1st time LONE5er needs suggestions!
Apr 15, 2006 | 9:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1
1st time LONE5er needs suggestions!
Hello,
I am new here and first and foremost I would like to thank all of you for all of the time you put into this- I have learned so much from your posts- I really appreciate it!
I am planning my 1st RTW trip, starting this August. My itinerary is as follows (still subject to slight changes):
LHR-JNB-LVI-JNB-CPT-JNB-HKG-BOM-BKK-SYD-HBA-SYD-AKL-SCL-IPC-SCL-EZE-GIG-LHR
I am looking into purchasing a LONE5 ticket. I live in California but I quickly learned that the US is NOT the place to purchase it, so I called BA UK. Every day I call back to check on the fare, but it seems that the rate department just cant get a fare back to me (its only been a week but they said it should take no more than 3 days). Very frustrating. Also I understand that I cant pay BA with an American credit card in the UK, nor can I use cash to pay. So now I am trying to purchase through a UK travel agent, Travel Nation. They are quoting 1799 GBP for the low season & have been much more helpful than BA, and I can purchase the ticket w/ my American credit card.
I am wondering if anyone has any other suggestions for me.
I suppose I can try to book through American but I dont know if American operates any of the flights.
I would like to earn miles for BA since I already have some and I am having a hard time understanding how all of that works too. I used the miles calculator suggested in sticky #1 but being so new to this it doesnt mean much to me!
Comments/suggestions are welcome and thanks again for the great info you all have on here!
H
I am new here and first and foremost I would like to thank all of you for all of the time you put into this- I have learned so much from your posts- I really appreciate it!
I am planning my 1st RTW trip, starting this August. My itinerary is as follows (still subject to slight changes):
LHR-JNB-LVI-JNB-CPT-JNB-HKG-BOM-BKK-SYD-HBA-SYD-AKL-SCL-IPC-SCL-EZE-GIG-LHR
I am looking into purchasing a LONE5 ticket. I live in California but I quickly learned that the US is NOT the place to purchase it, so I called BA UK. Every day I call back to check on the fare, but it seems that the rate department just cant get a fare back to me (its only been a week but they said it should take no more than 3 days). Very frustrating. Also I understand that I cant pay BA with an American credit card in the UK, nor can I use cash to pay. So now I am trying to purchase through a UK travel agent, Travel Nation. They are quoting 1799 GBP for the low season & have been much more helpful than BA, and I can purchase the ticket w/ my American credit card.
I am wondering if anyone has any other suggestions for me.
I suppose I can try to book through American but I dont know if American operates any of the flights.
I would like to earn miles for BA since I already have some and I am having a hard time understanding how all of that works too. I used the miles calculator suggested in sticky #1 but being so new to this it doesnt mean much to me!
Comments/suggestions are welcome and thanks again for the great info you all have on here!
H
Apr 15, 2006 | 11:58 pm
#2
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 12,525
Welcome to FT, hillarycd.
The published LONE5 low fare from the UK is GBP1719 plus taxes and fees. Does the GBP1799 they're quoting you include taxes? If so, it's a good deal, and even if not, it might be worth their GBP80 "fee" for a hassle-free experience. Your route is valid (although you have two additional segments left that could be used in Europe - maybe GIG-MAD-IST-LHR?)
As for miles, "L" class earns, IIRC, 25% miles on BA, so probably not the best FF plan for you. Have a look at Asiamiles.com - I think it might work better for you.
No, you don't have any AA-operated flights in your itinerary, so probably best having the tix issued by a TA or BA itself, provided you can break through the great wall of indifference at the BA N. America RTW desk.
The published LONE5 low fare from the UK is GBP1719 plus taxes and fees. Does the GBP1799 they're quoting you include taxes? If so, it's a good deal, and even if not, it might be worth their GBP80 "fee" for a hassle-free experience. Your route is valid (although you have two additional segments left that could be used in Europe - maybe GIG-MAD-IST-LHR?)
As for miles, "L" class earns, IIRC, 25% miles on BA, so probably not the best FF plan for you. Have a look at Asiamiles.com - I think it might work better for you.
No, you don't have any AA-operated flights in your itinerary, so probably best having the tix issued by a TA or BA itself, provided you can break through the great wall of indifference at the BA N. America RTW desk.
Apr 16, 2006 | 12:10 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,762
Welcome to FT, I was a newbie myslef no that long ago.
If you're going to go to the trouble of starting an xONEx (the lingo here for any sort of One World Explorer ticket) away from home, you may like to consider the potential of starting somewhere like IST, CAI or CMB and doing it in business class. It'll cost a bit more, but you'll earn loads of miles which will make it worthwhile.
If you do a DONE4 and sign up for AA's Plat challenge you can earn enough miles to get 3 Y returns across the Altantic, or a return from LHR-SYD in F. Have a browse through the threads, do your homework and research your options.
Happy travels.
If you're going to go to the trouble of starting an xONEx (the lingo here for any sort of One World Explorer ticket) away from home, you may like to consider the potential of starting somewhere like IST, CAI or CMB and doing it in business class. It'll cost a bit more, but you'll earn loads of miles which will make it worthwhile.
If you do a DONE4 and sign up for AA's Plat challenge you can earn enough miles to get 3 Y returns across the Altantic, or a return from LHR-SYD in F. Have a browse through the threads, do your homework and research your options.
Happy travels.