West-bound RTW or backtracking
 

Dear all,

I may be planning an 'instant' RTW starting from ZRH later this month and could use your help. I need to stop, in this order, minimally at the following locations. AKL, SYD, NRT. Reasons? Holiday and work activities in a combined itenerary. I am completely flexible on all other segments. Build up miles, play some interesting golf course, etc.

My question is: On a normal east-bound RTW, would this be considered backtracking? If so, does anyone have experience with planning and surviving a west-bound RTW?

Thanks,

Jenn

Not sure of the backtracking issue/rules, but I have done both directions many times in both Y (M) and J (D) classes. You will probably add about 4 hours flying times in a minimum RTW itinerary going west, but the most diff on a single sector is likely to be LAX-AKL by less than 2 hours.

Quite survivable, even at the back of the bus.

On a OWE you can go Europe - Australia - Asia - North America - Europe provided you go directly Europe - Australia without stopovers in Asia. When you return to Asia from Australia you get your stopovers and intracontinent flight segments as per the normal rules.

As for westbound RTW's, I find them more survivable than eastbound ones in spite of the longer flying times. For me, the westbound time shifts are easier to handle. This is clearly individual.