LONE3 Itinerary
Jan 9, 2010 | 10:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 515
LONE3 Itinerary
I'm a newbie to RTW trips, but thanks to this forum, I've done a lot of reading in the past few days and have created a LONE3 itinerary. Please check it out and provide feedback if you have any. I'm also oneworld Emerald, and I will credit miles to AA. I plan to upgrade AA segments using 500 mile upgrades (domestic) and EVIP (international). I tried to avoid BA and CX segments since they have little or zero mileage crediting to AA. I'm starting the trip in Hanoi, but I am currently based in SFO.
1. HAN-NRT JL ASIA1 (connecting in NRT)
2. NRT-LAX AA PACIFIC
3. LAX-SJU AA NA1
4. SJU-TPA AA NA2
5. TPA-ORD AA NA3
6. ORD-LAX AA NA4
7. LAX-LHR AA ATLANTIC (connecting in LHR)
8. LHR-CAI BA EUR1
9. CAI-LHR BA EUR2 (connecting in LHR)
10. LHR-PRG BA EUR3
11. PRG-BUD SURFACE (surface segment)
12. BUD-LHR BA EUR4
13. LHR-HKG QF (connecting in HKG)
14. HKG-ICN CX ASIA2
15. ICN-NRT JL ASIA3 (connecting in NRT)
16. NRT-HAN JL ASIA4
1) What's the best agency to book this ticket? Does it have to be on AA ticket stock if I want to upgrade using 500 milers and EVIPs? The oneworld online tool will let me book at the price I want ($2631USD + surcharges). But is it better that I book through the AA RTW desk and ask them to price it for sales in Canada?
2) My first travel date is well over one month from today. The oneworld explorer rule sheet says that ticketing must be completed at least 21 days before departure for reservations made 22 or more days before departure. How long will the AA RTW desk hold the reservation before ticketing, and is there any reason why I might want to ticket before getting closer to that 22 day cutoff?
3) With all the recent JAL uncertainty, should I be concerned about booking this trip?
4) More than likely I will change the date but not routing (I don't think I will even any connections to stopovers) for some of these segments. What is the procedure to do so in the middle of the trip? Can any oneworld airline ticketing agent do it, or do they have to contact a special RTW desk? How long does this process take (minutes, hours, days)?
1. HAN-NRT JL ASIA1 (connecting in NRT)
2. NRT-LAX AA PACIFIC
3. LAX-SJU AA NA1
4. SJU-TPA AA NA2
5. TPA-ORD AA NA3
6. ORD-LAX AA NA4
7. LAX-LHR AA ATLANTIC (connecting in LHR)
8. LHR-CAI BA EUR1
9. CAI-LHR BA EUR2 (connecting in LHR)
10. LHR-PRG BA EUR3
11. PRG-BUD SURFACE (surface segment)
12. BUD-LHR BA EUR4
13. LHR-HKG QF (connecting in HKG)
14. HKG-ICN CX ASIA2
15. ICN-NRT JL ASIA3 (connecting in NRT)
16. NRT-HAN JL ASIA4
1) What's the best agency to book this ticket? Does it have to be on AA ticket stock if I want to upgrade using 500 milers and EVIPs? The oneworld online tool will let me book at the price I want ($2631USD + surcharges). But is it better that I book through the AA RTW desk and ask them to price it for sales in Canada?
2) My first travel date is well over one month from today. The oneworld explorer rule sheet says that ticketing must be completed at least 21 days before departure for reservations made 22 or more days before departure. How long will the AA RTW desk hold the reservation before ticketing, and is there any reason why I might want to ticket before getting closer to that 22 day cutoff?
3) With all the recent JAL uncertainty, should I be concerned about booking this trip?
4) More than likely I will change the date but not routing (I don't think I will even any connections to stopovers) for some of these segments. What is the procedure to do so in the middle of the trip? Can any oneworld airline ticketing agent do it, or do they have to contact a special RTW desk? How long does this process take (minutes, hours, days)?
Jan 10, 2010 | 5:39 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: country Western Australia
Programs: QF WP(LTS) - AA LTG(1MM)
Posts: 2,857
Given that you are TATL and TPAC with AA, AA will likely ticket for you if you want them to. This has operational benefits when you go to use the EVIPs but may cost you some tax, though AA taxes on other carriers are minimal. And AA will need to pick up the ticket to update with the EVIPs. Not so with stickers or EXP upgrades domestically.
I would be very tempted to setup with the AA RTW desk with $$ ex Hanoi but to be paid for in Canada. A quick trip to Canada with payment at the AA desk at the airport. Others can correct my suggestion if better alternatives are available. Some may recommend a Canadian TA, but this would perhaps add the TA service fees. Might be cheaper to fly to YVR if AA has a desk there.
Routing I would seriously consider the WT+ upgrade CAI-LHR as this would give you 110% mileage and 150% EQP. Doing it LHR-CAI will add the very generous UK APD and I dislike paying taxes without obvious benefits. As well I would consider Malev on the BUD-LHR segment again for better earning. I flew them a couple of years ago without incident although it was a Biz award ticket. If BUD-LHR-HKG is a connection the Y+ alternative on QF is perhaps an option as the APD does not apply to connections. It would not be as important to me as the CAI segment as QF flights do attract status bonuses. Though depending on the day and flight loads, QF has been rather more generous recently as a result of overselling the Y cabin on longhaul flights. No guarantees. And the Y+ upgrades may not be within your budget.
I wouldn't worry about JAL before May and even then publicity will precede actions.
Changing dates on flight segments (after the first) is one of the reasons to use the AA RTW desk......
Happy wandering
Fred
I would be very tempted to setup with the AA RTW desk with $$ ex Hanoi but to be paid for in Canada. A quick trip to Canada with payment at the AA desk at the airport. Others can correct my suggestion if better alternatives are available. Some may recommend a Canadian TA, but this would perhaps add the TA service fees. Might be cheaper to fly to YVR if AA has a desk there.
Routing I would seriously consider the WT+ upgrade CAI-LHR as this would give you 110% mileage and 150% EQP. Doing it LHR-CAI will add the very generous UK APD and I dislike paying taxes without obvious benefits. As well I would consider Malev on the BUD-LHR segment again for better earning. I flew them a couple of years ago without incident although it was a Biz award ticket. If BUD-LHR-HKG is a connection the Y+ alternative on QF is perhaps an option as the APD does not apply to connections. It would not be as important to me as the CAI segment as QF flights do attract status bonuses. Though depending on the day and flight loads, QF has been rather more generous recently as a result of overselling the Y cabin on longhaul flights. No guarantees. And the Y+ upgrades may not be within your budget.
I wouldn't worry about JAL before May and even then publicity will precede actions.
Changing dates on flight segments (after the first) is one of the reasons to use the AA RTW desk......
Happy wandering
Fred
Jan 10, 2010 | 12:45 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: South Florida, USA
Programs: AA LT PLT (OW Sapphire), B6 Mosaic
Posts: 492
I'm about to ticket a DGLOB34 through LAN, but have a LHR-MIA segment. Are you saying that one can only use a eVIP/SWU when the ticket is on AA/001 stock?