Average cost of ATW ticket F/C?
Sep 20, 2013, 11:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2
Average cost of ATW ticket F/C?
I am trying to round up my miles with American One WOrld by doing a Around The World F/C ticket, 5 continents by 31DEC. I was initially quoted $17,000, then 'Rate Desk' came back with $21,780.
I am going through sticker shock folks. Is this the going rate, average for First Class ATW?
Thanks for all input in advance!
I am going through sticker shock folks. Is this the going rate, average for First Class ATW?
Thanks for all input in advance!
Sep 20, 2013, 2:24 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,811
I am trying to round up my miles with American One WOrld by doing a Around The World F/C ticket, 5 continents by 31DEC. I was initially quoted $17,000, then 'Rate Desk' came back with $21,780.
I am going through sticker shock folks. Is this the going rate, average for First Class ATW?
Thanks for all input in advance!
I am going through sticker shock folks. Is this the going rate, average for First Class ATW?
Thanks for all input in advance!
AONE4 is $14899+taxes, surcharges, and etc
AONE5 is $17099+;
AONE6 is $19899+;
DONE4 is $10799+;
DONE5 is $12299+;
DONE6 is $14099.
Sep 20, 2013, 2:45 pm
#4
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Given the issue being discussed, the oneworld Forum will likely elicit more information.
JDiver
senior moderator
JDiver
senior moderator
Sep 20, 2013, 9:08 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: used to be PER, now it's nowhere/eveywhere
Programs: QFF NB, AA GLD
Posts: 3,464
Welcome to FT Mahlem
The Oneworld Explorer ticket has a base fare, which depends on:To the base fare must be added:
Factors that could cause high taxes and surcharges are:Resources you can use to learn more are:
The Oneworld Explorer ticket has a base fare, which depends on:
- Class of service (first, business or economy)
- The number of continents (between 3 and 6)
- The starting country
- The various taxes for the countries you will be visiting (items such as the taxes for security inspections, customs, immigration and the like; plus some arbitrary taxes that some countries impose on arrivals or departures)
- The airline surcharges – mainly fuel surcharges
Factors that could cause high taxes and surcharges are:
- Flights on British Airways – it has very high fuel surcharges, especially when travelling in first class
- Departing from the United Kingdom – it has a high arbitrary tax called APD (Air Passenger Duty)
- The oneworld web page on its Oneworld Explorer ticket
- The on-line booking tool; you could plug in your planned itinerary and see a complete breakdown of the fare plus the taxes and surcharges
Last edited by pandaperth; Sep 20, 2013 at 11:27 pm Reason: misspelt the OP's handle
Sep 21, 2013, 10:28 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2
Hi folks, thanks for the replies.
I am just trying to 'round-up' my miles this year so I can get Exec Plat. The thought of spending $21K to do it seems a bit much, certainly on a ATW ticket F/C.
Just looking for advice as to wether this is too much to spend on a 5 continent ticket.
Thank you!
I am just trying to 'round-up' my miles this year so I can get Exec Plat. The thought of spending $21K to do it seems a bit much, certainly on a ATW ticket F/C.
Just looking for advice as to wether this is too much to spend on a 5 continent ticket.
Thank you!
Sep 21, 2013, 10:48 pm
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,574
Where is it that you have a wish/need to travel to
Compare the price of an ATW ticket vs cheapest premium cabin fares in general and against OW carriers and see how they compare
If, as it sounds, this is a trip just to get status, it sounds quite mad to me and no airline status is worth anywhere close to $21k imo
Compare the price of an ATW ticket vs cheapest premium cabin fares in general and against OW carriers and see how they compare
If, as it sounds, this is a trip just to get status, it sounds quite mad to me and no airline status is worth anywhere close to $21k imo
Sep 22, 2013, 5:39 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Stuck on this planet - mainly in STR and LAX
Posts: 5,019
These tickets are a good value if you otherwise would buy regular premium class tickets and need to visit several places. They are an even better value when you move your purchasing/staring point to a place where the tickets are cheaper.
They are not very attractive for a mileage run or for situations where you can find relatively inexpensive RTs.
They are not very attractive for a mileage run or for situations where you can find relatively inexpensive RTs.
Sep 22, 2013, 10:46 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,639
Business class earns the same re-qual benefits on AA as first, and besides being significantly cheaper there are more flights with international business class (i.e. beds of some sort) than first class.
If you have the interest, time (a month or two) and money an RTW in a premium cabin can be money well spent. Fun enough to be habit-forming. And the xONEx product can provide the most miles/qpoints per dollar since it's segment-based.
But the fare varies by starting location, in consideration of marketability to the population there and because of exchange rate fluctuation (in places where it's denominated in local currency.) We addicts (especially with families whose company we enjoy) tend to seek out the more affordable starting points. (To that fare, add the cost of getting there and back home at the end of the trip, since T&C for the RTW insist that you end up where you started. (With exceptions.))
If your RTW is to be a mad dash with nothing on your sightseeing list besides airport lounges and airplane interiors, there are cheaper ways to requal. The mileage-run forum is a good resource and includes a "good-deal premium-class fares" thread to get around the purists who think a mileage run can't cost more than five cents a mile. Alas, seldom are q-points mentioned there, nor segment runs. A year or so ago there were opportunities to accumulate 100 segments on AA for $5000 or less, dependent on inexpensive fares that allowed one or two connections.
If you have the interest, time (a month or two) and money an RTW in a premium cabin can be money well spent. Fun enough to be habit-forming. And the xONEx product can provide the most miles/qpoints per dollar since it's segment-based.
But the fare varies by starting location, in consideration of marketability to the population there and because of exchange rate fluctuation (in places where it's denominated in local currency.) We addicts (especially with families whose company we enjoy) tend to seek out the more affordable starting points. (To that fare, add the cost of getting there and back home at the end of the trip, since T&C for the RTW insist that you end up where you started. (With exceptions.))
If your RTW is to be a mad dash with nothing on your sightseeing list besides airport lounges and airplane interiors, there are cheaper ways to requal. The mileage-run forum is a good resource and includes a "good-deal premium-class fares" thread to get around the purists who think a mileage run can't cost more than five cents a mile. Alas, seldom are q-points mentioned there, nor segment runs. A year or so ago there were opportunities to accumulate 100 segments on AA for $5000 or less, dependent on inexpensive fares that allowed one or two connections.
Sep 22, 2013, 7:56 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,009
If you are looking at *ONE* tickets all are limited to 16 segments. So AONE3, AONE4 & AONE5 are all 16 segments at most. Also there are less first class routes now compared to say 5 years ago.
Sep 23, 2013, 9:07 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,639
And open-jaws eat a segment, and afaik there are no co-terminals (glad to be corrected) so a not-unusual thing like arriving LHR, departing LGW poofs one more of the sixteen. (Someone please tell me there's a way around that...)
Sep 23, 2013, 4:56 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,422
No way around it that I have seen. The other big one is NRT/HND.