RTW planning
 

I am relatively new to this forum which I discovered only very recently. I have certainly learnt some high value things from reading this forum over the last few days - much respect for the regulars on this forum and the advice and expertise they provide to several others on this forum.

I would certainly value some thoughts on a RTW trip I am planning for my family.

We live in London but happy to start the trip in Oslo. Key places we wish to visit are - Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, French Polynesia (I know OneWorld don’t fly here), Hawaii and Vancouver.

The flight routing I have come up with so far (and which the AA RTW desk has very helpfully validated) is:

OSL-DOHx-SGN-PNH//HAN-HKG-AKL-SYD-HNL-DFWx-YVR-LHR-DXB-LHRx-OSL

The current thinking is to buy separate tickets to take us from AKL to French Polynesia and back and then continue with the RTW ticket we would have.

A few questions I had where I would value input are:

1. Is there anyway to get closer to French Polynesia (PPT) using OneWorld airlines that are eligible for the RTW tickets? Or is my current plan to get as far as AKL and then use separate tickets the best plan?
2. Are there any sensible ways to optimise the earning of BA new tier points?
3. I am currently using up 14 segments - any interesting ideas of how I may use two additional segments so as to not “waste” them? I also feel that using the RTW ticket to fly SGN-PNH and also the surface leg from PNH-HAN is perhaps a bit wasteful. I’ll be travelling with two children so don’t really want to be doing long trips just to earn miles etc - but would value any thoughts on how I might get value from the remaining segments.
4. Does using a codeshare flight number (as opposed to the operators flight number) have any impact on the taxes/carrier imposed charges that are payable?

Thanks much in advance.

Chesil Welcome to FT & OW RTW tickets
Alaska AS have taken over Hawaian HA, who fly to HNL-PPT. Yet to be included as full OW airline, but will happen some time. Date unknow. Oneworld may change the rules when HA join.
Fiji Airways FJ is to join OW as a full member. Are reports will be 30 June 2025. That will open up more *ONE* routes, but not PPT. FJ are already an eligable airline for *GLOB* distance based RTW's

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faa%CA...tional_Airport

https://www.oneworld.com/round-the-world
If you buy *GLOB* can/could use QF codeshare on Air Tahiti Nui (PPT home airport) [ we do not have a dedicated thread for *GLOB* ]
Edit
CX also fly HKG-CHC seasonably.
When you buy a ticket, the rules at that time stay in place. Even if an airline leaves or joins the OW alliance. Airlines leaving has their own set of problems.
As for "get closer to French Polynesia (PPT)", distance does not equal price.
Partial route Pacific--> http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=c%3Ablu...=bm&PW=3&DU=mi

is there any way to get a better sense of what the airlines will see?

i’m running some tests using the oneworld tool as check (when it works). E.g. Finding dates on EF with availability in A fare class and then checking on the oneworld tool if it shows up as well. However it looks like it’s indeed very point of origin dependant and it’s basically useless to use EF (at least for certain routes in A class).

i’ve tried ITA Matrix (searching for f bc=a) but it doesn’t work.

anything else I could try? It’s really a pain to organize a AONE…

thanks!

A simple change is to replace SYD-HNL (earns on QF as 25% * 5066 miles = 1267 BA new tier points) with SYD-HND-HNL (earns on JL as 50% * 8691 miles = 4345 BA new tier points). This is possible as the rules allow you two entries and two exits to/from Asia.

It would be better also to fly from North America into Helsinki on AY - maybe change to YVR-SEA-HEL-DXB (AS, AY and AY respectively). The sequence SEA-HEL-DXB will earn you 7602 miles*50% = 3801 new tier points, whereas YVR-LHR-DXB on BA/AA will earn only a small fraction of this (as an estimate, for a total trip of 40000 miles and price of 5500 GBP something like (8144/40000)*5500 = 1120 new tier points). Doing though will mean that you won't be able to use the AA RTW desk for ticketing, so unless you are really interested in maximizing BA new tier point collection perhaps not worth the extra effort re: ticketing.

Note that those two changes use up your 2 extra segments

Try using a travel agent.

thanks, yes I plan to, just want to do some upfront prep rather than spam them with too many requests for a trip that’s one year out :)

I’m pretty sure the rules state « Two permitted in Asia if one is for travel between Southwest Pacific and Europe / Middle East »

So visiting Asia first, then going down under, then re-entering Asia to connect to HNL, doesn’t work.

However, if he started by flying with Europe-xSIN/xHKG/xHND-SYD then he could re-enter Asia subsequently (and to the Asia portion of his RTW before flying to HNL)

Hope to him if this is all worth it (with small kids) for extra nTPs!

Those highlighted words were removed from the rule some years ago. The rule now states:

Hi Chesil, and I repeat Mwenenzi 's greeting

I've been thinking about your proposed itinerary as a Global Explorer, because it would allow you visit all your desired places, in particular Tahiti
Here's the itinerary I've come up with:

• PPT can be reached using QF codeshares (on TN flights) AKL-PPT and PPT-LAX
• The Global Explorer does not disallow LAX-HNL-PDX (whereas the Oneworld Explorer does)
• According to ExpertFlyer, AA does codeshare on one daily BA flight YVR-LHR, so you could book with the AA RTW desk
• I've PNH before SGN because if you're planning a roadtrip up to HAN then that will be easier to do in Vietnam
• At the end you have four segments to get from LHR to Norway, but only one more stopover allowed
  • All the segments can be flight segments (the Oneworld Explorer would only allow three more)
  • Transits can be up to 24hrs each
  • These can be taken months after your RTW trip (up to 12 months from the first flight)
  • Assuming you're planning Business Class (max mileage 34,000) then, playing around, I see Rome or Reykjavik can be reached
• I've no idea what the FF earning would be

ETA
As Mwenenzi said earlier, there is no dedicated Global Explorer thread on FlyerTaslk, but there is this one which compares the Global and Oneworld Explorers Musings: Circumstances where a Global Explorer might be better than a Oneworld Explo - FlyerTalk Forums
serfy recently posted how to get to the rule sheets on the Oneworld site, just pick Global Explorer instead of Oneworld Explorer - FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - The Oneworld Explorer User Guide

You are right, thank you! I stand corrected. Somehow the rules I was reading on the oneworld website were the 2018 version. I think the Qantas website has the 2023 version which removed those words.

Interesting! That makes me rethink my own plan as well.

Browsed around on QF web site in vain trying to find 2023 verson.
Appreciate a direct link if possible.
TIA

See post #724 herein for the most recent version available from the oneworld site.

Actually yes you have them here as well : https://assets.ctfassets.net/m9ph4qv...d-explorer.pdf

Somehow I had found an old one on their website...

Thank you for the link. Made a pdf copy for off line use!

I used to have a similar page book marked but as soon as the current version got updated the bookmark world no longer work.

Hence my advice to go via the oneworld web site to get the most up to date.