RTW award flights itinerary questions

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squeeze72

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Looking for some advise and help from AFF who have managed to snaffle the elusive J flights using Krisflyer points RTW. Having finally saved up the 240k points each to fly RTW in J my husband and I are now at the planning stage and to be honest it's not as fun as I thought it might have been!

We know the rules of travelling in one direction, The Americas one way and Asia on the return, no backtracking. We plan on spending the majority of our trip in Europe (mainly Italy, and also Barcelona, and possibly Croatia) and UK visiting family and friends. We have no desire to go anywhere in America so looked at Argentina or Canada for up to 5 nights.

I know that the award flights show around 340 days before needing to book. If doing RTW and spending 7 weeks away the logistics of the dates on the way to Europe (which are very flexible) still being available when the award flights open for the ones we are trying to get the flights on the way back 7 weeks later are not likely. We were originally going to stop in Sri Lanka but due to the devastating news over the last few days and the smart traveller website stating not to go, we know insurance will likely not cover us. We again, are flexible on the way back on where we stay for up to 5 nights, probably Vietnam now, but open to change.

I've read tips on point hacks etc and got a limited free account with awardnexus but wondered if anybody had experienced using star alliance (krisflyer) awards to do RTW business? Airlines that are a 'must do' in J class? Good availability of award points, stopover places to visit. I'm finding Air New Zealand difficult to see award flight availability - are these the same as 'using Airpoints' that show as a payment option? How difficult is choosing these with Krisflyer? Melbourne to Buenos Aires is most effective via Aukland with Air New Zealand.

Do we have to nominate each stop at the beginning from phoning up or can we try and get the main long flights and then add some smaller internal Europe flights later (knowing that these are likely to be economy) to be included in the RTW tickets?

Just really looking for some pointers from those that have been there, done that. Long time lurker but very green when it comes to this.
Thank you in advance for some ideas of making this a reality.
 
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I am no expert on KF RTW awards but I offer the following comments:

Availability on SQ to Europe is generally far better than on Oneworld airlines, so if you are "very flexible" as you say, then I wouldn't get too worried about the availability for your first flights drying up before the others become available. Provided you are not wanting to fly at Christmas or school holidays, and are planning well in advance, you should be able to find something suitable.

Secondly, forget finding flights with Air New Zealand.
 
Thanks Jacques, Air New Zealand are half the flying time to Argentina at less than 14 hours...

Maybe we just suck it up and go via somewhere in America (LA which we've transited through before) and stay the minimum amount of time to transfer on to Europe? Or just do a return multi stop to Europe and use less points???
 
Perhaps list your travel dates, your starting city, and your top 5, must do destinations, and see what the brains trust can suggest?
 
When planning this kind of award you need to take what you can get. There is zero chance of getting anything to Buenos Aires with Air New Zealand, so you'll have to travel via North America. If you don't want to visit USA, you may get lucky and find something with Air Canada from SYD/BNE/MEL to YVR. Then you can fly from YVR (or elsewhere in Canada) to Europe with Air Canada, Swiss or Lufthansa (among others). Air Canada availability is rare but if you're very flexible and planning well ahead, you might be able to find something (e.g. leaving Brisbane on a Tuesday).

As Jacques Vert says, quite a few more options from Europe to Asia including with Singapore Airlines, and Asia-Australia on SQ shouldn't be an issue.

Before you call up, I suggest you use the various *A websites (United and Aeroplan, or the SQ site for routes using SQ metal) to search for award availability on each of the sectors you want to book. Then, plug the itinerary into the paid *A RTW tool to make sure it comes up as valid. If it's valid, there is availability on all the flights and you meet all of SQ's own routing rules for this award, you should be good to go. You do need to book the whole thing in one go when you call up.
 
Matt that's a great help. Shane about the zero chance to Argentina.
Jaques, leaving from Melbourne but will certainly look at Sydney and Brisbane too as Matt suggested.
Our must stops are Barcelona, don't mind where in Italy as we will tour by land so can fly in/out wherever,,,, looking like Rome and Milan are the best serviced, Manchester but could go out Heathrow at a pinch and then not too fussed if lots of choices via Asia.
So we just need to work out the best short stop in North America.
We are looking at May/ June which we will need to book soon, or August/ September. Will one likely have more chance of having seats? We know the European Cup will be on May/ June which could affect availability?
 
Quick question; do SQ RTW J tickets have to be available in the 'saver' category to be bookable or can you book the normal rate?
 
Sorry to re-ignite this topic, but does anyone know if the internal US flights on United (When booking a Busines class RTW redemption) need to be booked in Economy saver or is First Saver ok? I can't see any Business class flights from SFO to NYC or BOS (my two options). Assume this i because they call their Dom business "First". Also, I have been looking for weeks for date in may 2020 and have NEVER seen any First Saver fares. Is that normal and does that mean I will have to either settle for economy (never in America!) or pay for First class?
Thanks,
Peter
 
Sorry to re-ignite this topic, but does anyone know if the internal US flights on United (When booking a Busines class RTW redemption) need to be booked in Economy saver or is First Saver ok? I can't see any Business class flights from SFO to NYC or BOS (my two options). Assume this i because they call their Dom business "First". Also, I have been looking for weeks for date in may 2020 and have NEVER seen any First Saver fares. Is that normal and does that mean I will have to either settle for economy (never in America!) or pay for First class?
Thanks,
Peter

On 2-class domestic flights, I believe United's premium cabin is treated as Business for the purposes of award flights. However, finding award availability is almost impossible, as you've found.
 
Yep - not a saver reward in sight. Any suggestions for trans continental US? I'm starting to think I might just pay for that leg and call it a ground leg on my RTW ticket.
 
