RTW or a bunch of one ways??
Mar 5, 2024 | 6:31 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SORT OF HOMELESS
Programs: 14 years AA exp, but no more; & 1MM+, QR-PLT (ow EMD) MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 8,104
If you really wanted to maximize the rtw tickets, you would start one DONE3 ex-OSL and use that for your US flights and to get to Japan. While you are in Japan start another DONEX and use that to return to the UK. Then whenever the mood strikes you continue on with the ex-TYO DONE3/4 -- you could do a trip or two within EUR/ME before continuing west sometime within the validity of the two tickets to the US and then to Asia eventually returning to Japan to end your ex-TYO DONE3 and picking up your ex-OSL DONE to return to EUR.
This reminds me of my nested ex-HND DONE3 with an ex-OSL DONE4 pre-pandemic.
My home port was/is SFO.
Mar 5, 2024 | 6:38 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
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I've nested a few in a similar manner over the years. Depending how the OP decides to go with it he would get another 13 - 14 months of travel and if he wanted to add the southern hemisphere he would book a DONE4 ex-TYO and work AFR or SWP into his travel plans for the next year.
Mar 5, 2024 | 10:13 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold, Former UA 1K
Posts: 6,365
With the RTW you're allowed four flights within Asia, six within North America (which includes the Caribbean and Central America as well as Alaska and Hawaii) and four within Europe and the Middle East, but only two stopovers in the "continent of origin," in this case Europe.
In your case you could fly around Japan for the 4 flights - CTS/Sapporo for Hokkaido, or to other Japanese destinations, or Okinawa, or you could stop for a day or two in Hong Kong or Singapore on the way back to the UK. For Hawaii, you could fly to Honolulu, Maui, the Big Island or Kauai nonstop from the mainland. Alaska Airlines recently announced it's acquiring Hawaii Airlines, which has a big network in Hawaii as well as serving a number of mainland cities. If that acquisition is complete by the end of this year (??) you might be able to use the RTW for in-state travel in Hawaii too.
I put together an imaginary route using the RTW from Oslo. Like I say, imaginary, but maybe indicative of what you could do.
This would start in Oslo, then travel to Dallas from London, then to Honolulu. I picked DFW as the connection point on the mainland because American flies 789s with beds from DFW to HNL, while service from the west coast on American or Alaska is in planes with domestic business/first class seats, i.e., recliners.
After Hawaii you'd fly on JL to Haneda, then I show a JL flight (on 787s also) up to CTS on Hokkaido, back to Tokyo, then returning to Edinburgh via Helsinki. After however long you want, you'd end the trip back in Oslo. I show a side trip to Qatar using QRs nonstops from EDI to DOH, then DOH-OSL, but you could go someplace else (Madrid? Finland?) if you want. I haven't figured out the tier points or Avios for this route, but they'd be significant.
Just an example.
In your case you could fly around Japan for the 4 flights - CTS/Sapporo for Hokkaido, or to other Japanese destinations, or Okinawa, or you could stop for a day or two in Hong Kong or Singapore on the way back to the UK. For Hawaii, you could fly to Honolulu, Maui, the Big Island or Kauai nonstop from the mainland. Alaska Airlines recently announced it's acquiring Hawaii Airlines, which has a big network in Hawaii as well as serving a number of mainland cities. If that acquisition is complete by the end of this year (??) you might be able to use the RTW for in-state travel in Hawaii too.
I put together an imaginary route using the RTW from Oslo. Like I say, imaginary, but maybe indicative of what you could do.
This would start in Oslo, then travel to Dallas from London, then to Honolulu. I picked DFW as the connection point on the mainland because American flies 789s with beds from DFW to HNL, while service from the west coast on American or Alaska is in planes with domestic business/first class seats, i.e., recliners.
After Hawaii you'd fly on JL to Haneda, then I show a JL flight (on 787s also) up to CTS on Hokkaido, back to Tokyo, then returning to Edinburgh via Helsinki. After however long you want, you'd end the trip back in Oslo. I show a side trip to Qatar using QRs nonstops from EDI to DOH, then DOH-OSL, but you could go someplace else (Madrid? Finland?) if you want. I haven't figured out the tier points or Avios for this route, but they'd be significant.
Just an example.
Mar 6, 2024 | 8:27 am
#19
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 12,521
I'd definitely be doing OSL-DOH-DFW-HNL instead of via LHR. But that's for mileage primarily and secondarily a much better business cabin on QR. Similarly my return from Japan would also absolutely be on QR via DOH, not AY via HEL. QR flies to all of the major airports in the UK with big planes with lie flat business, not the A319s and A320s that AY flies there with EuroBusiness.
Mar 6, 2024 | 9:17 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Scotland
Programs: Ba Silver
Posts: 72
Wow..you guys all know ur stuff...this is great advice.
I'd love to fly more on QR, but most likely on the return portion. You are correct, this is a short round the world trip. I'm self-employed & can only really take about three and a half weeks off. Getting to Honolulu via Dallas on the 787 is probably going to be my preferred route. I'd then like to try JAL down to Japan. We plan to do a little touring around hokkaido and then possibly a little touring around the south of the mainland before returning back to EU. Your idea of flying Qatar from Japan to Edinburgh via Hel is a great idea. After that (If I've paid attention) is a trip from Edi to Doh then back to Osl. We'll use Avios to get back to Edi. I'm also trying to collect Avios and Tps, and I know if I change my routing I could maximize these but by doing that I add a lot of time and flying to this trip which I possibly don't have time for so I need to find a balance. To be fair if I could hit silver (OW Sapphire) easily enough which I should be able to, that would be enough. Thoughts?
