I am planning to visit GIG, LHR, CPT, LHR, TLV and perhaps somewhere else in that order over the coming year starting and some other Asian places to make it an RTW and then returning to JFK or somewhere nearby. I'm thinking of trying to fold these into an RTW ticket since eg the JFK-GIG-JFK and JFK-CPT-JFK tickets are so expensive.

Problem is, they're really separate trips (ie. JFK-GIG-JFK in September, LHR-CPT-LHR or JFK-CPT-JFK in January, and JFK/LHR-TLV-LHR/JFK summer 2007).

I am flying coach and collecting AA miles so don't want any BA coded flights because of their mean mileage accrual.

Questions:

-- can I force AA codeshares with stopovers in LHR etc?

-- can I fly JFK-GIG-(some AA hub etc)-LHR and then break my RTW ticket with a stopover from Sep to Jan in LHR before my January trip to CPT but meanwhile do an LHR-JFK-LHR ticket between those dates to spend those months in the USA? Does that count as nesting tickets?

Any other advice appreciated!

1. You can choose any OW code that's available on any flight, if that's what you're asking? Also, stopovers can be taken in any place.

2. As long as your ITN is valid, there's nothing stopping you from having f.eg. a 11 month stopover...and taking other flights to wherever you like during that time...

Sure you can take long breaks. There are people on this board who have multiple RTW tickets open at one time, say one traveling E-W and one W-E; who put together their trips according to which ticket has the next appropriate segment. (Lots of reissue fees likely but still cheaper than straight J.)

BTW today's Sunday Seattle paper ran a reprinted article from the WSJ about RTW travel. Our little secret is getting out. I'll post the link when it's available.

I routinely "nest" flights on my RTW's. I'm in the midst of my 4th RTW orginating in CAI. (I finish one and start another). I flew MIA-BKK on continuation of my RTW in January, then cashed in miles for a nested F/C ticket BKK-MIA-BKK. I will be home for several months in MIA, then resume my RTW in BKK. I did this last year, and was able to purchase a B/C ticket on SQ airlines from CMB-SFO-CMB for approximately $1,600.00. (Then purchased another coach ticket SFO-MIA-SFO for about $275, and received complimentary EXP ugrades). This allows you to break up the trip and return home, then continue with your world travel. I haven't had the brains to do 2 nested RTW tickets --- yet!

If you purchase tickets, it is much cheaper to purchase J BKK-SFO/LAX-BKK than J SFO/LAX-BKK-SFO/LAX (or CMB). I played around on ITN.