Fastest commercial RTW ?
 

Though not exactly a mileage run in order to collect FF points, I wonder what is the fastest way to get around the world using scheduled commercial flights only. By RTW I mean :

• An itinerary than crosses all meridians
• Total mileage > 25000 miles
• Departure city is a free parameter

For example, LAX-DXB, DXB-SYD on Emirates then SYD-LAX on Qantas or United can get you around the world with only two connections, however the schedules don't quite match so much time will be lost in airports.

Any suggestion ?

PS: this is meant to be a game only. I have no plans to actually fly around the world in one streak.

This is not an appropriate post for the Mileage Run Deal Forum. It is not an active fare deal. I am moving it to the Information Desk.

Pat89339, Moderator Mileage Run Forum

Interesting question. Luckily I have some time here at work today :D This was the best I was able to cook up.

Depart Aug 6 9:30PM EDT Arrive Aug 8 6:39PM EDT

BA 114 JFK-LHR 425 Minutes
Layover 170 Minutes
CX252 LHR-HKG 700 Minutes
Layover 145 Minutes
CX 898 HKG-LAX 795 Minutes
Layover 135 Minutes
AA172 LAX-JFK 339 Minutes
425+170+700+145+795+135+339=2709 Minutes
Total Time 45 Hours 9 minutes

Google flights link:
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...;s=0,0,,0;eo=e

Would be curious if I am close on this.

This doesn't meet the parameters of the OP because it is only 19130 miles.

funny, i was also looking at LHR-HKG, but I think this is faster:

you can just skip JFK and narrow it down to 41h by flying

BA268-BA31-CX882


625min flight
160min layover
715min flight
180min layover
795min flight
= 41h15min travel time

but there's gotta be shorter one, I imagine sticking to one of the poles would be fastest, maybe something like YYZ-LHR-TYO-YYZ.

If you are talking longitude only and not latitude, and fewest total, think great circle routing:

SEA-LHR Delta 36
Depart 9:14pm arrive 3:05pm
LHR-ICN Korean Air 908
Depart 7:35pm Arrive 2:25pm
ICN-SEA Korean Air 19
Depart 6:20pm Arrive 12:35pm

Total transit time- approx- 39.5 hours
Rough air miles- 15470

Your rule of must be > 25,000 miles is tough given that is greater than the circumference of the earth. But ignoring that it seems like Long Train Runnin has a good route. I found one with similar timing, but only 3 flights.

JFK-DXB-HKG-JFK on Emirates and Cathay
4:30 PM depart, return 1:05 PM +2 - 44 hours 35 minutes
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...0;s=0,0,0;eo=e

Yeah I am struggling to make it more than 25,000 miles. Although I did like how this routing looked on the GC Map.


Attachment 16138

None of the routes posted so far meet the >25,000 mile criteria (even the option listed by the OP).

Here is a routing that is 25,003 miles (according to gcmap: http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=syd-sfo-lax-atl-jnb-syd)

SYD-SFO-ATL-JNB-SYD

SYD-SFO eg. UA 870 Sept. 21, depart 10:30am, arrive Sept. 21 7:10am.
SFO-ATL eg. UA 1720 Sept. 21, depart 10:52am, arrive Sept. 21 6:32pm (also a Frontier flight that would work here)
ATL-JNB eg. DL 200, Sept. 21, depart 8:17pm, arrive Sept. 22 5:50pm
JNB-SYD eg. QF 64 Sept. 22, depart 7:10pm, arrive Sept. 23 3pm.

Total travel time: 52h 30min.

Actually, just noticed that I accidentally included an LAX stop in the GCMAP, so this doesn't quite work.....it is tough getting the 25,000 requirement!

Yeah took a little more creativity for the 25k. You have to start at the most remote airport in the world good ol' IPC. (Easter Island).

IPC-SCL-CDG-HKG-PPT-IPC is 25,263 miles.

Although the layovers are too long. :(

ATL-JNB-PER-SIN-NRT-DFW-ATL, 26499 miles, travel time 65 hours 16 minutes.

ATL-JNB, DL 200, depart August 30 8:12pm arrive August 31 5:50pm.
JNB-PER, SA 280, depart August 31 9:10pm arrive September 1 12:20pm.
PER-SIN, SQ 226, depart September 1 2:05pm arrive September 1 7:35pm.
SIN-NRT, SQ 638, depart September 1 9:50pm arrive September 2 5:50am.
NRT-DFW, AA 176, depart September 2 10:40am arrive September 2 8:15am.
DFW-ATL, AA 1473, depart September 2 10:20am arrive September 2 1:28pm.

I think the OP wants to hit both the southern and northern hemispheres.

Not sure about timing, or if alliance ticketing restrictions are in play, but something like AKL-LHR-DXB-(BNE)-AKL might be a contender.

Taking the nonstop DXB-AKL would be quicker.

Reminds me of the time tht and I flew 23k flying AKL-LHR-AKL (via LAX and HKG) to go around the world in under 60 hours (link to TR). At the time Air NZ flew LHR-HKG-AKL as well as AKL-LAX-LHR, but now you'd need to take another airline (e.g. CX) for at least leg. On that trip I even had time for a side trip to BHD (taking mileage to 24k).

I realize that the 25000 miles "rule" is indeed a tough one. What I meant was that a short walk around a pole does not count. So how about adjusting the rules this way :

• An itinerary than crosses all meridians
• An itinerary than crosses the equator
• Departure city is a free parameter

By these criteria the itinerary proposed by Freezefactor is a good contender. But can we find a shorter one with two layovers only ? (I didn't)