Planning to go around the world – but don’t know where to start ??

[travelislife]

Don't spend 4100 on a oneworld ticket. I travelled for 2 and a half years only on one way tickets and I reckon it wouldn't have cost me any more than 2500 with 2 trips back to aus. Yes I was flexible and willing to connect through anywhere but if you aren't sure of your plans why restrict yourself now by locking yourself into an airfare.

 

[Point Hunter]

Don't spend 4100 on a oneworld ticket. I travelled for 2 and a half years only on one way tickets and I reckon it wouldn't have cost me any more than 2500 with 2 trips back to aus. Yes I was flexible and willing to connect through anywhere but if you aren't sure of your plans why restrict yourself now by locking yourself into an airfare.

I've certainly considered one-way tickets and simply booking as I go so as to retain flexibility and economise price. However, based on the searches I've conducted across several airlines, one-way tickets seem extroadinarily high priced. I'll certainly keep pluging away at it.

 

[Alanslegal]

I know you prefer to save the FF points, but 140K of them will get you a nice economy award that gives you 5 stopovers, using up to 16 segments, and a maximum travel distance of 35K miles. It is a good use of points IMO (though a J award would be better) and could easily fit your proposed/wish trip.

 

[Point Hunter]

I know you prefer to save the FF points, but 140K of them will get you a nice economy award that gives you 5 stopovers, using up to 16 segments, and a maximum travel distance of 35K miles. It is a good use of points IMO (though a J award would be better) and could easily fit your proposed/wish trip.

That sounds like a good deal. Do you know how to search, plan and book one of those multi stop economy awards? I'm going through the Q website now and am unable to locate it. Also, what is a J award? When you fly on a route that you've booked with points do you earn points for that segment?

 

[Point Hunter]

I find the problem with the one world planner is that you can't tick "flexible with dates" and it doesn't show prices. You end up picking all these flights and essentially plotting out a journey without knowing the cost until the end. It would be much better if it displayed cost so you could plan it more effectively and make more guided choices about the dates and flights.

 

[Cynicor]

I thought there was no flexible dates features because the price is fixed regardless of date? The only variable is taxes which are dependent on destination. You can vary the price by starting in a different country however. My brother investigated one of these but decided on a returnt to scl then left the return leg. Made his way up the continent then flew Mex-lax-lhr one way for only $900.

His trip is now in month 20 and using the one-way or return flights and skipping the last leg has given a lot more flexibility and is still cheaper.

 

[serfty]

That sounds like a good deal. Do you know how to search, plan and book one of those multi stop economy awards? I'm going through the Q website now and am unable to locate it. Also, what is a J award? When you fly on a route that you've booked with points do you earn points for that segment?

Just start booking an award and when you have select flight on two oneworld airlines other than Qantas it automatic converts to a oneworld award.

 

[Cynicor]

And no, you won't earn points or status credits for the segments on the award flight. But it will bring the cost down to ~$1000 so it's a decent saving. Again, validity is only 12 moths AFAIK. The J award is a business class version, and costs around 240000 points. If you want more than 5 stops and more flexibility best to pay for a ticket.

 

[drmikki]

Note also that Star Alliance do a RTW fare based on miles, with a "Special economy" fare for 26000 miles - according to their planning tool your itinerary is 25,898 That may depend on routing though, so often some fiddling of routing and destinations is needed. *A don't have great middle east coverage though.

Plugging in your destinations, it gives a rough quote of AUD$23028 including taxes. That was based on 4 adults and 1 child - I took a stab in the dark at 1 of the 3 kids being under 11, which is their cutoff. You can book on their website apparently, although if you haven't done this kind of trip before a good agent will be of great benefit.

Just giving you an alternative option to oneworld to think about!