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Complete Novice Needs Help!

Complete Novice Needs Help!

Old Jun 28, 2006, 1:02 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: MAN, UK
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Question Complete Novice Needs Help!

Hi everyone,

My life as I know it (relationship, work and home are all unfortunately interlinked) is about to end, so I fancy cheering myself up with a RTW in First. I'm a bit of an FT novice and don't have a clue about putting a RTW fare together but all I do know is that I want to see some of the world quite quickly in first before the realities of unemployment and living in a cardboard box bite me on the b*m.

Oneworld seems the obvious choice due to the BA, QF, CX bit but I'm not sure where to start as I don't want to pay for F and then find half of the trip is in C because F is not available on that particular route.

Does anyone know of a particular itinerary that takes this into account and maximises the F content and the amount of time one spends in the air. I'm flexible on what I see as I'm only 35 and hope this will be the first of many similar trips (under better circumstances I hope) but I love flying, which will be my priority on this one.

Any suggestions most welcome!

Cheers
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Old Jun 28, 2006, 1:30 pm
  #2  
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Presuming an AONE3 as you want to do RTW in F but didn't have any place that you wanted to visit (so the AONE3 is the cheapest and still has a good routing), you can do lhr-hkg-nrt-hkg-dps-hkg-jfk-yvr-sfo-dfw-anc-dfw-lax-lhr-dxb-lhr-hel-lhr

Some of the flights are seasonal, so travel soon. DPS doesn't have F service most of the time but is worth visiting. And HEL is just for the hell of it (plus a nice contrast to DXB, always 100 degrees cooler than DXB no matter when you go). But after having done a few RTWs and drunk my weight in Krug, it really isn't such a great experience. Partly it isn't like it used to be, and partly there is a jadedness that sets in. Picking interesting destinations is more fun than picking interesting flights.
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Old Jun 28, 2006, 1:41 pm
  #3  
 
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N6 has as usual given all the good advice, exept perhaps "fly Cathay as much as possible." Their staff can be awfully charming.
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Old Jun 28, 2006, 2:05 pm
  #4  
 
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An alternative to an AONE3 in F would be a DONE5 in J.

Ok, so it is not F, but considering that you like flying you get, for more or less the same price, four additional intercontinental flights, plus the chance to visit some places in SWP and SA that are guaranteed to help you get rid of the blues. And, more miles, if that is important to you.
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Old Jun 28, 2006, 2:08 pm
  #5  
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Originally Posted by number_6
Presuming an AONE3 as you want to do RTW in F but didn't have any place that you wanted to visit (so the AONE3 is the cheapest and still has a good routing), you can do lhr-hkg-nrt-hkg-dps-hkg-jfk-yvr-sfo-dfw-anc-dfw-lax-lhr-dxb-lhr-hel-lhr

Some of the flights are seasonal, so travel soon. DPS doesn't have F service most of the time but is worth visiting. And HEL is just for the hell of it (plus a nice contrast to DXB, always 100 degrees cooler than DXB no matter when you go). But after having done a few RTWs and drunk my weight in Krug, it really isn't such a great experience. Partly it isn't like it used to be, and partly there is a jadedness that sets in. Picking interesting destinations is more fun than picking interesting flights.
Number_6

Your very prompt advice is much appreciated and has really given me a great place to start. All First might be a little excessive but I really fancy it, so what the hell, plus I'll give more consideration to the destinations.

Would it be easy to include Syd and Fiji, whilst also taking into account JohnAx's comments on doing as much of the trip as possible on CX? Have only flown BA/GF in first, so would be good to get a few CX miles under my belt.

Another silly question: Which airline do I book the trip with and would it be cheaper to start elsewhere in Europe?

Thanks again for all your help!
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Old Jun 28, 2006, 3:20 pm
  #6  
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Originally Posted by E3A300
Would it be easy to include Syd and Fiji, whilst also taking into account JohnAx's comments on doing as much of the trip as possible on CX? Have only flown BA/GF in first, so would be good to get a few CX miles under my belt.

Another silly question: Which airline do I book the trip with and would it be cheaper to start elsewhere in Europe?

Thanks again for all your help!
It would help to know where you are in the first place.

Fiji is a can't-get-there destination using the Oneworld Explorer ticket, which it sounds like you'd prefer (I guess.) You can fly on your own from Oz or NZ if your RTW stops there. Sunny South Pacific Isles are a particularly weak spot in Oneworld's coverage.

You really ought to read the sticky threads at the top of this forum. Much will be revealed.
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Old Jun 28, 2006, 6:07 pm
  #7  
 
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Ticket price indeed varies greatly depending on starting location. You must also end there, with some allowed exceptions, so total costs might include getting to and from starting place to home.

There's an Excel spreadsheet referenced in one of the stickies that gives prices for every possible OWE trip from every possible starting point. In Europe Romania and Bulgaria may look cheap but the fares listed in USD are being charged in EUR by BA, the only choice there. There's been chat about Finland being cheap, but that may not be for AONE3 - "cheapest country" varies by class and number of continents.

It's best to book directly with one of the OW airlines - few travel agents are knowledgeable enough to make anything but a disaster of the job. Note, since it's a sensitive topic, that I didn't say "no TA's". I've booked with them, but only with a name that was recommended by a correspondent I trusted.

With AA and BA you ask specifically for the "round the world desk". Their direct numbers are in the sticky somewhere, but any agent will transfer you.
Other airlines may not have dedicated people, in which case the agent you're speaking with will offer to help you. It's best to have become so wise by browsing here that you have no questions for them, merely an itinerary that you know is valid for them to book and price.

Which airline? Usually the one you like dealing with the best, except that some won't do the booking if they don't have the first long leg. They're polite when they say 'no'.

For route planning, visit CathayPacific.com and download their Trip Planner (for all OW airlines). It's not so flexible but it's about all we've got.

You probably know that you'll only be able to book flights with seats in the appropriate discount category - A, D, L - although you can bump yourself down to any available lower cabin if you really want a ride badly. Unfortunately, A doesn't bump to J - you still need a D seat even if you deserve a ride in the front. In most cases availability is pretty good. A service at ExpertFlyer.com at $10/month is a good way to see actual availability, when you get close to finalizing.

You probably know by now that if you hate the itinerary after you've done some of it, you can revise it for $125 or so.

Note that you have a year to do the trip. You can spend arbitrarily long anywhere you please. And as mentioned regarding South Pacific, you're free to buy and use separate tickets to connect points on your OWE or to go home from halfway, and return later to continue.

Take a friend - it's only money.

Speaking of which, they'll get about USD1000 out of you for "fuel surcharges" and "taxes", above the listed prices.

Last edited by JohnAx; Jun 28, 2006 at 6:14 pm
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Old Jun 29, 2006, 1:11 am
  #8  
SLF
 
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Originally Posted by JohnAx
For route planning, visit CathayPacific.com and download their Trip Planner (for all OW airlines). It's not so flexible but it's about all we've got.
^ Great summary!

There are two other tools which may be of use; the OW timetable has a RTW facility (which admittedly is a little cumbersome, but is quite user-friendly). Another tool can be found here.
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Old Jun 30, 2006, 5:23 am
  #9  
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Thanks to all of you for the fantastic information. I normally research from scratch but the time factor was against me on this one, so thanks again.
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