Arsenal1886

Would some please post about their experience of booking a round world business class ticket on the Star Alliance website?

Are there any pitfalls to look out for.

Thanks

pduck01

Don't connect in Beijing. Better yet don't fly Air China. Or TAP. Do fly home via AKL-RAR-LAX and pay for the hopper flight to AIT. Do use JNB as a hub if you're around.

Arsenal1886

Thanks for the heads up. We are thinking of doing YYZ, YVR, AKL, SYD, SIN, MXP, LHR, YYZ

RTW1

The book and fly tool on the *A website is a good choice. You can spend hours playing with your routes to get the most of your miles.

Chosing the departure country wisely can also save you some money. And since your Rtw ticket can last for a year you can sometimes use the excess miles you might have for an additional trip...

For instance you could look at buying a separate ticket to start in Japan or Korea....

Arsenal1886

Appreciate your advice. The cost is good value $10600, every leg is J class except AKL - SYD.

creampuff

1. Singapore Airlines thinks they are so special, that they place a surcharge over and above the base RTW ticket price to fly business class on many of their routes.

2. There are no infant/child discounts.

wrenz

I like the online booking tool. Easy to plan your route, see availability, maximize miles, and know the cost. In most cases the purchase has been trouble-free. I have had an occasional hiccup when the online tool shows availability but the LH system does not so an agent gets involved but it's still very efficient.

Something I really like is the ease of changing dates or routing. Send an email request to the book and fly desk and they usually respond within an hour - unlike my experience with TAs who might be closed when I write or when I booked direct with an airline and had to find a knowledgeable agent.

I have seen that surcharges might be higher through the booking tool but for me the ease of managing the booking seems worth it.

There are some tricks to using the online tool when transiting an airport more than once (you have to select your layover before you add your stopover).

Cheers

zrs70

Keep in mind that if you start in Japan, you can lower the cost by thousands.

Arsenal1886

Does that mean I have to return to Japan, complete the circle so to speak?

Arsenal1886

Thanks for that.

zrs70

Your must be ticketed to return. Whether you take the flight or not is up to you.

Keep in mind... If within the year you need to get to Japan, the leg is open for you.

Or if you want to get to Hawaii (then on to Japan) - the legs are open for you.

Unterwegs

Another recommendation for Japan. The price difference sometimes is enough to pay for a business class RT to Japan and back.
Buy a RT to Japan for the outbound and a return many month later (you can find tickets which are valid for 12 month). Do your RTW, make your hometown a stop and than later inside the 12 month you have another roundtrip to Japan.

Or get addicted. Buy a One way to Japan, the buy a RTW every year from there.

Arsenal1886

Thanks for your tips guys, appreciated!

westcoastbmx

Thanks for the tip as well, any estimated quotes departing and arriving back in Japan?

skimthetrees

Regarding the tip about going ex. Japan, do you have to ticket and pay in Japan or can it be done anywhere?