Since I found this forum while in Seoul (bored in a dull hotel in the suburbs) early this month I have been addicted. There is a fantastic depth of information here and great tools. But most importantly, some of you know far more about travel than any airline person I’ve ever spoken to.

I have an annual business meeting in Nairobi in February, and since that is the second equal cheapest place in the world to start a RTW Explorer, I thought I’d see if I could take in a few of next year’s business trips and some personal travel on a single itinerary using an AONEx or DONEx. And I have been using a reliable travel agent in Nairobi to book client travel for several years, and she says she can ticket this no problem.

I go to Korea/Japan several times a year, and various spots in Europe, but the dates are fixed, and combing them without breaking the RTW rules doesn’t seem easy. And since I live in Tampa, and money is an issue, then I need to minimize the cost of getting back to Tampa between blocks on the Explorer ticket.

I’ve sunk quite a few hours into this, and this is what I’ve come up with:


(meeting in Nairobi on FEB 11)

1. NBO-JNB FEB 12 BA
2. JNB-HKG FEB 13 CX
3. HKG-DPS FEB 14 CX }Optional mileage run
4. DPS-HKG FEB 14 CX }

(return to Tampa on cheap HKG – TPA – HKG ticket)

5. HKG-ICN MAR 09

(meeting in Seoul on MAR 13)

6. ICN-HKG MAR 14 CX
7. HKG-SYD MAR 14 QF or CX

(visit family in Sydney)

8. SYD-WLG MAR 16 QF

(visit rest of family in Wellington)

9. WLG-SYD MAR 18 QF
10. SYD-JFK MAR 18 QF
11. LGA-TPA MAR 18 AA

12. TPA-MIA APR 07 AA }
13. MIA-LAX APR 07 AA }
14. LAX-LHR APR 07 AA }Indirect to London for more miles
15. LHR-AMS APR 07 BA

(meeting in Rotterdam APR 13)

16. AMS-LHR APR 11 BA
17. LHR-DXB APR 11 BA }Optional mileage run
18. DXB-LHR APR 12 BA }

(return to Tampa on cheap LHR-TPA-LHR ticket, with return for Feb 2006)

19. LHR-NBO FEB 06, 06 BA

(meeting in Nairobi in Feb 2006)

5 CONTINENT EXPLORER, $6099 BUSINESS, $7199 FIRST in Nairobi

TICKETS to BUY
TPA-LHR-TPA, DEP FEB 05 RETN APR 12
LHR-NBO oneway FEB 06, 2005
HKG-TPA-HKG DEP FEB 14 RTN MAR 08
TPA-LHR-TPA DEP FEB 05. 06 RTN FEB 12 06
NBO-LHR oneway FEB 11, 2006


I ran this though the OneWorld validator (thanks Hauteboy & Mark Bolton) and it seems OK.

Any comments? Any suggestions for improvements - to maximize use of coupons and minimize dollars spent?

If I can afford it I’ll do a AONE5, since I’ve seen plenty of J cabins by upgrading economy fares, but would love to know what it is like up front…

From what i know your routing seems to be ok - but there are better experts on this board.

Just a few ideas:
Instead of DPS you could go to BKK (typically low Business Class Fares to the US) or even better CMB (very low F fares to LAX and SFO - do a search for CMB first on UA or Asiana or C on NW).

Instead of 12 and 13 you could do TPA-SJU, SJU-JFK, JFK-LAX, for more miles since you have an unused segment.

Also if you have more flights to asia and europe planned you could always purchase another XONE3 in CMB and nest it inside the NBO AONE to give you more options.

The SJU option sounds great - the TPA - MIA sector seemed something of a waste.

I'm going to look into BKK or CMB as options for a mileage run in Asia, though what I need is cheap Y class travel back to Tampa, not cheap J. And a nested xONE3 may really pay off...

Since I should easily requalify for EXP, what program should I look to qualify for "elite" status - another OneWorld carrier, or should I diversify to SkyTeam or Star Alliance?

And are visas an issue when making a mileage run to a country and back - I guess you are just considered to be transiting?

It would still be cheaper for you to perhaps take BKK into consideration. Especially since you are not going to be spending any time in DPS but doing a mileage run, you could be saving time and $ as the DPS authorities might actually make you enter DPS even on a turnarond and you'd have to pay for the entry visa.

Ok - BKK is 2.5 hours flying vs DPS which is 4 hours flying. But overall, I think it would be a better choice as BKK's ticket for you to return to TPA will be at least 40% cheaper than getting a ticket from HKG.