oneworld - Best Country for RTW - Have Currency Fluctuations Created A Better Start Country?

With recent currency fluctuations, do any currencies present a "better" place to originate a RTW? I realize it's mostly the Euro that has declined, but other places?

(I'm currently in the midst of 3 separate RTW's -- DONE03 ex-AMM, DONE04 ex-AMM & a circle Pacific ex-HKG, so my questions if for 2012 planning).

check the current comparisons here
http://www.wandr.me/RTW_Fares.aspx/

your existing choices are pretty good, ex africa and sudan

Good point -- I forgot about that link.
KRT (Sudan) is an intriguing point to originate a RTW. But Jordan sounds more stable to me, and without the requirements for visa, registering with authorities, etc..

Not sure if the tool is up to date. I tried a dummy DONE4 booking starting from AMM and then compared to otherwise exactly same itinerary except starting point from HEL. Quotes were much less for both than what the tool suggested.

Not sure if the tool is up to date. I tried a dummy DONE4 booking starting from AMM and then compared to otherwise exactly same itinerary except starting point from HEL. Quotes were much less for both than what the tool suggested.

What was the 1st airline in each case since airline fuel surcharges can make a big difference to the overall price quoted by the online tool

The cheapest prices are always from places that are quite dangerous to visit and start your trip from at these days: Khartoom(Sudan) and Sanna(Yemen).

So I still recommend AMM as a middle ground place which offer good price and also safe environment.

I've looked into starting from the cheap middle eastern locations before, but I've found that the cost of getting to/from that starting point makes it more worthwhile for me to start from the cheaper asian ports like ICN or NRT.

Who from One World fliesto Khartoum?

Who from One World fliesto Khartoum?
RJ. See this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/oneworld/1225920-aone4-khartoum.html

RJ. See this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/oneworld/1225920-aone4-khartoum.html

And it is the only airline flying that route at the moment.

However, with IAG buying BD, I am sure BD is going to be the second OW carrier to fly that route.

DONEx starting in Hungary are looking competitive with the common Middle Eastern originations. AONEx not so good.
Today's USD price on ExpertFlyer:


x.....................................Budapest Amman
DONE3 AA D Round-Trip 6129.00(USD) 6202.00
DONE4 AA D Round-Trip 7110.00(USD) 7188.00
DONE5 AA D Round-Trip 8091.00(USD) 8457.00
DONE6 AA D Round-Trip 9071.00(USD) 9584.00

Taxes using AA don't seem too bad -the following sample itinerary prices out at $US8100 + $600 for a DONE5 with transits through LHR and the AA codeshare for the first flight. .

BUD-LHR-JFK-GRU-DFW-NRT-SYD-SIN-LHR-BUD

DONEx starting in Hungary are looking competitive with the common Middle Eastern originations. AONEx not so good.
Today's USD price on ExpertFlyer:


x.....................................Budapest Amman
DONE3 AA D Round-Trip 6129.00(USD) 6202.00
DONE4 AA D Round-Trip 7110.00(USD) 7188.00
DONE5 AA D Round-Trip 8091.00(USD) 8457.00
DONE6 AA D Round-Trip 9071.00(USD) 9584.00

Taxes using AA don't seem too bad -the following sample itinerary prices out at $US8100 + $600 for a DONE5 with transits through LHR and the AA codeshare for the first flight. .

BUD-LHR-JFK-GRU-DFW-NRT-SYD-SIN-LHR-BUD

Better for most of us here in North America, positioning to Hungary should be cheaper than Amman.

Better for most of us here in North America, positioning to Hungary should be cheaper than Amman.
I'm pricing a DONE3 starting in BUD next month. Having one's first segment on BA resulted in the online price being over US$1000 higher than having BUD-MAD as the first segment, thanks to BA fuel fines (specifically, around US$7800 all in with BA v. $6700 without.)

Better for most of us here in North America, positioning to Hungary should be cheaper than Amman.
I'm pricing a DONE3 starting in BUD next month. Having one's first segment on BA resulted in the online price being over US$1000 higher than having BUD-MAD as the first segment, thanks to BA fuel fines (specifically, around US$7800 all in with BA v. $6700 without.)

