Mini RTW Questions
Jul 2, 2019, 7:32 am
#6526
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 55
My wife and I went on a mini-RTW for our honeymoon, as well as another for our babymoon. We took 2.5 and 3 weeks off for these trips. Trust me, you don't want the 24 hour connections. You'll want to spend your time in Bali, or at most, one other destination.
If you are travelling in Feb, stopping in Switzerland will mean you'll need to pack cold weather clothes (in addition to your beach wear).
Throwing in Egypt will be a pain because you are eating up a lot of your MPM allowance for a country that may or may not have a travel advisory in place when you fly.
My suggestions would be to pick either Portugal/Greece or Vietnam as your stopover and focus on those 2 locations. If you are only using 12 days as your length, you are losing 1.5 days on each end for the travel. Plus if you include a stopover, that's another day between travel to the airport, clearing security, collecting your bags, going to the hotel etc. All of a sudden your 12 day honeymoon is down to 8 days of actual vacation. If you have an IRROPS situation, do you really want to be spending your honeymoon in some random airport halfway around the world instead of on a beach?
Simply put:
- Go for the simplest itinerary; avoid needless connections
- Focus on airlines with exemplary service - YQ is secondary - you'll want to remember the experience, not that you saved $280 in taxes
- Have fun!
Here's a link to the honeymoon blog: https://halasirtw.blogspot.com/2011/ (note that most of the details are quite dated)
Our actual itinerary
If you are travelling in Feb, stopping in Switzerland will mean you'll need to pack cold weather clothes (in addition to your beach wear).
Throwing in Egypt will be a pain because you are eating up a lot of your MPM allowance for a country that may or may not have a travel advisory in place when you fly.
My suggestions would be to pick either Portugal/Greece or Vietnam as your stopover and focus on those 2 locations. If you are only using 12 days as your length, you are losing 1.5 days on each end for the travel. Plus if you include a stopover, that's another day between travel to the airport, clearing security, collecting your bags, going to the hotel etc. All of a sudden your 12 day honeymoon is down to 8 days of actual vacation. If you have an IRROPS situation, do you really want to be spending your honeymoon in some random airport halfway around the world instead of on a beach?
Simply put:
- Go for the simplest itinerary; avoid needless connections
- Focus on airlines with exemplary service - YQ is secondary - you'll want to remember the experience, not that you saved $280 in taxes
- Have fun!
Here's a link to the honeymoon blog: https://halasirtw.blogspot.com/2011/ (note that most of the details are quite dated)
Our actual itinerary
This was extremely helpful! Thanks!
I dont mind spending more on the YQ, figured if I can maximize the trip with minimal extra charges, that would be ideal.
All that being said, if I was to focus on Bali and Vietnam as my stops, what routings can you suggest? I didn’t think the redemption would allow two multi-day stops. But that would be ideal.
Thanks in advance!
Jul 2, 2019, 9:51 am
#6527
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: SE 100K
Posts: 935
Try using this website (set the Star Alliance filter) to see what routes there are between each place you want to go, then start piecing it together based on availability. https://www.flightconnections.com/
Jul 2, 2019, 10:53 am
#6528
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Fantastic help! Thanks very much.
Its good to know the YQ is lower to S/E Asia. I will definitely check out the Mini RTW thread.
The internet tells me Singapore Airlines has the best J class... so if anyone can help me find a routing that includes it would be a great help! Can anyone speak for the quality of business class on Turkish or Asiana? I keep seeing those as options but haven’t flown them.
Longhaul J seats are NOT released to partners in 95% of the case.
Your R/T allows 2 stopovers and 1 destination, the stopovers can be on the same direction. You cannot pass the same airport twice on the same direction but opposite direction is fine.
Or you can have 1 stopover and 1 OJ.
Given your very limited 12 days travel time, it is a fool's game to make a super complex itinerary with long layover at each airport and then try to rush to town for "sightseeing".
With transportation to / from as well as the need to go thru security check etc etc, the long layover on the schedule does NOT equal you have the same length of time to do your thing...
