You can't get any firm info on this, it is a trade secret (anyone who knows can't post here). So any info is 2nd hand but often correct. The airlines have different rules for different tickets in order to segment the market; for example staying more than 30 days often results in doubling the fare on a roundtrip discounted ticket (the theory being that long-stay travelers are willing to pay more than short-stay tourists). The RTW fare rules are specifically intended to prevent using this fare basis for one-way travel or relocation to another country; they want you to buy a point-to-point (higher) fare if you are doing that. Detection, enforcement and action varies a lot from airline to airline, but current computer systems make detection trivial. Which makes what happens more a question of policy than luck. I have heard stories of huge chargebacks (more than the cost of the ticket) often enough that I'm sure it happens. My opinion is that it happens rarely and maybe only if there are other reasons (such as a pattern of abuse). The ticket is good for a year; you can defer your flight, and buy another RTW next year (continuing the cycle). Lots of other creative solutions that abide by the rules (and give the airlines more money so they should be happy). I've made sure that all of my tickets were used and abided by the rules, even when it wasn't very convenient, as I just don't want to run this risk. Airlines do stretch rules at times, so your status probably has a factor in this, but it must be the dream of every revenue enforcement group to find tickets like this (worth 10x their normal catch).