RTW and the kindness of FTers
Sep 29, 2001 | 4:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 35,569
RTW and the kindness of FTers
I am a OneWorld virgin. I have taken several Star Alliance RTWs, and understand their intricacies reasonably well. However, OneWorld offers more flights within southern Africa and more mileage for similarly priced tickets, so it suits my current travel interests better.
2 Many Miles volunteered to be my guide thru the morass of One World RTW tickets. He has the ability to book tickets AND he understands the complexities of the fare tariff. Early on, he recommended that my husband and I leave from Sweden in order to minimize our expense. However, it took Darren just this past week to get it through my thick head that it was worth the small inconvenience of flying to Stockholm a cold dark place on a December day given the amount of money that I could save. Darren sent me the fares for all the varieties of One World travel 3 thru 6 continents, coach thru first, originating country by originating country. I poured over all of this, studying where BA had service, and in the end concluded what 2 Many Miles and Darren had already told me begin the trip in Stockholm.
Fares are due to go up on October 1, so 2 Many Miles and I quickly worked out a routing that took me beyond my original termination in the States. The rules allow me one domestic RT, which would not have been allowed if I had begun the trip in the US. 2 Many Miles then sent my ticket to BA to fare on Wednesday night. Unfortunately, BA had already loaded its new fares, and came back with an unexpectedly high ticket price. 2 Many Miles then sent the itinerary over to AA, who came back with a far more acceptable ticket.
I am taking a 4 continent, 1st class, RTW ticket, on three carriers: BA in Europe and Africa, CX on to Asia and the States, and AA within the States and back to Europe. Here are my savings:
$8610 price for trip if originating in the States
$6500 price from BA fare desk originating in Stockholm (Ive lost exact number; this is approx)
$4630 price from AA fare desk originating in Stockholm; ticketed at this fare
Of course I need to get to Stockholm, so Ive purchased a Star Alliance coach ticket for $750. I have SWUs as a United 1K traveler, so have upgraded the LAX LHR portions of the trip. The Star Alliance ticket brackets the RTW travel. In other words, I use the first half of the RT ticket; fly the RTW as far as CA, and return to work. I then take the US RT trip (part of the RTW fare) over a long weekend and return to work. I then finish the RTW trip by returning to Europe, spending a week on vacation, and return home on the return portion of my RT Star Alliance ticket. So, in the end, comparing the expenses:
$8610 if I started the trip in the US; one RTW ticket
$5400 one RTW ticket, one RT to Europe, and one RT domestic, Europe RT in biz, rest in 1st.
And since two of us are traveling, the savings are times two.
I owe thanks particularly to 2 Many Miles and Darren, but also to FewMiles and his OneWorld website, and many of you who have posted great One World RTW tips most particularly, those of you who advised of the Oct. 1 fare increase.
2 Many Miles volunteered to be my guide thru the morass of One World RTW tickets. He has the ability to book tickets AND he understands the complexities of the fare tariff. Early on, he recommended that my husband and I leave from Sweden in order to minimize our expense. However, it took Darren just this past week to get it through my thick head that it was worth the small inconvenience of flying to Stockholm a cold dark place on a December day given the amount of money that I could save. Darren sent me the fares for all the varieties of One World travel 3 thru 6 continents, coach thru first, originating country by originating country. I poured over all of this, studying where BA had service, and in the end concluded what 2 Many Miles and Darren had already told me begin the trip in Stockholm.
Fares are due to go up on October 1, so 2 Many Miles and I quickly worked out a routing that took me beyond my original termination in the States. The rules allow me one domestic RT, which would not have been allowed if I had begun the trip in the US. 2 Many Miles then sent my ticket to BA to fare on Wednesday night. Unfortunately, BA had already loaded its new fares, and came back with an unexpectedly high ticket price. 2 Many Miles then sent the itinerary over to AA, who came back with a far more acceptable ticket.