I'd love to fly more on QR, but most likely on the return portion. You are correct, this is a short round the world trip. I'm self-employed & can only really take about three and a half weeks off. Getting to Honolulu via Dallas on the 787 is probably going to be my preferred route. I'd then like to try JAL down to Japan. We plan to do a little touring around hokkaido and then possibly a little touring around the south of the mainland before returning back to EU. Your idea of flying Qatar from Japan to Edinburgh via Hel is a great idea. After that (If I've paid attention) is a trip from Edi to Doh then back to Osl. We'll use Avios to get back to Edi. I'm also trying to collect Avios and Tps, and I know if I change my routing I could maximize these but by doing that I add a lot of time and flying to this trip which I possibly don't have time for so I need to find a balance. To be fair if I could hit silver (OW Sapphire) easily enough which I should be able to, that would be enough. Thoughts?
Mar 7, 2024 | 2:26 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 350
“Your idea of flying Qatar from Japan to Edinburgh via Hel is a great idea.”
Think it was just a typo in your post but it’s QR from TYO to EDI via DOH, not HEL.
That trip would net you Silver, its got over 600 TPs in it, 5x140 in the long haul segments plus 40 for OSL>LHR and whatever it gets in Japan, before you do the mini trip, which is another 280, if it’s EDI>DOH>OSL, so over 1000 TPs in total.
Plus a wedge of Avios, although any BA or AA segments will likely be reduced over previous levels, as now revenue based from feedback from other recent RTW flyers?
Think it was just a typo in your post but it’s QR from TYO to EDI via DOH, not HEL.
That trip would net you Silver, its got over 600 TPs in it, 5x140 in the long haul segments plus 40 for OSL>LHR and whatever it gets in Japan, before you do the mini trip, which is another 280, if it’s EDI>DOH>OSL, so over 1000 TPs in total.
Plus a wedge of Avios, although any BA or AA segments will likely be reduced over previous levels, as now revenue based from feedback from other recent RTW flyers?
Last edited by Alan T; Mar 7, 2024 at 2:51 am
Mar 15, 2024 | 10:13 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2003
Programs: Triple LT Gold (AA, DL, BA).
Posts: 3,854
You can do an ex-OSL RTW for about $5,600. the benefit is easy flight changes if plans change along the way as well as potentially enhanced earnings (D fare vs. I, R, or X fares). Can fly on the airlines you really want vs. the cheapest (Example QR from OSL to USA, and Japan to Europe). You can also add more stops should you want to. You can likely also just end your trip wherever you are in the EU vs. actually flying the final leg back to OSL.
The base price of a DONE3 (three continents) RTW started and ending in the UK is 5471; adding (a guess) of 15% for taxes and fees and you've got a total of 6291. If you flew from EDI or GLA to Norway (roughly 80 - 120) and started the RTW there, the base price is 3908, and after the same 15%, 4494. Of course, the RTW allows up to 16 flights, and you could, if starting in Norway, return to Scotland and still have a trip within Europe or the Middle East possible before returning to Oslo within the 12 months of the ticket's validity.
Mar 15, 2024 | 10:24 am
#23
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 12,521
They can be, but it's completely dependent on the choice of airlines and specific routes. The key is to avoid high YQ add-ons, typically imposed by certain carriers like BA and QF, and specific taxes like UK APD (a departure tax.) Having the ticket issued by AA might help in keeping the add-on costs down, but no guarantees.
Mar 15, 2024 | 11:51 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 16,677
See posts 15 and 16. Yes it costs more because you are purchasing another done3 starting in Japan and flying back home to the UK on that 2nd rtw. You will then have 3 more stopovers available in EUR/ME, six stopovers in NA, and 2 stopovers in Asia, eventually ending up in Japan where you will restart your ex-OSL rtw to finish visiting Asia and return to Europe.
Last edited by jerry a. laska; Mar 15, 2024 at 1:04 pm
Mar 20, 2024 | 4:34 am
#26
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold, Former UA 1K
Posts: 6,365
They can be, but it's completely dependent on the choice of airlines and specific routes. The key is to avoid high YQ add-ons, typically imposed by certain carriers like BA and QF, and specific taxes like UK APD (a departure tax.) Having the ticket issued by AA might help in keeping the add-on costs down, but no guarantees.
BTW since this thread started, DeltaFlyingProf ex-CAI just dropped significantly. There's a lot of discussion of it in the OW Explorer Pricing thread. I just booked a DONE5 for about US$4700, DONE4 is only about $80 cheaper, so might as well add the 5th continent. But it does seem that the OW tool is having issues with itineraries including Oceania (OZ & NZ), some are working, some aren't and are throwing a HUGE base fare difference. (If it's working correctly you'll be seeing a total price in the range of AU$6000-7500). I had no issues though with Africa and South America pricing correctly. That price may not last long, hard to say. *A already updated pricing to reflect the devalued EGP.
Note though everything you book ex-CAI will route to QF for ticketing, which can cause immense amounts of frustrations during future changes. Some people are getting AA to ticket, but you have to call and must have an AA overwater segment. I doubt you could get CX to ticket since the first segment wouldn't be on them and I believe that's their requirement.