Honestly with only 12 days to spare on your honeymoon, the best way is to MINIMIZE the routing to reduce the travel time to the lowest possible, and give more time to enjoy the vacation at one or maximum two locations.
Routing thru Portugal and especially Switzerland, in Feb is a crazy idea - have you not had enough winter storms up in Toronto that shuts down the air traffic? What makes you think Switzerland would be different?
Your best bet is to go straight to SE Asia using EVA via TPE, to minimize weather IRROPs that would be a high probability in Winter.
We dont even use airports in Northeast between Nov and Mar - because the Winter weather is just so unpreditable and IRROPs can wreck harvoc on a trip - especially when your ticket is the redemption ticket, at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak - the reaccommodation priority on your tickets would be very low if not right down the bottom.
Jul 2, 2019, 12:21 pm
#6529
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 55
Routings are really flexible - depends on what availability you can find!
Try using this website (set the Star Alliance filter) to see what routes there are between each place you want to go, then start piecing it together based on availability. https://www.flightconnections.com/
Try using this website (set the Star Alliance filter) to see what routes there are between each place you want to go, then start piecing it together based on availability. https://www.flightconnections.com/
Thanks very much for this! I will definitely check it out.
Jul 2, 2019, 12:22 pm
#6530
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 55
Singapore J seats vary A LOT among aircraft. Regional flights do NOT have the J seats you found the rave on Internet.
Longhaul J seats are NOT released to partners in 95% of the case.
Your R/T allows 2 stopovers and 1 destination, the stopovers can be on the same direction. You cannot pass the same airport twice on the same direction but opposite direction is fine.
Or you can have 1 stopover and 1 OJ.
Given your very limited 12 days travel time, it is a fool's game to make a super complex itinerary with long layover at each airport and then try to rush to town for "sightseeing".
With transportation to / from as well as the need to go thru security check etc etc, the long layover on the schedule does NOT equal you have the same length of time to do your thing...
Honestly with only 12 days to spare on your honeymoon, the best way is to MINIMIZE the routing to reduce the travel time to the lowest possible, and give more time to enjoy the vacation at one or maximum two locations.
Routing thru Portugal and especially Switzerland, in Feb is a crazy idea - have you not had enough winter storms up in Toronto that shuts down the air traffic? What makes you think Switzerland would be different?
Your best bet is to go straight to SE Asia using EVA via TPE, to minimize weather IRROPs that would be a high probability in Winter.
We dont even use airports in Northeast between Nov and Mar - because the Winter weather is just so unpreditable and IRROPs can wreck harvoc on a trip - especially when your ticket is the redemption ticket, at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak - the reaccommodation priority on your tickets would be very low if not right down the bottom.
Longhaul J seats are NOT released to partners in 95% of the case.
Your R/T allows 2 stopovers and 1 destination, the stopovers can be on the same direction. You cannot pass the same airport twice on the same direction but opposite direction is fine.
Or you can have 1 stopover and 1 OJ.
Given your very limited 12 days travel time, it is a fool's game to make a super complex itinerary with long layover at each airport and then try to rush to town for "sightseeing".
With transportation to / from as well as the need to go thru security check etc etc, the long layover on the schedule does NOT equal you have the same length of time to do your thing...
Honestly with only 12 days to spare on your honeymoon, the best way is to MINIMIZE the routing to reduce the travel time to the lowest possible, and give more time to enjoy the vacation at one or maximum two locations.
Routing thru Portugal and especially Switzerland, in Feb is a crazy idea - have you not had enough winter storms up in Toronto that shuts down the air traffic? What makes you think Switzerland would be different?
Your best bet is to go straight to SE Asia using EVA via TPE, to minimize weather IRROPs that would be a high probability in Winter.
We dont even use airports in Northeast between Nov and Mar - because the Winter weather is just so unpreditable and IRROPs can wreck harvoc on a trip - especially when your ticket is the redemption ticket, at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak - the reaccommodation priority on your tickets would be very low if not right down the bottom.
