RTW Question - What options do I have??

[BensAdventures]

I've got two trips planned for later this year. My preference is to stick with OW carriers as I'm WP and these two trips would get me a long way to retaining then renewing my status. My renewal date is between the two trips.

Currently one is MEL-SIN-HEL-SVO return (maybe a couple of short trips around Europe).
The other is MEL-LAX-ORD-MIA-MCO-LAX-MEL

I was wondering if there is anywhere in Asia I can get a positioning flight and make the trips into a RTW with MEL in the middle? I'm guessing not, but if I could combine the trips, it would make the budgets look a little nicer I think!

Currently I've got a budget around $12K total for both, but I have some flexibility there.

Thanks in advance!

 

[sergeyvzn]

I might be wrong but aren't you supposed to cross the Atlantic if going on a RTW trip? You'd need to get from Europe to US then (or vice versa) otherwise the whole thing won't work

 

[serfty]

I would suggest a oneworld explorer may be useful to you with a positioning trip LAX-MEL-LAX.

i.e. Two Bookings:

1. xONE4: MEL-SIN-HEL-SVO-[0 to 2 EUR segments]-LHR-LAX-ORD-MIA-MCO-LAX-MEL LONE4 is upgradeable and currently has a base fare of AUD3899.
   
2. LAX-MEL-LAX - this can currently be done in economy red e-deal for USD1200 or upgradeable (S) for USD1870.

Say you need to be in SVO in August and MIA/MCO in September. DO the red parts in August and the Blue parts in September.

If you want to travel Business/Club/First(AA) then DONE4's base is AUD11699.

Of course if you start and end in NZ with a $350 positioning return fare then the base LONE4/DONE4 costs are NZD3899 (~AUD2900) and NZD12499 (~AUD9200)

 

[BensAdventures]

Thanks Serfty!

I'll see if I can make it work!

 

[northrd]

Ben (?)
As I have just completed planning my second RTW trip I have a couple of tips

1. get a travel consultant to help you.
   Obvious, I know, but a good one can think outside the box and direct you accordingly.
2. avoid AA
   its not that they are bad but there are MUCH better out there (as I'm about to discover this time around)
3. play with the QANTAS RTW planner.
   not because it finds the flights but because it gives you a world perspective. can come in handy.
4. be prepared to buy short flights in europe
   they are dirt cheap and, if you bunch them together, constitute just one "ground" leg
5. think Business class
   yeah ... yeah ... expensive but damn good.
6. find out what visa requirements you need
   because if you have a long stopover in, say, Lima Peru (yep, like me) you can scoot over the road to the hotel without a visa and stay at the lounge bar until you next flight. Just like a business class lounge!

Ahhhh, you probably already know this stuff. But, I have picked up all these tips from this community.

Cheers
Ciaran

 

[Skyring]

1. avoid AA
   its not that they are bad but there are MUCH better out there (as I'm about to discover this time around)
2. think Business class
   yeah ... yeah ... expensive but damn good.

DONEs map into AA First, with bulko SCs. Make the most of those North American legs!

AA Business transatlantic is better than BA, IMHO.

Otherwise, aim for Cathay Pacific or Qantas - they are both excellent at the pointy end.

 

[BensAdventures]

OK. I've been playing with the OW RTW planner, working out my priority cities, and I've come up with the following DONE:

MEL-AKL (Positioning Flight)

Leave late August: AKL-HKG-HEL-SVO (Priority)-FRA (Priority) -ORD-LAX

LAX-MEL Return (Positioning Flights) Leave early September - Return Late November

LAX-STL-ORD (Priority)-DFM-MCO (Priority)-ORD-NRT-HKG-AKL, Return mid December

I've managed to get some good AA First bookings that will maximise my SC's which is great.

Now for the questions. I now exactly when I need to leave and when I'll be coming home in December, but some of the other details are still to be a little unclear. If I was to book it online through OneWorld, does anyone know how easy/hard it is change the bookings and what are the costs?

Also I've priced it up online and leaving AKL certainly saves me plenty. I can pay for both positioning fares and still be ahead compared to booking out of Oz. Is there any advantage booking it over the phone compared to online? I've checked and double checked my connections and given myself ample time in almost every connection.

Am I missing anything?

Thanks!

Ben

 

[serfty]

Book via AA, that way you can generally save in reduced Fule Surcharges (AA only charge for their own flights, QF, for example, have been know to charge for all flights).

See these threads on purchasing from AA "from" NZ (and some pitfalls).

• http://www.australianfrequentflyer....uestions-particularly-re-ticketing-23021.html
  
• http://www.australianfrequentflyer....tage/help-required-please-done4-nz-23199.html