jerryhung

probably wrong thread
somewhat belongs in Mini-RTW Questions
This Q has been asked before, look it up, or simply Google
both will have $$$$ YQ using AC or Austrian

Go for DEL-IST-YYZ on TK all the way if possible

sz549

Yeah, to echo jerryhung, you're gonna be paying hella YQ/YR on those redemptions flying OS/AC metal. Since you're okay with 2 stops, might want to check out DEL-IST-LIS-YYZ on TK/TP showing availability on Feb 7th. The TP equipment is showing A333, which would be their brand new (well, refurbed) planes with new J product. TP has YQ/YR but it's not as bad as OS/LH/AC. TK's hard product is decent but not amazing, but the soft product - when it's good, it's amazing.

Also on the 7th, you could do DEL-ZRH-WAW-YYZ on LX/LO. LX is good all around. LO's 787 J service to YYZ is supposed to be pretty good, but I haven't tried it first hand.

There's also the AI/AC option through SFO, but I would understand if you want to avoid AI.

If you don't care about YQ, there are better 1-stop options via FRA, ICN, and others.

ScGhost0

Well, I finally bit the bullet and booked a mini-RTW next June. Going from JFK because I will be in NYC anyway.

JFK-IST - TK J - 5 day stop - B777
IST-FRA - TK J - 22 hr layover - A320
FRA-HND - NH F - 18 hour layover - B777
HND-BKK - TG F - 14 hour layover - B747
BKK-SIN - SQ J - 5 day stop - A330 *Destination*
SIN-TPE - SQ J - 4 hour layover - A330
TPE-BKK - BR J - 9 hour layover - B777
BKK-KIX - TG F - 7 day stop - A380
KIX-ICN - OZ J - 12 hour layover - A321
ICN-JFK - OZ F - A380

215,000 Miles

Taxes = $485.30
Booking fee = $31.50
Total = $516.80

Yes, I know it will be hot and humid but it was the only time I could go (I'm even missing my PhD convocation!)

Jumper Jack

Oh man, splurging a little for F eh?

I will be doing a RTW trip of two month before I start off my job.
Thinking about doing:
YYZ - CDG (Stop)
CDG - CPH (<24 hour layover)
CPH - PVG(Turnaround Point)
PVG - TPE or HKG (<24 hour layover)
TPE - HND (Stop)
HND- YYZ

ScGhost0

Yeah decided to use up the AP points I have before moving off to whatever is next (Post-doc, industry, etc) and I have an excuse of going to a conference in Kyoto as my motivator

Since I'm going through Frankfurt, if I see LH F open up FRA-HND, Might grab it to use the FCT since I'm there overnight anyway.

Jumper Jack

When will you be in Kyoto? Could have a mini do there ^

ScGhost0

Osaka/Kyoto June 21-28 currently.

drvannostren

How the hell did you get this at $220? Are you super elite? Honestly the NRT-YVR alone would've generated that much I thought. Plus you've thrown in a couple domestic AC flights.

Pseudo Nim

YQ from Tokyo is capped, and intra Asia is low / zero even on TG. So this is actually about the right amount. Departing Japan is very cost effective in YQ these days!

drvannostren

Tried to max out the miles, but after seeing the post above I just know I'll never figure out YQ, let alone the fees/taxes, which I know are extra high at some airports but man...

Really wanted to fly some products I've never tried before, there's a nested paid flight in here as well, so that put a bit of a wrench in things.

YVR-PEK Air China J
PEK-IST Turkish J Turn
IST-LJU Turkish J < 24
LJU-CDG Adria JSTOP Nested paid trip CDG-YVR-CDG
CDG-WAW-IEV LOT J Stop
KBP-ZRH Swiss J < 24
ZRH-ORD Swiss J
ORD-YVR Air Canada J (it's a CRJ-705, so it's not great, but I do love the single seats)

Total cost was $405 CAD + $31 for booking. I was told that only like $90 of that was YQ which at least made me happy, though even that is high considering there's literally only 1 flight that incurs it.

As far as MPM goes, YVR-IST MPM is 9920, my YVR-PEK-IST is 9697, couldn't route through any other city, would've preferred to fly CA 747, but I've never flown CA so either way I'll get to cross it off the list. My route home, IST-LJU-CDG-WAW-IEV/KBP-ZRH-ORD-YVR was 9918, really pushed it. I wated to try and get < 24 at TIA, couldn't do it, any other route home would've forced me to dump KBP in favor of something else. Couldn't get a single seat for like 6 days, J or Y from ORD-YVR on UA. As much as I hate that $90 of scam charge, I'm lucky that AC had a seat that day cuz for ORD-YVR to ruin this whole thing would've been a real p-off. I had built an entire itinerary needing to just find YVR-EWR and IAD-YVR (open to connections) and couldn't get a bloody seat on UA. I'll never figure United availability, it comes and goes with the wind, seems like domestic/transborder availability is never there at the same time as INTL availability.

drvannostren

Except, I was quoted in the past that YQ is charged on the whole itinerary. So when I had all my flights as no YQ, I still got dinged for old TG YQ or something. Also I had YVR-PDX-EWR-LHR-BKK and they wanted like $250 (of YQ alone), I turned this one down cuz it was simply ridiculous, I could've had the YVR-PDX flight in cash <$250 but starting in PDX would've ruined my MPM. I read the blogs, read the rules, hell I knew about the TG change and the new stipulation for OZ, which the agent kept asking "where did you hear about that huh?" I give up, I was pretty satisfied with my booking today and knowing that most of it was just cuz of how many airport taxes I'm paying, I'm ok with the price, I'll never understand.

Also, you mentioned YQ from Tokyo is capped. But this person isn't flying FROM Tokyo, they're flying to a bunch of place and Tokyo. If you check YYZ-GRU-YYZ you'll get $260 YQ. But if you try GRU-YYZ-GRU it's only $30 (though Brazil has no YQ, so I'm not sure how they even charge $15 each way) so I don't see how going to Tokyo affects it if you're not originating from there.

Pseudo Nim

What OZ stipulation?

YQ calculation is a bit of a black box but he's stopping in Tokyo which breaks the fare. If he stopped in ICN, for instance, it would have priced much higher.

In your GRU example the reason YYZ GRU YYZ doesn't work is because the fare begins in YYZ and it's the return part of it. In a RTW example because they can't really set them up as "return" trips, they end up pricing them stop to stop more or less. Also remember that it's all priced manually so who even knows for sure.

drvannostren

This is exactly the problem. The fact that neither of us can say black/white what is and what isn't makes this whole thing a bit ridiculous lol. Every so often I've wanted to get through the whole process then HUACA and see if the next agent gives me the same YQ.

The OZ stipulation (was too lazy to find it during the original post) is that flights FROM Korea don't incur YQ. Thai now is anything to/from/within Thailand that shouldn't have YQ. But I suppose if there's a 5th freedom route they operate that it would.

crimsona

Stopping in Hong Kong doesn't stop YQ from occurring, had to use it as actual destination. This was a trip booked a couple year ago that we took 15 months ago though

JCYC5

Somehow it works, having TYO as a stop... I'm not complaining! I do know if I took AC from HKG (with it as a stop as I had wanted), layover in TYO, YQ would have been quite a bit of $$$.