Post: #1

I am getting ready to purchase a RTW ticket, but I am seeing a lot of contradictory pricing. Do you really have to fly out of Tonga to save $3,000

I am trying to do something like this (or start in reverse):

LAX > Lima > Sao Paulo > Cape Town > Addis Ababa > New Delhi > Bangkok > Bali > Tokyo > Hawaii > Lima > LAX

Basically I am getting quoted like $7,800 out of LAX/Miami/Houston. I have heard of quotes like 5K (for 16 segments) on 4 hour work week. Also I think Lumiere said he got a RTW for around 5-6K USD. Am I missing something? Is it really that much cheaper to start out of the USA, and if so where is the best place to start considering I will have to purchase a ticket to get there from NA?

Any help would be much appreciated from you that have made the purchase.

Post: #2

RTW tickets are also something I have been looking at with a great interest and that's something I may well do in the short term future. You're right that it seems that leaving from North America may not get you the best deals. I keep on hearing/reading that out of London, even Bangkok, one can get a better deal. Maybe the guys from London can chip into that? Lumiere wrote that he paid about 2K pounds for his RTW ticket out of London. Is that right Lumiere?

On Star Alliance, using their online software, RTW leaving out of Toronto, I got quotes of 3-4K for economy, 10k for business and 12-14k for first class. This sounds too good to be true. Even at 14k for a RTW ticket including 16 segments all on first class is a steal.

http://www.staralliance.com/en/faqs/book-and-fly-faqs/

Anyone else in here other than Lumiere done a RTW? If yes, please share your story/experience here.

Post: #3

Just did a sample itenary using the Star Alliance software for a RTW trip at Business Class:

Toronto-London overland to Madrid-Cairo-Abu Dhabi-Singapore-Tokyo-Sydney-Wellington-Papeete-Santiago de Cile-São Paulo-Toronto

Cost: $16,351 Canadian $.

My verdict: quite a steal specially when you know that a long distance flight for example from Toronto to São Paulo on Air Canada in Business Class goes for about $5-6K.

I'll do a mock itenary for both Economy and First Class and will post the "results" here. Even tough One World and SkyTeam networks also offer RTW tickets, I'm sticking with Star Alliance as it's not ony the biggest network with the most route options but also as I am a very frequent flyer with Air Canada. So a RTW with Star Alliance will give me a ton of points that will translate into quite a few free flights to SA and Asia with Air Canada.

Edit: For the exact same itenary:

Economy Class: $8,697CDN.
Business Class: $16,351 CDN
First Class:$23,838 CDN.

Hum...food for thought...now let's see if the prices change if instead of Toronto as my departing and arrival city, I selected say London...

Post: #4

Btw, truedat, which network are you using to get that 7-8k quote? Star Alliance? One World? or SkyTeam?

Post: #5

I did a mock itenary starting from London in ECONOMY:
London (overland to Madrid)-Cairo-Abu Dhabi-Singapore-Tokyo-Sydney-Wellington-Papeete-Santiago de Cile-São Paulo-London
7,138 Pounds!!! or $11,198 CDN or $11,421 US.
Lumiere, I recall you writting that you paid 3K pounds or something for your RTW ticket. You need to hook me up with your travel agent in London that put that sweet deal for you man. I'm serious!

Link to Lumiere's RTW thread:
/thread-922.html

After quick read, you paid 2497 pounds or just under 4K in $. That's a kick ass deal!

Post: #6

That's what im talking about, i am seeing about double that for 16 segments for 34K or 38K miles. I have checked both star and oneworld BTW.

Post: #7

Yeah but I used one world

Came out to about 4,000 US dollars

Post: #8

Just plugged the exact same flight details into one world.

In Aug 2009 when I started my rtw trip the cost at the time was $4,000. Same ticket now comes to $5,500

Post: #9

I got an initial quote from air treks.com for an RTW: ($3081-$4281)


Kuwait>Sanaa>Asmara>Sanaa>Instanbul>Tbilisi>Moscow>Tallin>Stockholm>NYC> Guatemala City>San Salvador

Travel time start early next year over a 7 month period. A Star Alliance RTW apparently wants the starting city to be the final destination. That would cause 2 extra flights over the Atlantic.

Post: #10

RTW ticket pricing has always been weird. The same ticket will cost around 50% more leaving from the States/Canada/Western Europe compared to the Third World. Exact same routing, just starting eleswhere. YTou could cinsider trying to start your trip in Mexico. That might be cheaper. Though you might not be allowed to book that ticket with a US issued CC, I dont know

Oneworld seems to be the better deal. No actual mileage limit, just 16 sectors and the usual rules about not backtracking. Also, Business and First class RTW tickets are a BIG bargain compared to théir normal prices. Econony not as much.

Post: #11

RTW ticket pricing has always been weird. The same ticket will cost around 50% more leaving from the States/Canada/Western Europe compared to the Third World. Exact same routing, just starting eleswhere. YTou could cinsider trying to start your trip in Mexico. That might be cheaper. Though you might not be allowed to book that ticket with a US issued CC, I dont know

Oneworld seems to be the better deal. No actual mileage limit, just 16 sectors and the usual rules about not backtracking. Also, Business and First class RTW tickets are a BIG bargain compared to théir normal prices. Economy, not as much.