1 World Trip
 

After much planning I have finally bought a 4 continent RTW ticket that enables me to earn the 100,000-mile bonus in 4 plans. Because I have decided to have most long haul segments credited to my AA account the below itinerary will require that I do 1 additional RT on CP or AY. I will probably do a LAX-YVR weekend flight to get that. My goal was to get the segments and spend as little time in the air as possible. The ticket cost 4,196USD with taxes. For the purists on this board you will note I did not use 1 of my segments in each of North America, Australia, and Europe. In addition I have spent a lot of work insuring that (except in 1 case) no PNR will contain segments that I want credited to separate frequent flyer programmes. The itinerary is as follows:


Origin Dest Carrier Date FF
1AMS MAD IB 1-Oct-99 CX
2MAD LON IB 2-Oct-99 QF
3LON BKK BA 7-Oct-99 AA
BKK Westin Hotel on the 8th
4BKK HKG CP 9-Oct-99 BA
5HKG MNL CX 9-Oct-99 BA
6MNL HKG BA 9-Oct-99 QF
HKG Airport Hotel 1st Night
7HKG TPE CX 10-Oct-9 QF
8TPE HKG CX 10-Oct-9 CX
Need to book hotel in HKG Night 2
9HKG SYD CX 11-Oct-9 AA
10SYD MEL QF 11-Oct-9 CX
Need to book hotel in MEL
11MEL SYD QF 14-Oct-9 QF
Stay with friend in Sydney
12SYD BNE QF 17-Oct-9 BA
Rent Car and Drive back to Sydney via Gold Coast
13SYD LAX QF 24-Oct-9 AA
14LAX LAS AA 24-Oct-9 QF
15LAS ORD AA open AA
16ORD DCA AA open CX
17IAD LAX AA open AA
18LAS LAX AA open BA
19LAX LON AA open AA
20LON AMS BA open BA


Some question that other members I hope can help me with are as follows:

1. My plan for the 9th of October is to fly CP from BKK-HKG arriving at noon. Check into the Regal Airport Hotel. I then will do a same day return to MNL later that afternoon followed by a same day return to TPE the next morning. Is there a departure tax paid locally in HKG? If so is there any way to avoid it, since I am simply connecting. Can I gain access to any hotel w/o clearing immigration? This is the only “excess segment” work I will need to do.
2. Any suggestions on a hotel in Melbourne. This is my nickel so I am looking for 100AUD or less.
3. Will I be able to check in for my return flights from MNL to HKG without clearing immigration in MNL?
4. Same question as number 3 for TPE?
5. Is the QF internal flight seating in business class a similar style to many European airlines where they simply use the same seats, but move a curtain up and back?

You have to be careful with transatlantic flights by AA and BA. It is not possible to obtain AA miles on a BA ticket, vice versa.

Can't see how yo'd not have to clear immigration and customs in Hong Kong. Can't think of a single example of a "sterile" ariport hotel. As for Melbourne, cheap does not come easy in Australia. I always stay at the Hilton, just on the edge of city centre, but a nice stroll through the park into town, or a tram ride to the main rail station. It will be in the A$200 range unless you are there on a weekend, in which case a Bounce Back price is available closer to your target (assuming A$100, not US$100). Or you could get a HHonors 50% certificate if you belong to that program.

Regent, Hyatt and other are far too expensive. Sheraton have a massive hotel on the south bank of the river. As with Hilton, a 50% off certificate from Starwood might bring it down to your price level, as would a weekend stay.

Have a great flight(s).

Melbourne, Australia: Oakford Gordon Place Apartments, on Little Bourke Street. I stayed there in July. Good rates, great location. Wonderful wine bar across the street: Penny Lane. Cheers.

Richlond - a few suggestions to your questions:

1. HKG . As long as your return to MNL and TPE are is entirely on one ticket with all the dates and flight numbers on it, then you will not be charged the HK airport tax. However, if you hold two tickets, both of which originate from HK to MNL and TPE respectively, you will have to pay for the HK departure tax as this would automatically have been added to the cost of your tickets.

2. You SHOULD be able to transit through Manila without going through customs/immigration. Just tell the check-in agent at HK that you are 'meeting' someone at the MNL airline lounge for a short meeting. and they won't think you're weird.Besides CX in HKG will issue you with your return boarding pass for MNL as they offer this service out of HK.

3.HK's Regal Airport is outside immigration and customs. The only airports I know which have hotels within the terminals are : Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

4. Melbourne hotels under A$100 is going to be a little tough. But try calling the Metro Hotel and Suites at 18 Bank Place. Phone 61-3-9601-4321 & fax 61-3-9601-4300. It is still 'winterish' in Australia and maybe they can offer a 'spring break' special. You may also try the Hotel Ibis. There is a Hotel Tolarno out in St Kilda. I don't have the phone number but it's a newish 'art-deco' style hotel. Last I enquired, their rate was less than A$99.

Hope your 4x 1world plan goes well. I'll be attempting my 8x 1world plan next month !

[This message has been edited by Celestar340 (edited 10-05-1999).]

Good luck, and I hope you managed to avoid Typhoons in HKG, MNL & TPE. The HKG tax is only HK$50 (US$7) but is most likely to be included in your ticket already. The airline lounges do close overnight, but I did once meet a backpacker who had spent the night curled up in the Plaza Premium Lounge (pay entry HK$200). She did have to beg permission though, but worth a shot if you are desperate. To be honest, if you have to stay the night in HK airport Regal Hotel, consider getting the train into town HK$70 e/way, it is only 25 mins direct, there may be better prices in the tourist hotels in Kowloon (and change of scene from airports). Keep us posted.

Typhoons, Schmyphoons. They might stop those wimpy Star Alliance types, but remembers, this is oneworld. http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Ken Hamer

... the never stopped me so far http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif. ... I am glad about that oneworld offer and undoubtly the pressure it puts on future StarAliance offers. we both profit. let's hope for even more COMPETITION!
http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Shareholder, could you, if you have a moment, email me with your feelings about the Hilton in Melbourne. I am staying there for a week, starting next Sunday, and have been looking for someone with knowledge of this property. Thanks!