Assuming I was to do a more direct routing (and not knowing about the qualities of different J classes in different airline and aircraft), can someone recommend a specific routing with flight numbers and dates? I would really appreciate it.
Jul 2, 2019, 12:22 pm
#6531
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,399
Singapore J seats vary A LOT among aircraft. Regional flights do NOT have the J seats you found the rave on Internet.
Longhaul J seats are NOT released to partners in 95% of the case.
Your R/T allows 2 stopovers and 1 destination, the stopovers can be on the same direction. You cannot pass the same airport twice on the same direction but opposite direction is fine.
Or you can have 1 stopover and 1 OJ.
Given your very limited 12 days travel time, it is a fool's game to make a super complex itinerary with long layover at each airport and then try to rush to town for "sightseeing".
With transportation to / from as well as the need to go thru security check etc etc, the long layover on the schedule does NOT equal you have the same length of time to do your thing...
Honestly with only 12 days to spare on your honeymoon, the best way is to MINIMIZE the routing to reduce the travel time to the lowest possible, and give more time to enjoy the vacation at one or maximum two locations.
Routing thru Portugal and especially Switzerland, in Feb is a crazy idea - have you not had enough winter storms up in Toronto that shuts down the air traffic? What makes you think Switzerland would be different?
Your best bet is to go straight to SE Asia using EVA via TPE, to minimize weather IRROPs that would be a high probability in Winter.
We dont even use airports in Northeast between Nov and Mar - because the Winter weather is just so unpreditable and IRROPs can wreck harvoc on a trip - especially when your ticket is the redemption ticket, at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak - the reaccommodation priority on your tickets would be very low if not right down the bottom.
Longhaul J seats are NOT released to partners in 95% of the case.
Your R/T allows 2 stopovers and 1 destination, the stopovers can be on the same direction. You cannot pass the same airport twice on the same direction but opposite direction is fine.
Or you can have 1 stopover and 1 OJ.
Given your very limited 12 days travel time, it is a fool's game to make a super complex itinerary with long layover at each airport and then try to rush to town for "sightseeing".
With transportation to / from as well as the need to go thru security check etc etc, the long layover on the schedule does NOT equal you have the same length of time to do your thing...
Honestly with only 12 days to spare on your honeymoon, the best way is to MINIMIZE the routing to reduce the travel time to the lowest possible, and give more time to enjoy the vacation at one or maximum two locations.
Routing thru Portugal and especially Switzerland, in Feb is a crazy idea - have you not had enough winter storms up in Toronto that shuts down the air traffic? What makes you think Switzerland would be different?
Your best bet is to go straight to SE Asia using EVA via TPE, to minimize weather IRROPs that would be a high probability in Winter.
We dont even use airports in Northeast between Nov and Mar - because the Winter weather is just so unpreditable and IRROPs can wreck harvoc on a trip - especially when your ticket is the redemption ticket, at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak - the reaccommodation priority on your tickets would be very low if not right down the bottom.
Jul 2, 2019, 1:03 pm
#6532
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: SE 100K
Posts: 935
For example if you plug in YYZ - TPE, it will give you the route, airline, days of the week, flight numbers, and times.
As mentioned above EVA (BR) is a great J product and will have low to no fuel surcharges (YQ).
So ideally, for yourself. You would want to fly YYZ - TPE and then onto Bali and Vietnam in whichever order.
There are direct flights from TPE on EVA (BR) onwards to both SGN and DPS.
Last edited by CanadianMike; Jul 2, 2019 at 1:08 pm
Jul 2, 2019, 1:41 pm
#6533
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,448
Given your very limited 12 days travel time, it is a fool's game to make a super complex itinerary with long layover at each airport and then try to rush to town for "sightseeing".
With transportation to / from as well as the need to go thru security check etc etc, the long layover on the schedule does NOT equal you have the same length of time to do your thing...
Honestly with only 12 days to spare on your honeymoon, the best way is to MINIMIZE the routing to reduce the travel time to the lowest possible, and give more time to enjoy the vacation at one or maximum two locations.
