World Tour 2008

LHR-CPH-OSL-SVO-HKG-BKK-SIN-BKK-CMB-SIN-SYD-OOL-SYD-HKG-LHR-FCO-JFK//EWR-LAS-LAX-LHR

Introduction

First of all please let me state that I never set out with intention of making such a crazy trip. After booking the Aeroflot mistake fare, the whole thing just continuously evolved before taking its final form. I am very excited about this trip as it will not only see me fly 40812 miles (with only 4% in economy) but also enable me to sample many things for the first time. These include: a Soviet airliner (Tu-154 OSL-SVO), Singapore T3 First facilities, Sri Lanka (although if everything goes to plan, this should not be much more than a stamp in the passport type visit), Rome, A380 (particularly as I’ll be in Business), Virgin Upper Class, LHR T5 as a passenger, Four Seasons and my first time on Emirates, Aeroflot, Sri Lankan, SAS and JetStar.

I am aware that others have had problems using one of the tickets in question and I would not be surprised if I encounter some difficulties along the way. I have a Plan C, as well as a Plan B, should my ticket not be accepted in the two most likely locations. Fingers crossed!

Part 1 - SAS LHR-CPH-OSL Economy
This ticket was booked as a positioning flight to commence our ex-OSL SU leg. The LHR-CPH leg is a BD code-share and the one-way ticket cost £55 each. The night before departure from LHR I am staying at the T5 Travelodge as I managed to grab a £9 room a few months ago and then overnighting at the Thon Hotel Gardermoen £91.

Part 2 Aeroflot OSL-SVO-HKG Business
This is the ticket that really kicked this whole trip off. Every summer my wife jets off to HKG to spend time with her family whilst working for the British Council. After spotting the thread in the Mileage Run forum (many thanks k21467), I decided to escort her over to HKG as this €258 (£190) ticket was just too good to pass up. Conveniently, just two days later my wife had to venture into London for a training course and kindly popped into the SU office on Piccadilly to collect the paper tickets. 4 nights at the Ibis Hotel North Point HK$2280 (£150).

Part 3 Emirates HKG-BKK Business
After booking the ex-CMB AZ fare I needed to get to Sri Lanka. My plan was to redeem some BD miles for a Zone 7 – Zone 7 to get from BKK to CMB with a stopover in Singapore. This just left me with the task of getting from HKG-BKK. EK offered the best fare - economy was only £97 but after realising that business was only £147 my decision was made. 2 Nights at the Hotel Ibis Siam Bangkok THB 2120 (£35).

Part 4 Singapore Airlines BKK-SIN-BKK First and Thai BKK-CMB Business
This was originally booked as a straightforward non-dodgy one-way BKK-SIN-CMB redemption on a day that BKK-CMB does not operate. However, I was informed that the SQ SIN-CMB leg was downgraded to a 2 cabin 772 and as a result I was being moved back to business. I explained that I really wanted to depart SIN in First (in order to check out T3 First facilities) and was happy to change my ticket to SIN-BKK-CMB. The lady waived the change fee and rebooked me onto my desired routing. Once I had hung up I checked checkmytrip.com and realised that she had not cancelled the BKK-SIN leg. 2 nights at Le Méridien using US$60 cash & 3200 SPG Points.

Part 5 Sri Lankan CMB-SIN Business and Singapore Airlines SIN-SYD A380 Business
Glenntwenty I love you! Ironically enough I had already booked this fare and was very happy with it. My original ticket was CMB-SIN-MXP-BOS on SQ (including a 77W) and AZ costing £600. However, Glenntwenty brought the routing restrictions (or rather lack thereof) to my attention. The original ticket was cancelled and rather than a 77W I was now A380 bound on my side trip to SYD courtesy of some assistance from Colin! Total price for the 21368 mile journey in Business?? £577. Staying at the Taj Airport Garden in Sri Lanka.

Part 6 JetStar SYD-OOL Economy
I am pretty tired of SYD to be honest, so I figured I’d venture up to the Gold Coast on a cheap excursion. My uncle lives in the area as did an old work friend and a couple of FTers that I would like to meet up with again. This flight allowed for a 3 hour connection from the A380 flight and proved a bargain at just AU$68 (around £35). I have booked car hire through Alamo and am booked into the Radisson Resort Gold Coast for 3 nights costing £144.

Part 7 Virgin Blue OOL-SYD Economy
Booking the OOL side trip with two carriers offered a small saving that perhaps otherwise I may have ignored. I figured that one extra ticket and airline would enter into the spirit of the trip. AU$58 (around £30).

Part 8 Virgin Atlantic SYD-HKG-LHR Business, BA LHR T5 – FCO Business and
Delta FCO-JFK Business
Rejoining the ex-CMB ticket that on this leg gives me my first taste of VS Upper Class, T5 as a passenger, one night in Rome followed by the Delta flight to JFK. I am staying at the Best Western Mondial in Rome. IIRC is costs around £40 for the night.

Part 9 US Airways EWR-LAS-LAX First and Air New Zealand LAX-LHR Business
To return to the UK, I had originally purchased a one-way Maxjet ticket for the bargain price of around £350. However, after their demise around Christmas 2007, I had to make alternative arrangements. Similarly to Part 4, this final ticket was initially booked as a non-dodgy award ticket flying SQ and LH JFK-FRA-LHR. However, I decided that the lure of Vegas was too much and sought out a way to get there from NYC. I researched my options and was ready to buy my NYC-LAS-NYC ticket. I then thought that I had nothing to lose by asking if I could reroute NYC-UK via LAS. It worked!

As I am scheduled to arrive in LAS at around 23:20 I did not want to waste much money on a hotel for that first night. Westward Ho was always my favourite place for a cheap Saturday night’s rest after the journey in from Europe. Since that is now gone (along with their rack of ribs!) I decided upon the Stratosphere for £40. After staying at a few lower end hotels during the trip, I thought that I deserved a bit of luxury before returning home. Therefore the remaining 3 nights in Vegas will be spent at the Four Seasons within Mandalay Bay (£315 thanks to a buy 2 nights get 1 free promo).

Plan B
Should I be refused boarding in CMB for the start of my bargain fare, I have booked an award ticket CMB-SIN-CGK on SQ (Business/First combo) after spending a couple of nights in CMB. This will then join up with the SQ and TG ticket back to LAX as detailed in Plan C.

Plan C
Should I be refused boarding in SIN on my A380 flight to SYD, I will make my way over to Batam for a few days before flying on Air Asia to CGK (good value for £25). After one night in Jakarta, I fly out to LAX on SQ CGK-SIN-BKK before taking my longest flight ever: 16 hours onboard a TG A340-500 between BKK-LAX. The fare is fully refundable and I believe offers good value at £882. I’ll hire a car and drive to Vegas and hope to get the ticket identified in Part 9 appropriately adjusted.

The Best and Worst of the trip