I'm glad you are aware of the importance of being in a good FFP. Your DONE4 will be a great opportunity to rack up a lot of points, potentially qualifying you for OW Emerald. For some reason, xONEx fares can be a lot cheaper when you start from Norway. Given how cheap and easy it is to get from HEL<->OSL, you can save a lot by starting there. And instead of OSL-lhr-LAX, you could do OSL-doh-LAX, for two nice longhauls on QR. (More miles. more points) The only snag with this is that the online RTW tool will not allow an itinerary that begins with a QR flight and there are some anecdotes in this forum that trying to book an RTW directly with QR can be problematic. However, as long as you have a longhaul such as DFW-HNL-hnd on AA, the AA RTW desk should be happy to write the ticket.

I don't believe AA has flights HNL-Asia. Will the DFW-HNL count as a long haul to use the AA RTW desk?

Presumably it's the LHR-LAX segment, since OP wants to avoid BA.

Correct. Not even code-share.

Sorry if this has been answered before - does QF11/QF12 count as a transcontinental flight between JFK and LAX? (In other words, is LAX-JFK-SYD or vice versa a valid routing?)

In my experience, QF flights between LAX and JFK count as a transon when booked as a segment. They do not count as a transcon when booked as a direct flight (e.g., SYD-JFK counts as one flight segment without a transcon even though in reality it is two flight components). In practice, it may depend on which airline and agent books your RTW, as sometimes agents make mistakes.

That should be valid, but as noted, could depend on the specific agent booking the itinerary.

I just checked. The routing would give me a bit above 1,500 BA tier points.

OMG! From Norway the DONE ticket is almost EUR 1800 cheaper.

Wouldn't OSL-DOH-LAX touch a third continent?

new routing: osl-lhr-doh-lax-jfk-dfw-hnl-hnd-syd-mel-per-hkg-nrt-hkg-dps-doh-osl

-> 48,285 miles EUR 6,300

I would do HKG-PVG-HKG by train;

DOH is considered Europe (part of the continent of Europe/Middle East):


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1405de4adf.png

(My apologies that the PDF shows as an attachment; I've tried to delete it but it keeps showing anyway.)

SYD-MEL is a short cheap flight. So waste of a segment in some ways. If ff miles is an objective, another flight/route in AU or elsewhere may be option
Great Circle Mapper

Post 2874 https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32423988-post2874.html

With SYD-MEL-PER as the only intra-Australia flights, why not SYD-PER? It's a much nicer flight in J than the two short ones. However, SYD-HKG is a nicer and longer flight than PER-HKG, and you can't fly SYD-PER-SYD.

warakorn wants to visit MEL from post 2874 :tu:
Trans AU (PER) from east coast CBR and BNE are other options, plus ADL all subject to flights post Covid-19 and the OW rule for the long AU flights.
Depending on the time of year (month) warakorn is in Australia could see more of the country, and not just the 3 big cities.

No.

Having difficulty in booking this DONE4: CMB-BKK-DOH-CPT-DOH-MAD-ATH-(SURFACE)-CAI-CMN-YUL-MIA-GUA-MIA-SEA-DFW-HKG-CMB.

The online tool is not letting the surface segment to be used. Allows AT CMN-YUL. I can fare this ITN if I leave out the surface and add ATH-CMN.

Called AA RTW and they can use the surface segment ATH-CAI but state cannot use AT CMN-YUL for a RTW fare even though able to use CAI-CMN AT flight.

Any suggestions? Could I make the online reservation with UL as first carrier and then call AA to take over the reservation and manually change the ATH-CMN to a surface ATH-CAI and add CAI-CMN flight? I assume if I give them an AA flight and date they could see the reservation.

Thanks