While I have purchased a number of xONEx tickets, I am considering a routing that is "somewhat different"
NRT-MEL(stop)-DEL(stop)- DOH-Europe-USA-SEAsia(stop)-(direct)NRT/HND as an xONE4
Europe and North America would be multiple stops and perhaps "long breaks" with 16 coupons total.
The alternative would require 2 early Asia stops and then direct to Japan from North America as an xONE3
or direct to Japan from Australia as an xONE4
I understand the rules say two entries are now allowed in SEAsia, but nothing specific is said about tickets originating in Asia....
Can someone clarify my attempted wandering
Fred

Hi Fred
The wording of the relevant rule is:
Your proposed itinerary is allowed under exception 2.

• It starts with an intercontinental departure (NRT-MEL)
• Followed by an intercontinental arrival (MEL-DEL)
• Followed by a second intercontinental departure (DEL-DOH)
• Then towards the end, a second intercontinental arrival (USA-SEAsia)

The rule is silent on stopovers/transits (old versions used to restrict stopovers). Because Asia is your continent of origin you are allowed a maximum of two stopovers there, which you have (DEL and somewhere in SE Asia).

Happy travelling Fred

Thank you, this is just the kind of information I need - especially that others have had to make the multiple calls. So far I don't think I will need to change a flight if that means the routing or airline. I just need to change the dates of the existing bookings. Can that trigger a repricing?

The first flight will be in March of 2025. Will keep in mind which changes to make before or after that first flight.

Any other thoughts? Thanks.

As long as you flew your 1st segment, any change of dates (but keeping Os and Ds) will not be charged with a fee. On rare occasions, airlines may change O & D, then this change shall not incur a fee (if they try, you insist it is involuntary).

Thank you, I am trying to keep changes before 1st flights to dates only. After the 1st flight which is next March, I will try make any O or Ds in one change to just get one fee.

When I called just now. I made my date changes and the rep said the date changes would be sent off and in 24 hours I could call back to see if the taxes changed. I kept all airlines and flight numbers the same, just date changes. Do taxes change?

FYI he said the AA rtw email was currently out of service and they are recommending people call back in 24 hours.

Govt's can change real taxes and the rate of currency exchange can/does vary.
Far safer to fly the first segment and only then make changes, Even minor time/date changes

First segment now has D-availability
 

Had booked our rtw at the pre-hike exJP fares, with CTS-HKG, the first sector in coach because D hadn’t been available then. It is now available.

Am I correct in guessing that unless willing to pay the new fare, we’ll have to live with that segment in coach because reissuing would increase to the higher fare level?

It would appear so. The relevant rule states:

Hi everyone,

First off thanks for all the contributions here, they are all super helpful as I'm starting to look into this! I had a few questions to try to optimize our trip. Apologies if they have been answered before

Acceptable Itineraries:

• ...-JFK-LHR-DOH-LHR (ground segment) CDG-DOH--CDG-HND...
  • Am I right to think that this should work? 4 flight segments (LHR-DOH, DOH-LHR, CDG-DOH, DOH-CDG), with no 2x flights on the same exact city pairs
  • Or is there a chance that this constitutes as "excessive backtracking"? If it does -- would it be less egregious if I removed one of the DOH returns (still backtracking, but less)?
• To go in/out of MLE, am I allowed to transit (not stopover) via DOH, without it counting as entering / exiting the continent?
  • (The reason I am asking is to optimize for "real" F segments, of which only QR serves MLE)
• As long as I don't start the RTW in Japan, am I right to think that I could do Asia --> SWP --> North America via HND (transit, not stopover)?
  • This is because I would love to test out the JAL F product
• Am I understanding correctly that the only way to go to HNL is by stopping there in between Asia/SWP and North America?
  • Given the "no backtracking" rule, it's impossible to do e.g. HND-LAX-HNL

Other questions:

• I've read on the booking thread that some people implied that there could be restrictions on availability depending of the point of origin / ticketing carrier. Is that truly the case? If yes, how can I take that into account? Is there any way to check for that (e.g. on EF)?
  • If paying $1-2k more means I get better availabilities, I would consider that
• Speaking of availability -- I've looked on EF at some flights and it looks like inventory in A seems *very* limited on certain carriers (e.g. JAL), even one year out. Would availability show up later during the year or not? i.e. should I book without the right class and hope I get to change it?
  • I know that the general advice is to fly the first segment and then change later, but I'm afraid I'll just never be able to fly in First and end up being downgraded on most segments... Or have to change all my hotel bookings
• Apart from the taxes / surcharges differences by point of origin (e.g. Japan having less fuel surcharges), are their differences in taxes by ticketing carrier?
• I'm a bit confused re. choice of ticketing carrier: everyone seems to agree not to use QF (because they're bad) / BA (because they add a ton of fees). What is the best to use? AA? JL? CX?
  • If I book through a TA, does it matter?
• [This is probably a question for the BA forum] is there any ticketing carrier that's best when crediting miles / tier points to BA?

Thanks!
Hennebou

Have you downloaded and read the rules?
No such thing as "excess backtracking".

Real taxes are 100% the same for every airline flying the same route-class of travel.
Carrier surcharges can and do vary by airline.
If you book on line the OW system chooses the issuing airline. QF seems to be the default issuing airline for many origins. Other times can be the airline of the first flight.
If your first flight JFK-LHR in on AA you have AA issue the ticket. Contact them by phone.
When FJ and the AS brand HA become full OW members the rules may change. Will be more pacific routes for *ONE*. FJ are in ^GLOB* now.

Yes I've read the rules (extensively) of course, I just thought I remembered someone around here saying some agents once refused to ticket due to *excessive* backtracking within a continent, but glad to see that this is not a thing!

Thanks!

OW RTW best way to book // open dates
 

Hi - great thread and FAQ. This is my third time booking a OW RTW itinerary but still learning. I have two questions which I can't see in the FAQ.

Q1. (a) What's the current preferred way to book these? The first time I booked online, issued by Qantas, which was massively difficult to change (I'm in UK, no Qantas loyalty, inexperienced operators). Second time I got BA to book it for me (GCH), but that too was painful and took multiple calls over weeks. (b) Is using a travel agent recommended? This itinerary starts CMB-NRT -so (c) any good / bad experiences booking a RTW with Sri Lankan?

Q2. How easy is it to open date some of the later legs if they are outside the 330 days of availability but still within the 365 of the first leg, or do people just put in placeholder dates within the 330 window and then change them later?

Thanks for any hints / help.

26left

If you know of a competent travel agent then yes that's the best option. Otherwise AA.

My own experiences had been:
Best was to use AA to issue ticket (around here, most would say you have at least 1 cross ocean segment on AA or AA codeshare).
My experience with CX was great including subsequent date changes on itinerary.
Had NO experience with JL.

Unless the first segment is JL, JL agents will direct you to use the online tool which is almost guaranteed to be QF (which we ALL should know by now is a miserable experience).

AA has a significant number of agents dedicated to the RTW desk.