I am taking a 4 continent, 1st class, RTW ticket, on three carriers: BA in Europe and Africa, CX on to Asia and the States, and AA within the States and back to Europe. Here are my savings:
$8610 price for trip if originating in the States
$6500 price from BA fare desk originating in Stockholm (Ive lost exact number; this is approx)
$4630 price from AA fare desk originating in Stockholm; ticketed at this fare
Of course I need to get to Stockholm, so Ive purchased a Star Alliance coach ticket for $750. I have SWUs as a United 1K traveler, so have upgraded the LAX LHR portions of the trip. The Star Alliance ticket brackets the RTW travel. In other words, I use the first half of the RT ticket; fly the RTW as far as CA, and return to work. I then take the US RT trip (part of the RTW fare) over a long weekend and return to work. I then finish the RTW trip by returning to Europe, spending a week on vacation, and return home on the return portion of my RT Star Alliance ticket. So, in the end, comparing the expenses:
$8610 if I started the trip in the US; one RTW ticket
$5400 one RTW ticket, one RT to Europe, and one RT domestic, Europe RT in biz, rest in 1st.
And since two of us are traveling, the savings are times two.
I owe thanks particularly to 2 Many Miles and Darren, but also to FewMiles and his OneWorld website, and many of you who have posted great One World RTW tips most particularly, those of you who advised of the Oct. 1 fare increase.
Sep 30, 2001 | 12:47 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Circle City
Posts: 3,568
It was my pleasure to deflower you. 
And welcome to Oneworld. Or as the *A might call us, the Dark Side. Glad that I and 2mm could help, and I would also like to add my personal thanks to 2mm for getting me out of a jam as well. I think that my experiences in the last week have certainly reaffirmed why I like FT and why I like the OW forum in particular.
And welcome to Oneworld. Or as the *A might call us, the Dark Side. Glad that I and 2mm could help, and I would also like to add my personal thanks to 2mm for getting me out of a jam as well. I think that my experiences in the last week have certainly reaffirmed why I like FT and why I like the OW forum in particular.
Oct 1, 2001 | 5:10 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-PP, HL-DM, MR-LTP, HY-LTG
Posts: 26,017
CX originally assisted me with a fare ex-Stockholm. Their fare was lower, but their conversion rate of exchange to USD was very high. So I queued the message to AA who recalculated the fare and I ended up with a 4 Continent RTW fare in Business Class for about US$3165 (CX was quoting US$3385) with taxes of $216. I avoided going through UK onwards to a non-EU country and that saved the taxes a lot!
I also issued a ticket ex-CPT in First 5 Continent for US$4995 + 212 tax. But that's for travel next year!
You guys only had to talk to AA - I had to issue the ticket myself!
I also issued a ticket ex-CPT in First 5 Continent for US$4995 + 212 tax. But that's for travel next year!
You guys only had to talk to AA - I had to issue the ticket myself!
Oct 1, 2001 | 9:48 pm
#6
Original Poster
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 35,569
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Guy Betsy:
I avoided going through UK onwards to a non-EU country and that saved the taxes a lot!</font>
I avoided going through UK onwards to a non-EU country and that saved the taxes a lot!</font>
Oct 2, 2001 | 12:09 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-PP, HL-DM, MR-LTP, HY-LTG
Posts: 26,017
No - what I meant was - I avoided flying through the UK ie London, to a non-EU country. ie US or Asia.
If one is traveling on Business or First Class, the UK departure tax for flying to a non-EU country , which would include Switzerland, is almost something like $60 (but if you fly coach, it's $20). So I avoided flying J/F from London unless I'm connecting from say Paris to London immediate connection to NY.
If one is traveling on Business or First Class, the UK departure tax for flying to a non-EU country , which would include Switzerland, is almost something like $60 (but if you fly coach, it's $20). So I avoided flying J/F from London unless I'm connecting from say Paris to London immediate connection to NY.