Around the World Opinions needed
 

Yesterday, I visited the website www.airtreks.com. Their flash version on around-the-world tickets was pretty neat. Check it out!

I will be off next summer from June 1 until August 15 and instead of purchasing individual tickets to Europe and Hawaii (although I could go on different FF miles) I was thinking about getting an around the world ticket.

I called airtreks and spoke to an agent. She said the price would be around $3,150. Because I am a little rushed, stops would be in London, Bangkok, Cairns and Darwin, Hong Kong and San Francisco.

I was told it is too early to book for next summer and that I should call back in Dec./Jan. with a complete intinery as airline prices change daily.

Comments would be appreciated. Does $3,150 seem like a good price and do I have time to do this?

Coach or business/first?

RTW tickets are often excellent deals when you're flying business or first class. Economy, usually not.

The price was $3,150 for coach. I will consider business/first if the price is around $6,000 to $7,000. I was told the Business Class price is usually 2-3 times more than coach.

I did one in 2001 and decided to go with an airline--they all do these, they are just not part of their regular fare. Reason for this are the miles you'll gain for future use. With all the partnerships there would be few places you could not get to. When I went I had a theme: seeing the wonders of the world (since that is up to debate it's pretty easy to use that one!) Anyway I think price depends on miles and number of stops--only thing is you have to go in one direction.

RTW tickets are priced according to class of service and country of purchase/departure/return. In general the USA and Canada are more expensive origin points than most other countries, and in business/first the savings are usually more than enough to cover cost of getting to the RTW "origin" point. For economy bookings the UK is generally cheaper as a start point with both the Oneworld and Star alliances.

As for time, 6 weeks is more than ample (IMO.) Last year we went RTW including Oz and Africa in 6 weeks, and never felt rushed. But it's a case of personal style; YMMV.

Waiting until the first of the year might be a good idea, might not. One feature of alliance-based (not consolidator-based) RTWs is that they allow enormous flexibility - free date changes, low cost itinerary changes - so that if you get the ticket and make changes later the cost is around US$125 for a re-issue, i.e. something like 2% on a $6000 (business class, say) ticket. Whaddya think the odds are that the price of J-class airfare will go up 2% between now and the first of the year? Think it'll go down?

Check out the "global alliance" boards on Flyertalk for the best repository of knowledge on these complicated products.

Good information. I should research this with both AA, BA and Qantas. Thanks for your response.

Meant to add, Wally, that the Oneworld Explorer ticket (continent-based; you'd need 4 continents) allows 6 N. America segments (only one transcon nonstop though.) Business class RTWs put you in domestic FC if there's no J cabin on the plane (very few w/ AA domestic) so <s>$$$</s> ((D)). If you bought a J-class ticket in someplace less expensive than N. America (say Sweden) and did your trip W &gt; E, e.g. ARN-LHR-BKK-HKG-SYD-DRW-CNS-SYD-SFO, you'd have 6 N. America segments (including Caribbean, Mexico) to use before returning (within a year) to Stockholm to finish the loop.

Most people also find the OW Explorer helps amass mounds of miles and earn/renew status. AA Plat is easy with a 4-continent RTW; EXP possible but more complicated.

AA in the US knows the rules. BA is clueless since they zapped their RTW desk in Toronto. Flyertalk is your friend.

If you go with the first class then I suggest the *A around the world. Thai Airways will have an open bar at the Royal Orchid club, cocktails at boarding, another round before dinner, wine with dinner, shot of tequila or something during dinner, an appertif, another cocktail service and an open bar if you can still get up and walk by then. Maybe not exactly like that but pretty close.

If you have FF miles with AA you could also look at a oneworld multi-destination award. The extra &quot;cost&quot; of business class over economy is quite small. I've done this twice, and the Zone 6 award for 14,001-20,000 actual trip miles cost 130,000 FF miles in business vs 100,000 for economy.

mrwunrfl

You should work in sales because you just about sold me on that.

I called AA today and was told the prices is $4,100 for coach and $8,300 for Business plus taxes and fees of about $400 for coach.

This would be for 20 segments, four on each continent.

That's the price if you buy the ticket in the US. If you buy (J) in Gibraltar or Sweden it's around US$6100. Can you get to Europe and back for $2100?

Star RTWs are mileage based and discourage zigzagging. Plus I don't know of any *A carriers that go to Darwin.