissAir all business class RTW are much better as both Qantas leaving/returning flights are long flights (since we are some far away from anywhere!).

Does anyone has any experience on Lufthansa or SwissAir business? I have only been in Thai, Singapore, Qantas and AA's J/F class!

Does any other airline do RTW in j class from somewhere else (ie departing Taiwan, Japan or BKK

PS. I almost book the SwissAir Bus RTW, but my Mrs said NO....so close....maybe next year!

Cheers

Big Kev

 

[suchidog]

Hi Big Kev,

Do you have any further details on that Swiss RTW business class fare?

Cheers,
Ben

G'day

Thanks people for sharing the information.

I just got off the phone with my travel agent. I believe SwissAir is doing a special for travel until Dec 2011 on Business class RTW ticket (mix with Qantas Economy leaving/returning Australia) the quote I got is 4.5k ish (4 continent). SOOOO tempted to just book the tickets now^^

I guess if you have some QFF point, you can still upgrade the qantas legs to business. it works out about 2k less per person. Good deal!

Keep up the discussion, this is good stuff!

Cheers

Big Kev

 

[defiantforce]

Hi Big Kev,

Do you have any further details on that Swiss RTW business class fare?

Cheers,
Ben

Hi Ben

Here is some more information RoundAbout Travel :: Business Class Deals - Swiss Airlines Business Class Round World

I would shop around on different travel agent ie escape travel, STA maybe they can do slightly cheaper and customise your itinerary

I hop this helps

Kind regards

Big Kev

 

[suchidog]

Thanks very much Big Kev

 

[markis10]

I can only comment on the oneworld Explorer (round the world) fare (and oneworld itself, rather than Star). I'm currently on my second DONE4 (oneworld Explorer four continent business class ticket), ticketed ex-Johannesburg. With the current exchange rate you can do a DONE4 ex-JNB (or Windhoek, Namibia) for less than AUD8000 including taxes. The hurdle, of course, is getting to and/or from South Africa. That said, V Australia now fly there and you can use QFF points

V are not flying there for much longer, so you will only have QF as an option.

 

[Eirinoula]

hello,
We have just returned from a business class RTW. It was a Lufthansa ticket. We travelled Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, United and Qantas. Let me say that every airline was fantastic except Lufthansa. They were appalling. The seats in Business class are old, and in such a way that they dont fully recline. We actually slipped down the seat. The food, service, everything was extremely so so. The Lufthansa service in Hong Kong, Frankfurt and Paris was appalling. We were stranded due to fog in Frankfurt, but that is another story. Enough to say that Lufthansa ground handling were no better than in the air. We were supposed to go to the USA. We were hearded all together, thousands of people and given a number. We waited for hours, while watching flights to the USA take off contstantly. That is onl part of it. The only plus from this delay was that instead of flying Lufthansa to the USA, we were put on United, which was a much better flight. Beware if you are going to fly Lufthansa.

 

[howiesue]

Regarding RTW in business class, I have discovered that using FF points incurrs substantial taxes on all OneWorld airlines EXCEPT AA which seems to have a policy of $2.50 per pax on all sectors. You can save a fortune by travelling AA when the lower standard of service doesn't matter or, if feasible, upgrade to 1st class for a few extra points plus only a $2.50 taxes/surcharge fee. Gotta be worth it when the alternative is often hundreds of $$ in taxes.

 

[drwtsv]

Hi,

I recently returned from a trip CGK/NRT/LAX/NRT/SIN/CGK that I booked with Orbitz. Initially I was pricing a business class fare but thought I would just check the first class fare and it was only $4900 per person, first class, on a mixture of airlines - Japan Airlines, ANA, United & Singapore Airlines. It was good to experience first class in a few of the different airlines. It may be a good idea to check Orbitz and see if any of their deals suit what you are looking for. The ANA Eticket was issued within minutes of me doing the payment and there seemed to be no restrictions on the fare as due to the volcano in Indonesia we needed to change to another airline and this was no problem with no additional charges.

 

[Tonyynot]

I have used this Swiss fare three times in the past three years and can thoroughly recommend it. I have used this ticket to travel SYD-LAX on QF and UA, BOS or YUL-ZRH-LCY-ZRH-HKG on LX and HKG-SYD on VS also in the other direction BNE-HKG on CX, HKG-ZRH-LCY-ZRK-JFK on Swiss and LAX-SYD on UA with not one problem.

There are a few drawbacks such as it is impossible to change after the first sector has commenced and there is a hefty charge for changing dates / times. If you are stopping in the eastern USA / Canada you have to pay for another ticket to fly across USA / Canada. If you use Qantas you may find yourself being charged an extra $600. But even so my three trips have each cost $4,000 less than the One World or Star RTW fare. The last drawback is having to overfly London to get to Zurich or Geneva and then return.

If you are going to central, north, south or southeast London or further afield I would recommend using London City Airport to save up to two hours. If travelling to east London or out into Essex, Suffol, etc using LCY can save up to three hours. To get from the plane to the Docklands light railway takes just 15 minutes and the same time to get from the DLR to the lounge (There is no business lounge at LCY)

 

[phil wratten]

Big Kev. You obviously don't work for yourself! Why wouldn't QANTAS try and sell business class seating before allocating available seating via upgrades. I am sure QANTAS share holders would like to think the company is being managed properly.

Further, my wife and I have upgraded numerous times on the Bris/LA leg, once Syd/LA, and once Bris/Singapore. On ALL occasions we new well in advance, 12 hours + of our upgrade. So what if we didn't find out a little closer to flight time...

I always put QANTAS as first priority when I travel as I have NEVER had a problem with them; my experience with another major carrier - totally different and it wasn't VIRGIN.

Regards Phil

 

[phil wratten]

Big Kev. I was amiss when I left out the LA/Bris upgrades - same deal - plenty of warning. BTW; our experience with another 'major' was on more than one occasion. To give you a couple of examples - flights cancelled without knowing about them till we lobbed at LA, bags gone missing on more than one occasion - yes they turned up. No system or airline is perfect as humans are involved! However, how experience with QANTAS is perfect to date and I won't be chasing cheaper tickets when they fly the route I want on the day I want. Regards Phil