Originally Posted by
DanTravels
I've still not made it to SYD (someday I will!), but have chosen itins with a forced overnight in at least one direction a couple times. One example is connecting to Haikou from Guangzhou - Northwest gets in late in the evening after the last flight to Haikou has left, and leaves early in the morning before the first flight from Haikou arrives, so bingo, mandatory overnighting. (At least it wound up being a
nice hotel.) So that was:
NW HNL-NRT-CAN (forced overnight) CZ CAN-HAK
CZ HAK-CAN (forced overnight) NW CAN-NRT-HNL
I also stayed overnight in SIN en route to DPS (not such a nice hotel), due to an evening arrival and afternoon departure. That was a bit more deliberate on my part; a friend who works in SIN showed me around.
AF EDI-CDG-SIN (overnight) SQ SIN-DPS
I think it's actually nice to have that overnight stop, get some sleep, shower, change clothes... really helps when I'm going so far around the world.
Agree with the overnight stop if you can work it in and have time. Have done the SYD-(KE)-ICN-(NW)-NRT-(NW)-MSP with the overnight at the airside hotel at ICN. Plenty of options for some walking and shopping and dinning plus a good night rest before the next leg.
The airside hotel at ICN is not bad, quiet, clean, and very convient. No worries about clearing customs/imigraitons/security etc. Basicly you leave SYD in the morning one day and arrive late morning in MSP the next day however very well rested vs. doing the SYD-(QF)-SIN-(NW)-NRT-(NW)-MSP with a couple of hour layover in SIN routine which even in J the whole way zaps you pretty good. Anyway you look at it short of QF or UA from LAX/SFO to Oz, its a long haul to get there. - H