I'm trying to put together my first RTW itinerary so please excuse my "rookieness". This would be my first leg from Europe to Africa:

LHR-(overland/LCC)-AMM-(overland)-CAI-LHR-NBO--Asia

Now I know you can only have 2 stopovers in the first continent. I can only see one route into NBO and that is from LHR. So my question is for the segment CAI-LHR-NBO, can it be specified that LHR is only a transit stop and not a stopover? If not, is there an LCC that would has either route CAI-NBO or AMM-NBO?

Also, are there any route from NBO out to either India or Thailand (for the Asia leg)?

Thank you in advance and I apologize if these questions have been asked before.

If the schedules allow for a connection within 24 hours then the answer is yes.

By the way, your first segment cannot be a surface sector.

Hmm... How did I miss that rule? Thanks for pointing that out Viajero. So here's an updated (partial) itinerary:

DUB-LGW-(surface)-AMM-LHR(transit)-NBO--Asia

That should be good right? Now I need to figure out how to get from NBO to Asia; either to Delhi or Bangkok (preferably Delhi). I don't see neither direct or indirect flights out of NBO to Asia. Think I really need you guys' experience on this. Thanks again!

If you must do AMM-xLHR-NBO then I think your only option next is surface to JNB/CPT.

Also note in some cases the airlines have taken the view that a surface segment in the continent of origin counts as two stopovers.

I thought Kenya was now on the list of countries for which two departures/arrivals in Europe were permitted, so long as one is a transit without stopover. From memory, others include: Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana.

So: DUB-LON-AMM // CAI-x/LHR-NBO-x/LHR-Asia would be fine.

(also, as I'm writing this, it also seems like the XONEX could be used for LON-AMM as well, as I only count two stopovers in Europe so far...LON [the first time] and AMM)

However, if the trip begain in the UK, as in LON-AMM // CAI-x/LHR-NBO-x/LHR-Asia, another problem would arise: while the second transit in Europe is still fine, there is no provision for a second international departure from the country of origin. Therefore, in order to avoid a forced NBO/JNB overland trip, a non-UK origin is required.

You're right. I just re-read the FAQ thread. Going overland would takes too much time and I'm not sure if it's the best for my first RTW.

So DUB doesn't count? Not that I'd mind, the extra stopover would give me more flexibility. So going with a few assumptions, I went ahead and map out the rest of itinerary (call this a "rough draft" if you will ):

DUB-LGW//AMM-XLHR-NBO-XLHR-BOM-BKK//HKG-ICN-NRT-PPT-IPC-SCL-RIO-XMAD-DUB

One thing I'm still confused about is the segment NRT-PPT. I looked at the interactive map and see there's a codeshare flight. But I can't seem to be able to find the flight info neither on the oneworld site nor JAL site. I don't want to make a connection via SYD or AKL unless that won't count as an extra continent. Can you guys shed some light on this for me?

That is because its not on Oneworld airline and therefore NRT-PPT is not allowable on *ONE*. Codeshares must be on Oneworld airlines. Global exploxers (millaege based) allow different codeshares.

You need to read the rules on oneworld.com web site

On an xONEx you can only get to PPT from SCL (or IPC). All the other flights are codeshares and thus not eligible. Further, as PPT is in southwest pacific and IPC and SCL are in south america and this is not an allowed exception to the no backtracking between continents rule, you are forced to take a surface segment in xONEx tickets between AKL/SYD and PPT.

Again, you could even begin:

DUB-LON-AMM-XLHR-NBO, etc.

Use the xONEx for all it's worth... why buy a low-cost ticket to Jordan, when you can use RJ or BA, earn miles (on the AA-codeshare), and have all the flexibility that the xONEx gives you... it doesn't cost any extra.

Looks like a nice trip.

Thanks for the help guys.

Definitely, I would use up a flight for the LON-AMM sector. But because I'm planning to visit France, Italy, (Switzerland?) using the rail and LCC to Greece before getting to Jordan, hence the above routing.

DUB-LGW//AMM-XLHR-NBO-XLHR-BOM-BKK//HKG-ICN-NRT-GRU-SCL-IPC-SCL-RIO-XMAD-DUB
Changed NRT-xJFK-GRU and squeezed in Rio in SA

Are you aware that you have to pay for NA anyway?

Because of the NRT-GRU flight? Sorry if it's a stupid question. It's my first time trying to work out a RTW (or xONEx) ticket. Any way around it?

Because the rule is "you touch it, you pay for it". No way around it.

Edited to add: come to think about it, the rules about ORD-DEL and the one stop direct flights between Europe and SWP, are very explicit, and one could argue that they apply to those particular cases, not to others. I still think 'touching' JFK will force payment for NA, but given that JL is a new OW member maybe this has not been tested yet (?), or at least I don't recall any reports here, one way or the other (?).

Maybe worth trying.