Originally Posted by sk8uno

I third this. Start saving up the AA miles, which really pile up easily. Get a few 50k signup bonuses on the Citi AA cards. Get the SPG Amex which will transfer to AAdvantage (if you get this card, I can refer you ).

Also, regardless of whether you go with AA or another airline, don't forget that you can fly into a region and explore cities and countries outside the destination city relatively cheaply. For example, you could fly into Singapore on your RTW / Explorer ticket, and then use local airlines, cars, trains, buses, etc. to explore SE Asia in general. Then when it's time to move on, fly back to Singapore on a cheap ticket to get back on your RTW / Explorer ticket. Not every leg of your journey needs to be built into the RTW / Explorer. The same can be done in South America and Africa. This is especially easy if you choose a fare that allows an open jaw or two, but it's doable even without open jaws.