Yep - not a saver reward in sight. Any suggestions for trans continental US? I'm starting to think I might just pay for that leg and call it a ground leg on my RTW ticket.

Doing a surface sector is probably the way to go.

You could try seeing if you can get Air Canada availability from YVR to BOS/NYC? And then pay for a positioning flight to YVR. But that might be more hassle than it's worth.
 
For those that are interested:
Just booked a RTW *A in J using my Krisflyer points
Itinerary in May 2020 as folloows:
SYD-ICN OZ602
ICN-SFO OZ212
surface sector (because United availability sux) SFO-BOS-NYC
EWR-LIS on TP202
LIS-BRU on SN3816
BRU-CPH on SN2263
CPH-SIN on SQ351
SIN-SYD on SQ211
Taxes were $554.70 SGD

The entire process took me only 30 minutes, and at one point the lovely lady helping me told me to hang up and go get a cuppa while she checked a few things, then rang me back with confirmations.

my only gripe is that the availability on the UA website is NOT what they see at SQ. They do, however, see options we don't see on the UA website, hence my EWR-LIS-BRU-CPH journey, which manages to get me where I need to be in J, with decent layover times.

Good luck to anyone else going for one of these. Really good value and thanks to AFF for enlightening me.

FWIW, my other option was SYD-JFK on SQ metal with a stopover in FRA, but it was 258K points with waitlisted saver availability on the outbound leg. Not ideal and more points.
Regards,
Peter
 
Well actually...........................
I think the Brussels Airlines flights above are in Y (although they have been ticketed as I).
Checked seat maps today and can only see economy seating.
Hopefully it means I get a bigger waffle on board or something.
Not complaining as it was the only option available at the time.
Anyone every flown on SN before?

Rgds,
Peter
 
For those that are interested:
Just booked a RTW *A in J using my Krisflyer points
Itinerary in May 2020 as folloows:
SYD-ICN OZ602
ICN-SFO OZ212
surface sector (because United availability sux) SFO-BOS-NYC
EWR-LIS on TP202
LIS-BRU on SN3816
BRU-CPH on SN2263
CPH-SIN on SQ351
SIN-SYD on SQ211
Taxes were $554.70 SGD

The entire process took me only 30 minutes, and at one point the lovely lady helping me told me to hang up and go get a cuppa while she checked a few things, then rang me back with confirmations.

my only gripe is that the availability on the UA website is NOT what they see at SQ. They do, however, see options we don't see on the UA website, hence my EWR-LIS-BRU-CPH journey, which manages to get me where I need to be in J, with decent layover times.

Good luck to anyone else going for one of these. Really good value and thanks to AFF for enlightening me.

FWIW, my other option was SYD-JFK on SQ metal with a stopover in FRA, but it was 258K points with waitlisted saver availability on the outbound leg. Not ideal and more points.
Regards,
Peter

Thanks for sharing the outcome, much appreciated. Have a fabulous trip!

We’re thinking of a combined US / Europe trip in a couple of years time, but I fear that booking an itinerary like that may be above my skill set & patience :-(
Perhaps I should start researching properly....
 
Happy to help, but it's pretty easy.
Use the Singapore airlines website first of all, primarily for flights on their planes.
Use the United airlines site for everything else.
I also use expert flyer to check overall availability.
Remember the rules (check the star Alliance sure) and come back here for help when you need it.
I was flexible on which way I went around the globe, which also helped.

One final tidbit. I could have gotten my transcontinental US flights under my award booking but it would have meant transiting San Salvador overnight and I want willing to do that for either safety or timing reasons.
Good luck. And please report how you go. Helps us all.
 
Well actually...........................
I think the Brussels Airlines flights above are in Y (although they have been ticketed as I).
Checked seat maps today and can only see economy seating.
Hopefully it means I get a bigger waffle on board or something.
Not complaining as it was the only option available at the time.
Anyone every flown on SN before?

Rgds,
Peter

Only longhaul in C back in the good old days of US Airways miles redemptions.... (Sniff....:() HOWEVER...given what "Euro-Business" is like on virtually all airlines, and the relatively short flights you are doing.... I'd suggest its not a GREAT loss to be in Y.... EDIT: Just checked the seat maps...looks like SN is the "blocked middle" Euro Business type of thing on their narrowbodies. If you can select a seat in the first few rows I'd imagine you ARE in that class....

Did you snag the good seats on OZ?
 
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I got row 3 on the first leg and row 2 on the second. I'll ring them when I get a few minutes to see if I can move to the "good" rows - and by good I assume you mean the window seats that are actually close to a window, with the pod on the aisle side?
Out of interest what do you use for seat map checking?
 
@pgsdiver did you have to wait until all the flights were available prior to booking with SQ. The reason I ask is that I am looking at F rewards from AU to east coast US east and coast CA and then back to AU. I can get AU-JP-US in F but that alone is 255000 KF miles, add a flight US-CA, east to west coast in CA and then back to AU the burn rate for the points is higher than the RTW. I would be ok with paying to get back to NYC and stay within the *A rules and then get on SQ back to AU via FRA.

When I rang SQ they informed me I needed to wait until all flights were released prior to booking rather than been able to add segments as the airlines release (e.g OW). Given the various release windows I am only assuming that most SQ and NH will be well and truly gone by the time UA opens up.
 
Yes, although I am doing my own thing between San Francisco and New York. I couldn't get what I needed from United. No business availability at all. I may call back and see if I can do it over the phone closer to my departure, though.
I think they want to see the entire itinerary prior to allowing you to book RTW. This is partly to check the routing and direction etc, I imagine.
 
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