vartyfromoz
Feb 5, 09, 7:53 pm
Hi guys, new to this site, so please pardon my ignorance !!!
My question
Sometime within the next 12 -18 months my family and want to travel the following Itenerary
Sydney <-> Auckland
Auckland <-> Santiago
Santiago <-> Los Angeles
Los Angeles <-> New York
New York <-> London
London <-> Yerevan
Yervan <-> Sydney
He mentioned that I might be able to ring up and quote this iteneray then be given an intenerary number with a price in AUD$$
I could then ring up a corresponding office in another country/city around the world (with a lower exchange rate) quote the itenerary number, then pay in AUD$$$.
Is this correct?
Would appreciate some advice and tips
chemist661
Feb 6, 09, 11:17 am
Hi guys, new to this site, so please pardon my ignorance !!!
My question
Sometime within the next 12 -18 months my family and want to travel the following Itenerary
Sydney <-> Auckland
Auckland <-> Santiago
Santiago <-> Los Angeles
Los Angeles <-> New York
New York <-> London
London <-> Yerevan
Yervan <-> Sydney
He mentioned that I might be able to ring up and quote this iteneray then be given an intenerary number with a price in AUD$$
I could then ring up a corresponding office in another country/city around the world (with a lower exchange rate) quote the itenerary number, then pay in AUD$$$.
Is this correct?
Would appreciate some advice and tips
With this itinerary, I would go to a good travel agency in Australia (I am assuming you are Australia based) and purchase a RTW (round the world) ticket. I had looked into that in 2001 (from Australia) but did not book it.
There are theads on Flyertalk that deal with RTW's, etc. (oneworld, star Alliance, etc). As for other stuff, you can prebook hotels, etc in your currency. When you get there, you will need some currencies in whatever countries you visit.A couple/few very good credit cards that only charges low/no foreign surcharges would be very good. Also more than 1 debit/ATM card would be great, too. Have some smaller amounts of currencies of the various countries (approx $100-200AUD equivalents for each country in the event you don't get to an ATM) would be good too. Have other backup sources of money (traveler's check in AUD, cash, etc).
Wearing a money belt is wise due to pickpockets, etc. There is alot more info & I'll leave it to the experts on flyertalk.
BearX220
Feb 6, 09, 4:28 pm
...you can prebook hotels, etc in your currency... In my experience prepaying this way exposes you to an exchange rate imposed by the hotelier, etc. that does not favor you. Better to pay in your own currency and let your credit card provider handle the currency exchange.
When you log onto the Qantas, Virgin Blue, etc. websites from the States to buy domestic tickets, the system notes your IP address and asks if you wish to pay in USD instead of AUD. I've tried it both ways and it always comes out cheaper when I pay in USD.