LONE5 questions
 

Just been planning out a RTW ticket for next year as follows.

AKL-SYD-HNL-DFW-YVR // SFO-MEX-LIM-SCL-IPC-SCL-GIG-LHR-HKG-KUL-HKG-AKL

Maximum sectors used (16/16) and priced it out via QF for $5,292NZD which is pretty good

AKL-SYD-HNL on QF
HNL-DFW-YVR on AA
SFO-MEX on MX
MEX-LIM on LP
LIM-SCL-IPC-SCL-GIG on LA
GIG-LHR on BA
LHR-HKG-KUL-HKG-AKL on CX

Keen to work out which FF program to join and how to maximise points. We're likely to move to UK in near future so one that is useful there would help

Thanks in advance

You should look at possibly getting this ticketed through AA as it will reduce the cost by a few hundred Dollars potentially. Also, have you looked at a DONE4 from a cheaper location? The price might not be that much more.

In terms of Frequent Flyer program the question is what you want to achieve and how your flying pattern will look like in the future. In other words, do you want status or award flights?

If award flights is what you want, L fare like a LONE5 do not accrue that much with most programs. If you are lucky you get 100%, often only 25% or nothing at all. In my experience Finnair has a good program for when flying L class as they give 50%-100% for many flights.

DONE4 from a cheaper location is an interesting idea. Anywhere you would suggest? This would mean knocking out a continent right? Perhaps by bypassing NZ/AUS and departing/returning from somewhere in Asia?

You would have to do a search here. The problem is that prices have gone up substantially in some markets over the last 12 months, sometimes almost doubling. Play around with the OW website for some departure points and only you can make the decision where your pain point is. And how much you value airline status, lounge access and those extra miles which get you award flights later.

Found a spreadsheet with the base prices from various countries that one of the other members here posted in another thread. Looks like DONE4 will be quite a bit more than LONE5 so out of our budget.

Flying pattern in future will be occasional flights (annual likely) from UK to Malaysia & occasionally through to NZ to visit the families on both sides. Otherwise will be around Europe/Middle East for travel.

Status would be nice to get the perks associated (lounge access etc) but award flights or award upgrades is probably what we're keen on.

With Finnair is it easy to book award flights on other OneWorld carriers? as I doubt they fly many of the routes we're thinking of.

Cheapest / DONE
 

South Africa (JNB), Sri Lanka (CMB) -- but you're right, about twice as much.