With transportation to / from as well as the need to go thru security check etc etc, the long layover on the schedule does NOT equal you have the same length of time to do your thing...
Honestly with only 12 days to spare on your honeymoon, the best way is to MINIMIZE the routing to reduce the travel time to the lowest possible, and give more time to enjoy the vacation at one or maximum two locations.
Jul 2, 2019, 1:42 pm
#6534
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 55
Singapore J seats vary A LOT among aircraft. Regional flights do NOT have the J seats you found the rave on Internet.
Longhaul J seats are NOT released to partners in 95% of the case.
Your R/T allows 2 stopovers and 1 destination, the stopovers can be on the same direction. You cannot pass the same airport twice on the same direction but opposite direction is fine.
Or you can have 1 stopover and 1 OJ.
Given your very limited 12 days travel time, it is a fool's game to make a super complex itinerary with long layover at each airport and then try to rush to town for "sightseeing".
With transportation to / from as well as the need to go thru security check etc etc, the long layover on the schedule does NOT equal you have the same length of time to do your thing...
Honestly with only 12 days to spare on your honeymoon, the best way is to MINIMIZE the routing to reduce the travel time to the lowest possible, and give more time to enjoy the vacation at one or maximum two locations.
Routing thru Portugal and especially Switzerland, in Feb is a crazy idea - have you not had enough winter storms up in Toronto that shuts down the air traffic? What makes you think Switzerland would be different?
Your best bet is to go straight to SE Asia using EVA via TPE, to minimize weather IRROPs that would be a high probability in Winter.
We dont even use airports in Northeast between Nov and Mar - because the Winter weather is just so unpreditable and IRROPs can wreck harvoc on a trip - especially when your ticket is the redemption ticket, at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak - the reaccommodation priority on your tickets would be very low if not right down the bottom.
Longhaul J seats are NOT released to partners in 95% of the case.
Your R/T allows 2 stopovers and 1 destination, the stopovers can be on the same direction. You cannot pass the same airport twice on the same direction but opposite direction is fine.
Or you can have 1 stopover and 1 OJ.
Given your very limited 12 days travel time, it is a fool's game to make a super complex itinerary with long layover at each airport and then try to rush to town for "sightseeing".
With transportation to / from as well as the need to go thru security check etc etc, the long layover on the schedule does NOT equal you have the same length of time to do your thing...
Honestly with only 12 days to spare on your honeymoon, the best way is to MINIMIZE the routing to reduce the travel time to the lowest possible, and give more time to enjoy the vacation at one or maximum two locations.
Routing thru Portugal and especially Switzerland, in Feb is a crazy idea - have you not had enough winter storms up in Toronto that shuts down the air traffic? What makes you think Switzerland would be different?
Your best bet is to go straight to SE Asia using EVA via TPE, to minimize weather IRROPs that would be a high probability in Winter.
We dont even use airports in Northeast between Nov and Mar - because the Winter weather is just so unpreditable and IRROPs can wreck harvoc on a trip - especially when your ticket is the redemption ticket, at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak - the reaccommodation priority on your tickets would be very low if not right down the bottom.
Assuming I was to do a more direct routing (and not knowing about the qualities of different J classes in different airline and aircraft), can someone recommend a specific routing with flight numbers and dates? I would really appreciate it.
Jul 2, 2019, 2:38 pm
#6535
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,305
Fantastic help! Thanks very much.
Its good to know the YQ is lower to S/E Asia. I will definitely check out the Mini RTW thread.
The internet tells me Singapore Airlines has the best J class... so if anyone can help me find a routing that includes it would be a great help! Can anyone speak for the quality of business class on Turkish or Asiana? I keep seeing those as options but haven’t flown them.
There are some airlines that may be worth paying the longhaul YQ for (ANA, Austrian), and some that its not (AC, Thai)
We had just under 4 weeks for our Aeroplan honeymoon and our stops were Miami (side trip to St.Kitts), Seychelles and Croatia for about 8 days each.