Well BA should be avoided at all costs, or it will get costly! :D I would go MAD as my first segment too, or maybe JFK depending on what I wanted to do, I know the JFK flight is seasonal/irregular so it won't benefit as soon.

I've always wanted to visit Tahiti. Which xONEx continent is it in? Can it be used on a DCIRCxx?

I've always wanted to visit Tahiti. Which xONEx continent is it in? Can it be used on a DCIRCxx?

It is in the SWP
but the only OW-metal flight to it is LA's from SCL via IPC

So I guess to could be included in a DCIR29SA, but you would need a surface segment from PPT to somewhere else in the SWP, for example:

...SCL-IPC-PPT(surface to)SYD...

On the otherhand, the Global Explorer allows segments on QF's codeshares on Air Tahiti Nui (segments are AKL-PPT and PPT-LAX)

Hungary looks like a great start point right now. 3rd cheapest, perfectly safe, and not too hard to get to.

Hungary looks like a great start point right now. 3rd cheapest, perfectly safe, and not too hard to get to.I think TLV looks better on balance, at $779 cheaper for a DONE3 base fare. Of course, I say this not yet having used TLV as a connection point.

Good point -- I forgot about that link.
KRT (Sudan) is an intriguing point to originate a RTW. But Jordan sounds more stable to me, and without the requirements for visa, registering with authorities, etc..Big difference in prices between KRT and AMM/TLV:
ex-KRT base prices:
DONE3: $4721
DONE4: $5465
DONE5: $6431
By contrast, AMM/TLV are $62xx for a DONE3.

How crazy would one have to be to even think about a DONEx ex-KRT? Could it be done as a connection from the positioning flight, so no need to leave the airport?

What are the visa and registration requirements you speak of?

There has been a fair bit of discussion of the issues/benefits of an ex-KRT RTW in this thread - AONE4 from Khartoum (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/oneworld/1225920-aone4-khartoum.html)

How crazy would one have to be to even think about a DONEx ex-KRT?

Yeah, it would be pretty crazy but not impossible. I think the capital is pretty locked down and under control. If you factored in organising everything with a proper tourist agency - transport, fancy hotel, even a guided tour, I think it would actually be quite enjoyable as long as you don't leave the city itself.

It is not like you would be going to Mogadishu, or Homs, or Darfur. Actually Khartoum might even be safer than Cairo these days....

That is a pretty damn good price for a DONE3, AU$4443 considering I spent last year flying on a LONE5 ex-AKL and that cost me AU$4000 in November 2010

Yeah, it would be pretty crazy but not impossible. I think the capital is pretty locked down and under control. If you factored in organising everything with a proper tourist agency - transport, fancy hotel, even a guided tour, I think it would actually be quite enjoyable as long as you don't leave the city itself.

It is not like you would be going to Mogadishu, or Homs, or Darfur. Actually Khartoum might even be safer than Cairo these days....

That is a pretty damn good price for a DONE3, AU$4443 considering I spent last year flying on a LONE5 ex-AKL and that cost me AU$4000 in November 2010I wouldn't want to even leave the airport; I'd want to fly in on a positioning flight and then fly out to start the DONEx as a same-day connection. I need to read the thread on an ex-KRT AONE4 (so far got through first 40 posts) even though I'd be doing a DONEx (or maybe even a DGLOB since that allows Tahiti and/or Fiji).

Big difference in prices between KRT and AMM/TLV:
ex-KRT base prices:
DONE3: $4721
DONE4: $5465
DONE5: $6431
By contrast, AMM/TLV are $62xx for a DONE3.

How crazy would one have to be to even think about a DONEx ex-KRT? Could it be done as a connection from the positioning flight, so no need to leave the airport?

What are the visa and registration requirements you speak of?

After reading this trip report from hauteboy my perspective has shifted a bit:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-reports/1248180-mistake-fare-kabul-aa-gf-pk-iah-dfw-lhr-bah-lhe-isb-kbl-bah-lhr-ord-iah-y.html

Then, head over to mileage run discussion where I do believe hauteboy wants to sign up for an MR to Mogadishu, but he wants it to be a touch-and-go.

[FARE GONE] TK: IST-MGQ (Mogadishu, Somalia) $263/€199 ai; 5750miles; 4,6cpm