Gardyloo

Well I won't get argumentative, but the LLONE4 Oneworld Explorer (4 continents, economy) is AUD60 more than the YRWSTAR1 for 29K miles. (Business class is AU$190 more on Oneworld.) Of course the OWE gets you lots more travel opportunities (including 4 flights within Oz that you could use over the rest of a year) while the Star RTW will be pretty well tapped when you get back. So frankly I wouldn't recommend making $60 the deciding factor.

Anyway, United is a typical "legacy" carrier - nothing special, not particularly comfortable in coach, but you won't perish. Much better for the longhaul portions of your trip would be Oz (SYD?) - Auckland - SF or LA on Air New Zealand, which has without doubt the best economy product over the Pacific, and not much of a penalty in mileage compared to United's nonstops.

USAir is another "legacy" outfit that, like United, emerged from bankruptcy recently. They merged not long ago with a regional carrier, America West, and are now trying to buy out Delta Airlines. Pretty unremarkable airline. Note Air Canada is also a Star member, so routings via Canada is also a possibility.

Getting to EDI, MAN or GLA from New York is tough on Star - either you backtrack to Chicago for Manchester, or you oversoot to Frankfurt then double back to Scotland. There are no Star member nonstops from New York to London.

As to which LA area airport, depends on what you want to see. LAX is probably the best bet as it's the most central, albeit crowded and icky. But without a car the other airports are pretty remote from most tourist destinations, except Orange County (SNA) relative to Disneyland, although it's not all that close.

Las Vegas to New York will be either to JFK or Newark; in general La Guardia doesn't handle long-distance flights.

Happy planning!

pollyvw

This is a very interesting question and you have received wonderful suggestions. I would like to hone tovarich's idea by suggesting that you fly into LV, visit with your friend. The two of you can use your friends auto to tour the parts of Arizona and Utah that tovarich mentioned. That should give you enough time to establish a comfort level with driving on the 'wrong' side of the road should you decide to rent a car and follow the suggested route. I'm thinking you will have much more spontaneity with an auto and it will take less planning/research.

eigasuki

Thanks for he info Gardyloo. You certainly know your stuff. I don't have a firm price on the Star Alliance fare yet as I don't have a firm itinerary.

I assume by 'legal' itinerary you meant a valid itinerary!? Are you sure there is no direct flight from NYC to London on any Star carrier?

As I'm a FF with Qantas my first inclination would be to do that as there is more flexibility as you mention. Not sure what you mean by; quote; including 4 flights within Oz that you could use over the rest of a year That certainly sounds very attractive. Is there a site to use to get a good quote on these prices other than the official Qantas one?

I'm starting from Perth BTW

Also, when is Labor Day in 2007? I guess that will make a difference to bookings - this is when the kids go back to school, is it not?

pollyvw

Labor Day is the first Monday in Sept and in many (not even most is my guess) localities it is when school resumes. In many parts of the country, school starts sometime in August.

Gardyloo

I assume by 'legal' itinerary you meant a valid itinerary!? Are you sure there is no direct flight from NYC to London on any Star carrier?

Yes, "legal" = "valid." Sorry.

No, United dropped JFK-LHR last year (to much gnashing of teeth) in favor of Washington DC - LHR, and they were the last NYC-London Star carrier. United still has plenty of planes that go to London, but from other places such as SFO, LAX, and especially ORD - Chicago. If you moved your N. America itinerary around, you could ride on Air New Zealand's LAX - LHR flight, which as I mentioned is the best economy service going.

As I'm a FF with Qantas my first inclination would be to do that as there is more flexibility as you mention. Not sure what you mean by; quote; including 4 flights within Oz that you could use over the rest of a year That certainly sounds very attractive. Is there a site to use to get a good quote on these prices other than the official Qantas one?

The Oneworld Explorer allows a fixed (maximum) number of segments within each continent visited - six in N. America (of which only one can be a transcontinental flight between certain city pairs) and four in all other continents, including the SW Pacific (Oz/NZ.) The rules mandate that once you re-enter the country of issue that you can't re-leave it, so in your case once you got back to Australia you'd need to stay there. However, if you hadn't used up your Oz flight allocation, you could use them when you get back (or before you leave, either way.) You're also only allowed one transcon in Oz (defined as PER<>SYD/MEL/BNE/CNS) except in a couple of defined cases such as returning to PER from Beijing or Shanghai or Mumbai. They love their rules at Oneworld.

I'm starting from Perth BTW

Right, so assuming your four continents are Oz, N. America, Europe and Asia (could be Africa instead of Asia, but must be one or the other) You could fly PER - SYD/MEL/BNE - USA, then up to 6 NA flights - NA includes US, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean) then to Europe for 4 more flights, then Asia for up to 4 more (wherever) and back to Oz. If you haven't exceeded 20 flights overall (contintal allocations plus intercontinental) you can use any remaining of your 4 Oz flights for domestic travel. Or you may have maxed out the other continents and just be left with someplace-PER for the last segment.

Also, when is Labor Day in 2007? I guess that will make a difference to bookings - this is when the kids go back to school, is it not?

Flight bookings are not usually that whacked for Labor Day, but hotels near kid-friendly places can sometimes be congested. You really need to be here in Seattle for Bumbershoot over that weekend, anyway. http://www.bumbershoot.org/

Gardyloo

Sorry, didn't answer your question re where to see prices.

Unfortunately Qantas took down its RTW pricing information last year, but it's still easily obtainable from travel agents or by phoning Qantas and asking for the "Oneworld Explorer 4-continent economy/business/first class fare." Note there will be something along the lines of 10% - 15% in fuel surcharges and various taxes added to the base fare, just as in all other airline tickets.