We had a day in Miami due to flight schedules, and a day in Istanbul. But that was enough for <24 hour layovers - I wouldnt try to maximize that unless necessary.
If I were you given the very limited timeframe, I'd focus on getting to Bali (on TK or BR preferably), and pick another place for 3-4 days on the way in Europe (Greece/Portugal) or Egypt. Egyptair flies directly to Toronto, with their new flat bed 787s, and availability is often great.
Jul 2, 2019, 9:11 pm
#6537
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 55
Turkish is a great airline, and bonus doesnt have fees. IST-DPS is their new plane (787), and if you can get that on the way to/from Bali, it will beat out all other options.
There are some airlines that may be worth paying the longhaul YQ for (ANA, Austrian), and some that its not (AC, Thai)
We had just under 4 weeks for our Aeroplan honeymoon and our stops were Miami (side trip to St.Kitts), Seychelles and Croatia for about 8 days each.
We had a day in Miami due to flight schedules, and a day in Istanbul. But that was enough for <24 hour layovers - I wouldnt try to maximize that unless necessary.
If I were you given the very limited timeframe, I'd focus on getting to Bali (on TK or BR preferably), and pick another place for 3-4 days on the way in Europe (Greece/Portugal) or Egypt. Egyptair flies directly to Toronto, with their new flat bed 787s, and availability is often great.
There are some airlines that may be worth paying the longhaul YQ for (ANA, Austrian), and some that its not (AC, Thai)
We had just under 4 weeks for our Aeroplan honeymoon and our stops were Miami (side trip to St.Kitts), Seychelles and Croatia for about 8 days each.
We had a day in Miami due to flight schedules, and a day in Istanbul. But that was enough for <24 hour layovers - I wouldnt try to maximize that unless necessary.
If I were you given the very limited timeframe, I'd focus on getting to Bali (on TK or BR preferably), and pick another place for 3-4 days on the way in Europe (Greece/Portugal) or Egypt. Egyptair flies directly to Toronto, with their new flat bed 787s, and availability is often great.
It seems the best thing to do is to pick a more direct routing. I didn’t think TK would be a good airline for J (not sure why) but I’m pleasantly surprised. I’ll definitely try to include that into my routing.
Jul 2, 2019, 9:35 pm
#6538
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: aeroplan, starwood, fairmont
Posts: 32
Quick search - not alot of BR J that time of year - some from ORD and LAX on Feb 6, SEa on feb 10, YVR on 14. Easier to find TPE to DPS (a330) or via SIN on SQ (some of the SIN to DPS is on new 787). lots of BR to TPE to SGN as well on 777
Jul 3, 2019, 5:21 am
#6539
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 55
So since the BR J is limited, is it possible to include YYZ-ORD in the booking so I can do the available seats from ORD?
Also, so I understand correctly as per your comments above would it be:
YYZ-ORD-TPE-SGN (BR)
or
YYZ-ORD-TPE-SIN-DPS (BR/SQ)
i guess the first one would make most sense. Is there a way to fly the Turkish route on the way back? I’ve always wanted to see the pyramids (even if for a 12 hour layover)
Thank you!
Jul 3, 2019, 8:51 am
#6540
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: aeroplan, starwood, fairmont
Posts: 32
YYZ-ORD-TPE - AC/BR
from TPE up to you but - TPE to SGN (or HAN depending on where you want to go in vietnam. flight to SGN is on better 777)
From vietnam would fly SQ to SIN then SQ 787 to DPS
Lots of DPS to IST on TK 787
from IST several ways back - WAW/YYZ on LO, ZRH/YUL/YYZ or YTZ on TK/LX/AC, LIS/YYZ on TK/TP
from TPE up to you but - TPE to SGN (or HAN depending on where you want to go in vietnam. flight to SGN is on better 777)
From vietnam would fly SQ to SIN then SQ 787 to DPS
Lots of DPS to IST on TK 787
from IST several ways back - WAW/YYZ on LO, ZRH/YUL/YYZ or YTZ on TK/LX/AC, LIS/YYZ on TK/TP