RTW help
 

I am planning a oneworld rtw five continent trip and would like to get all the help I can from those of you who have more experience. I would like to start out in Rio de Janeiro, but rtw prices here are very high and I need to stop in North America on both legs. As I understand the new rules, rtw no longer allows stops in North America on both directions, to and from South America. So, I decided to buy a separate GIG-JFK-YYZ-JFK-GIG trip and start out on the rtw (with one less continent) in Canada. This combination seems to be slightly cheaper than buying one rtw here. Here is what I have planned:

YYZ-HKG-BOM CX
BOM-HKG-KUL CX
KUL-HKG-SYD CX
SYD-CHC QF
CHC-SYD QF
SYD-PER-MEL QF
MEL-LHR BA
LHR-IST BA
IST-LHR-PRA BA
PRA-LHR-LAX-JFK BA/AA
JFK-STL-ANC AA (TWA)
ANC-STL-YYZ AA (TWA)

I would like to get as many miles as possible, of course. BOM, KUL, CHC, and NYC are necessary stops. IST, PRA, ANC are just tourism and could be changed for other touristic spots. SYD and MEL are there more or less for rest and because I like them. YYZ is there just because rtw tickets seem to be much cheaper from Canada.

What class are you travelling and what FF programme are you putting your miles into?

You could also try GIG-JNB-GIG on Varig/SAA and then start your trip in JNB!

This used to be a super-deal, but, no more...

OW RTW fares ex-South Africa are a ripoff these days.

As to class of service, the separate jaunt to Canada would be in promotional Y, raised to C by VIPOWs. For the rtw trip, either A or D, depending on later decisions. If in D, the AA portions would go to A by means of VIPOWs. Mileage to AA.

Going through SA wouldn't solve the problem of stopping in North America on both legs, would it?. Also it would add a continent as I wasn't planning on going to Africa on this trip.

No routing allows a second intercontinental stopover in North America, only a second transit (though you can get 23 hours fairly easily). The advantage of starting your RTW outside of US/Canada is that you get 6 sectors for US/Canada travel (instead of 2). You might want to check the RTW price ex-Argentina, there is conflicting information but the last word is that it is priced in USD (and high). Your proposed routing is close to optimal given your objectives.

Looks pretty good. To maximise miles you may want to consider LAX-SJU-JFK instead of LAX-JFK and JFK-DFW-ANC instead of JFK-STL-ANC (depending on when you go, DFW-ANC is seasonal). Also, I don't think you're permitted SYD-PER-MEL, only one transcon in Australia. And finally, if you are desperate for miles you can substitute a Middle East destination (e.g., DXB) for IST or PRA (do you mean PRG=Prague?)

You always can have six segments in NA but you only get two stopovers if you originate in NA. This stopover limitation applies to whatever continent in which you originate.

I believe SYD-PER-MEL is OK. The rule is as follows:

The version of the rules I have has the following about restrictions on travel in Australia:

7. WITHIN AUSTRALIA - 1 NONSTOP OR
187N . SINGLE PLANE FLIGHT PERMITTED BETWEEN
188N . THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
189N . BNE/CNS/SYD-PER
190N . MEL/SYD-DRW
191N . EXCEPTION - NO RESTRICTION BETWEEN
192N . SYD-PER WHEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH
193N . TRAVEL TO/FROM AFRICA


I took this to mean only one segment between BNE or CNS or SYD, on the one hand, and PER on the other. MEL is not mentioned in this list. I took the second line to mean that one segment would also be permitted between either MEL or SYD, as one point, and DRW as the other. In any event, the text does not seem to put any limits on PER-MEL, only on SYD-MEL. Anyone have a more recent version, or another interpretation?

I guess I was mistaken about MEL-PER. Sorry!

SYD-PER-MEL is definitely allowed (I have a ticket issued by AA with that routing, and they are strict with the allowed routing). All 3 cities are great rest stops (for different reasons, though personally I prefer CHC).
Thanks for the clarification on the 2 stopover/6 segment limit, I must have misunderstood the agent and didn't follow up as it didn't affect my tickets. The rules are complex to the point of being convoluted, though sometimes that leads to some favourable terms.

GIG-canada is pretty far already, depends on what deal you have got, might as well start your OWE trip in europe (gibraltar, prague, etc.)

The original requirement is to stop in north america both directions, this rules out any origination for the RTW except NA (or buy an extra ticket for the 2nd north american trip). OneWorld undoubtedly has researched this restriction and found it to be a clever marketing move. Without this requirement the best price would be to originate the RTW in AKL, buying a GIG-EZE-AKL ticket on QF 116 (but the 2nd NA stop would add too much cost).

GIG / EZE / AKL prices over US$ 1600 in discounted coach, while we can find here in Brazil much better deals to North America starting from US$ 550.

So if North America is a must (specially if you want it twice), then better to start from YYZ.

It seems that the best solution to the problem I posed at the outset of this thread is to start the RTW from Europe (France) and not from Canada. First, the RTW fares from Europe are cheaper than from Canada. As I am buying a four continent RTW, in US dollar terms the Canadian price is $5316, while the French price is $4411. Second, at this time of year, and given that I will be away for more than 30 days, promotional GIG/JFK/YYZ/JFK/GIG and GIG/JFK/CDG/JFK/GIG fares are virtually the same, at the US$1100 level. Even using the cheapest bucket shops and discount fares I could find this price goes down by only about $100 and VIPOWs either become unusable (because airlines other than AA are involved) or more of them are required (because separate tickets are issued for each round trip). Using this ticketing scheme, I get to stop in the US on both legs of the GIG/CDG/GIG trip, and the RTW from Paris allows even more stops in the US. I get the stops I want in North America and the total price works out to be about US$2000 less than the five continent business rtw fare from South America of US$7500 (although one would have to factor in the value of the VIPOW used to upgrade the promotional fare from GIG to Europe, about $500, bringing the savings down to US$1500).

I would be grateful to hear opinions and suggestions on the above. I still have a day or two to issue the ticket.