Economy RTW prices with both Star and OW ex-Oz have high and low seasons, generally matching major school holiday periods. You'd be in the low season given your proposed dates.

Today's prices off Sabre -

YRWSTAR1 - 29,000 mi - AUD 3069
LLONE4 - OW 4 continents, AUD 3129
YRWSTAR2 - 34,000 mi - AUD 3599

Note they usually re-price RTWs in Feb/Mar, so it's wise to lock in as soon as you can.

aileen679

I really don't know much about Australia, but from the pictures that I have seen, I wonder if you would find the Southwestern US states like Arizona, etc., interesting.

I would think the lush green mountains of the Pacific Northwest would be more interesting if you are interested in scenery. Perhaps even the Glacier National Park? Of course, an April trip would be better for that area.

Forget about trying to take a train or bus. It can be done, but you won't like it.

eigasuki

Thanks Gardyloo - that's interesting to consider.

Aileen, I think my queries about driving maay have led to some assumption about my plans that I certainly didn't intend. I have no intention of driving by myself all over Utah or Arizona or wherever. You're right, I've seen wide open spaces. My concerns were with getting around LA for which everyone says you need a car (ha, just like you would here where public transport is main for commuters to the city centre)

I'm trying to be a good Fodorite and not plan too many different places. So easy to fall into the "I've come all this way and "xxfamous sitexx is only xxx away.

So first Weekend would be 1st/2nd September, correct? That's good for me.

voyager61

Some of this has already been covered by previous posters, but I guess I would emphasize that the beauty of the Western U.S. will not be experienced from time spent in L.A. or Las Vegas. If you have any interest in nature or the outdoors, the Pacific Northwest, Yellowstone, the Utah national parks, parts of Arizona and New Mexico, and parts of California are all excellent choices, but driving a car is almost required, unless you take a bus tour. Since you're definitely going to be in a desert climate with Las Vegas, Seattle is a natural counterpart. Beautiful mountains, a lovely city, on the water, and the weather is usually great at that time. Even though you wouldn't have a car, you could still use transit, buses and ferries to get around. Whatever you choose, have a wonderful trip.

CecilBD

My thoughts would be that you have bitten off a lot (we had a visitor from Brussells who thought she could see the entire US in two weeks, and was totally dismayed when she arrived on the west coast. Decided it was so beautiful here that she forgot about the rest. Driving a car is perfectly safe, and should not worry. Why not take your time? Spend three weeks on west coast (northern California, Oregon, etc. are very unspoiled areas), then go east to Pennsylvania or New York state, or maybe to the South. There is little to in the heartland, very flat, uninteresting, i my opinion.

eigasuki

Thanks for all the input, even the ones who suggested I shouldn't see the things I'd planned but should do other things. You must be somewhat psychic because since my original posts, things have changed somewhat. because of family matters, I've had to shorten my trip from six to four weeks and move it later.

So now I will be leaving on the 21st September and will have to be back home of the 20th October, so I have had to cut out any concept of RTW and am at present costing all the various ways to do a trip which will include flying into San Francisco or Los Angeles, spending about five days in/near Vegas and then New York and east coast. This apparently places me in ideal foliage viewing time and of course, a long weekend.

A ticket I costed today will take me to San Fran and onto New York (and return) via Tokyo (I'd assumed via Sydney but this seems to be cheaper) It's on Northwest Airlines from Tokyo and probably Delta or Continental in the US. I would then have to get myself to/ from Vegas.

I thought of spending about three or four days in SF, hiring a car and driving down the coast via Monterey, Cambria etc, then some time in LA before heading off to Vegas. This part is a bit rushed at the moment because it would suit my friend better for me to visit Monday - Friday. I would then head off to New York and would like to spend a few days seeing the foliage.

Originally I thought to spend about a week in NYC and then head north to Boston and elsewhere. I would have about five days. Are there alternative ways to do this besides hiring a car? What would be a suggested itinerary that wouldn't involve too much driving. I'm normally happy to drive long distances but not on unfamiliar and hilly windy crowded raods (on the wrong side!)

Would it actually be better to do this first to miss the crowds esp on the long weekend or would that be risking being too early? Or maybe I can split NYC into two sections? I guess New York will be just as crowded on a long weekend or do locals go elsewhere?

Sorry to be so long winded and ask so many questions - everyone's been very helpful so thanks in anticipation

suze

I'll tackle the New England and foliage part. With 5 days I think it is too much to see both New York and Boston plus the countryside. That's fairly rushed. Do know that the states are small in size so to drive from NYC, up thru Connecticut, Massachusetts, to southern Vermont (as example) takes only 4 hours total time. I think the best way to see this area is by car, but I guess it would be possible to do some of it on the train, by bus, or on some kind of a tour. If you want to see fall colors, timing is tricky, as the "peak" is a bit different each year, and depends how far south or north you go which week will be the best colors.

One possible route, as example, would be a loop... starting from Boston, across Massachusetts and up into southern New Hampshire around Keene, over to southern Vermont like Brattlebor, back down the highway to Northampton in Western Massachusetts, and back over across Massachusetts to Boston to return the car.

eigasuki

Oopps - maybe I didn't express myself very well. I'd have about 12 days for the east coast - was thinking about a week for NYC and five days for seeing something outside the city - like Boston and foliage trip - a loop such as you suggested, suze, sounds like the kind of thing I had in mind, the actual route and like;y main places are the things I need to nut out They're mostly places I've never heard of. Thanks for the suggestions , sounds like hiring out of Boston would be more user friendly! Would one fly NYC to Boston or just as easy to train it?