Round The World

[leny]

I have never done it, or even THOUGHT about doing it till this day, because I though it was going to be really expensive - but it turns out it's not!

I am wanting to go from BNE rtw with a 2-3 month stay in PRG (Prague Czech Republic), and not overnights anywhere else except for maybe London.
I am wanting to prefferably do this on OW (whcih means mainly QF and BA). Points and SCs are earned as usualy right? Is there a way to get silver status from one rtw trip?
I am hoping to avoid the 12 hr trip from SIN - LHR..is there any way to avoid it? I really hate it and it's just too much for me.
I'm also hoping to get as many flights as I can

Does anyone have any suggestions? This is a long awaited family visit which is why I want to stay in PRG for 2-3 months.
Any suggested itineraries?

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[Dave Noble]

If you buy an Around the world ticket , you will need to go one way via the Pacific ( such as via USA ) which is a lot further than up through Asia and can be longer than the 12 hour LHR-SIN sector

Depending on the route you might be able to get silver status; if you want status then an AA candy steal would be perfect ; fly MEL-SYD. SYD-JFK on the AA flight numbers and you will be Platinum ( OW Sapphire ) after the 2nd flight which beats QF Gold ( OW Ruby ) and gives you lounge access on the rest of the trip. Alternatively SYD-HNL-ORD-LHR on AA would give platinum on arrival in London

If your aim is just to go to PRG, I would suggest that a simple r/t Oz-PRG would likely be cheaper; may even be able to get there in World Traveller Plus for a similar cost to an ATW and get there in a lot more comfort. Status credit wise, it earns full SCs, so should be able to get Silver or v close

Dave

 

[leny]

Wow thanks Dave Would I get AA platinum just for flying SYD-JFK (is that return?)
I would really like to do an ATW/RTW and could even take the 12 hour flights then..

 

[Dave Noble]

Wow thanks Dave Would I get AA platinum just for flying SYD-JFK (is that return?)
I would really like to do an ATW/RTW and could even take the 12 hour flights then..

Not just SYD-JFK... You would have to take a connecting flight to SYD on an AA flight number to do it (e.g. MEL-SYD-JFK). SYD-JFK is approx 9950 miles so just less than the 10,000 needed to complete the challenge

It is worth doing a connection to the SYD-JFK flight since you will get the 100% mileage bonus on the flight which completes the challenge, so would earn 500 for MEL-SYD, 9950 SYD-JFK plus 9950 Platinum bonus = 20400 miles earned ( enough for a round trip from anywhere in Australia to anywhere else in Australia/New Zealand ) .

Once You have platinum status, get your FF number removed and readded to your booking and you will then have access to pre-select exit row seats on remaining AA flights plus also pre-select seats on any BA sectors you have

Dave

 

[leny]

How come I would only need 10 000 miles to qualify for Platinum?

 

[leny]

And if I did just do a return flight from BNE (which I will most likely do) - is there a way to avoid the SIN to LHR flight? Could I stopover somewhere in between or would I just have to withstand that one

 

[sparoy]

Once You have platinum status, get your FF number removed and readded to your booking and you will then have access to pre-select exit row seats on remaining AA flights plus also pre-select seats on any BA sectors you have

Dave

What would be the correct procedure to get your AA FF number removed and readded to your booking?

 

[leny]

What would be the correct procedure to get your AA FF number removed and readded to your booking?

To ring up the AA call centre or I guess you could do it at the airport.

 

[Dave Noble]

How come I would only need 10 000 miles to qualify for Platinum?

If you pop into the AAdvantage forum and there is a sticky thread about the Platinum Challenge which should hopefully answer most questions.

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...ntage/aa-platinum-challenge-mileage-8595.html

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

And if I did just do a return flight from BNE (which I will most likely do) - is there a way to avoid the SIN to LHR flight? Could I stopover somewhere in between or would I just have to withstand that one

On a RTW ticket you could break up asia->europe into shorter flights, however this may not be what you want when you realise what it entails. Eg CX HKG-BOM-DXB connecting to BA DXB-LHR (not sure how well they connect). Shorter flights but nasty connections, middle of night transfers and takes twice as long. Further, if you want to break the trip with a stopover in BOM you need a visa (assuming on Australian passport).

Across the pacific no such options exist on a xONEx. The best you can do is via AKL but this still means 12+ hours in a single flight.

 

[Dave Noble]

Across the pacific no such options exist on a xONEx. The best you can do is via AKL but this still means 12+ hours in a single flight.

SYD-HNL-LAX v/v provides shorter flights

Dave

 

[Keith009]

Across the pacific no such options exist on a xONEx.

The transpacific could be broken up somewhat by flying AA to HNL, then QF to SYD and then MEL. QF HNL-SYD isn't daily though.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Apologies - I assumed HNL also 12+ hours from Australia.

 

[simongr]

JG - SYD-HNL 9hr 45mins per EF. Not sure for a two-three hour saving to LAX I would bother. It might be good if you could do something interesting but most of the destinations dont present more interesting options:

econ biz first Airlines Distance Description 
3782 8510 9455  3782 HNL-DFW 
4114 9257 10285  4114 HNL-KIX 
2555 5749 6388  2555 HNL-LAX 
4013 9029 10033  4013 HNL-NGO 
3816 8586 9540  3816 HNL-NRT 
4241 9542 10603  4241 HNL-ORD 
2399 5398 5998  2399 HNL-SFO 
5082 11435 12705  5082 HNL-SYD

Basically pretty standard destinations