I was going to book a DONE4 from Japan that was broadly HND-SYD-PER-HKG-LAX-JFK-SFO-MIA-DOH-MAN-HKG-CMB-TYO. However, was struggling to think what would be a cheap nesting to let me get a third "stopover" in Asia so I could get a week in CMB by using surface segments and so forth. In the meantime I need to also take a few other flights/positioning (I live in HKG) to do TYO-HKG-TYO; HKG-PEK-HKG which would cost ~USD2400 in business based on my cheapest routes I can find, i.e. not that cheap

I am considering instead doing a DCIR22 + DONE3 (Saves ~900 USD pp), which also gives me my extra stopover.

So I would do DCIR22
HND-PEK /**/ PEK-HKG // HKG-PER // PER-SYD-HNL // HNL-TYO (or I could do HNL-USA-TYO for more miles, but perhaps an angrier wife as the trip to Perth/HNL is over a week)
** - In the middle I would need to get a PEK-HKG return, which is ~1500USD but would give me a 'bonus" weekend in SGN
Then start myself a new DONE3, which would be TYO- HKG-LAX-JFK-SFO-MIA-DOH-MAN-HKG-CMB-TYO , and my two Asia stopovers would be in HKG and then CMB.

Any thoughts? Money saving isn't the only aim, as I would otherwise need some more positioning flights, but wondered if there were any flaws in my logic or big things I missed? Worth noting I am travelling with the whole family, who do always need status points, so that is 4 tickets, which magnifies costs, but flying is part of the holiday and we do have friends in HNL it would be nice to visit again :).

Planning my third round the world trip, and looking at the following DONE5, would welcome any comments and confirmation that I am within the rules:

OSL-xDOH-CPT-xLHR-HND-DEL-xHND-HKG-DPS-xSYD-NAN-SYD-SCL-xLHR-DOH-xMAD-OSL

Just to confirm that I am stopping off in Doha at the end of the trip but transiting through LHR each time.

First of all, the routing is invalid. You are limited to one transcon segment in the US.. but you have 3.
Second, if you are booking via AA RTW desk, I'm guessing they will not allow you to stop in HKG from PER on your way to US, after having originated in Asia.
If you are HKG based, I would suggest doing OSL or EU origination for DONE4... this way you can maximize stopovers "back home" in HKG, if that's what you want.

I also think you cannot do CPT-LHR having done OSL-DOH-CPT. The relevant rule is:
You could do OSL-DOH-CPT, CPT-DOH-HND

Thanks, I guess I could also do OSL-LHR-CPT, CPT-DOH-HND

On my return I would like to maximise my transit at LHR before going onto DOH. Does any one recall how many flights a day BA used to fly LHR-DOH and approximate times?

As a separate question, if you are in transit and have bags that have been through-checked onto the next flight, is it OK to leave the airport (provided visas etc are OK) if you have a long transit time (or will this result in your bags being taken off the flight)?

This shouldn't be an issue as long as you don't miss your next flight. You can do whatever you want with your time while waiting for the next flight (obviously withing the rules of each country:p) and I have left the airport while in transit and with checked bags more than once

Just to clarify, assume below is now within the rules, I am only travelling from Europe once to CPT and returning to DOH:

OSL-xLHR-CPT-xDOH-HND-DEL-xHND-HKG-DPS-xSYD-NAN-SYD-SCL-xLHR-DOH-xMAD-OSL

EDIT: would my agent be able to book this with QR given that first flight is to LHR with BA?

No issue with that

On #2, yep I've had that challenge before as well though it isn't written down anywhere, but good to understand regular challenges on that. So I'm thinking that's a vote for the circle ticket via CX.
I didn't mention #1 as I'm flexible enough around my US segments, and do appreciate the DONE4 suggestion, however it isn't worth me throwing away my current DONE3 (ex-TYO) that nested with a DONE4(ex-OSL). Hard in the current m Middle Eastern situation to get 4 people, with school holiday constraints, from HKG to OSL to start a RTW. This plan buys me time to try and line that up in 2027. If only I could get 6 segments in Asia rather than 4 I'd try harder to airways do those.

Thx for the view

If using an agent, you can plate it to whoever you wish. There are advantages to doing so with QR. Personally, I plate mine to BA as easier to get through to someone to do something about IRROPS, should they happen.

I have shied away from BA as I understood that they can be more expensive and can result in a lower number of TPs on a RTW, but may be wrong?

My last DONE3 came in at a respectable amount (GBP 4,950 incl taxes). At the point of booking there wasn't a single BA segment in it. TP earn for every segment has been as expected, with no detriment by plating to BA.

Especially if ticketing on JL, they will typically book JL codes operated by other airlines (where those codes are available, check EF).

I used AA to ticket this.

I hvaen't looked at this for a while. But you can only have 4 segments in Asia.

THis is how i would do it.

OSL-DOH
DOH-MEL
MEL-NRT
NRT-KUL/CGK
KUL/CGK-NRT
NRT-DEL
DEL-HND
HND-JFK
JFK-SFO ---you can add Latin America or North America routing here. You get max of 6 segments. But you only get 1 transcon and 1 entry to Latin American. In your case add 5 segments in Ex: JFK-EZE-GIG-DFW-ANC-SFO
SFO-DOH
DOH-<Add European destination here>
<Added European Destination>-DOH
DOH-OSL

Should total to 16 segments.