RTW Trip
 

Hi guys/girls

I've got (yet) more questions - sorry if they're a bit dumb :D.

Basically I'm looking to go on a round the world trip in December (this year), and have had a quick whiz on the Oneworld RTW Planner. I will be booking the five of us in Business for the whole trip.

I'm limited to 3 weeks to do this trip in, so have got (so far)

EDI-LHR (BA) Depart 17th Dec
LHR-HKG (BA) Depart 17th Dec
HKG-SIN (CX) Depart 21st Dec
SIN-SYD (QF-A380) Depart 24th Dec
SYD-JFK (QF) Depart 29th Dec
JFK-LHR (BA) Depart 3rd Dec
LHR-EDI (BA) Depart 4th Dec

I know it all seems rushed, but I had to do that so I could get flights back from JFK and LHR - BA isn't letting me book past the 4th January 2010.

I also want to get a rough price. So far, I've got quoted on the site £5,141.10. The price sounds reasonable to me as on BA.com I'm getting quoted £3,974 per person one way in J (LHR-HKG).

Anyway, my questions are;

1. Do you people have any places that you think are missing and that would recommend? Should I spend more time in a certain place, and less in another?

2. All of the fights are booking into D class. I assume I will be able to get TP's off these flights, and also off the CX and QF flights?

3. What are the limitations of D class tickets? Non-refundable? Non-changable?

4. Is there any way that I can find out how many TP's I'll get for the whole trip?

Thanks in advance
Marc

As for places to visit why not ditch SIN and add GIG albeit it would mean you'd hit SYD sooner and I'm guessing you want to spend Xmas in SYD? If that's the case I'd still ditch SYD and spend more time in HKG (day trip to BKK?), SYD and NYC.

Have any of the travelling party been to these places before? If so I'd probably be tempted to ditch them in favour of new destinations.

Thanks for your reply, but I looked at GIG and the flight time between SYD-GIG was terrible 26 hours at best, with some even offering I fly back to LHR on QF and to GIG on BA!

However, I will try working anti-clockwise on the RTW - might work better although I'm always going to have the GIG-SYD/SYD-GIG... Can you think of any other way?

Hello mmfraser.

I believe that DONE3s (the relevant RTW fare for you) are changeable and refundable although perhaps with a fee.

Can I suggest however that you do not book this itinerary yet. You will probably find that about GBP 4000 of the price is the fare component and GBP 1000 or so is fuel surcharges. I believe that the fuel surcharge may fall a significant amount over the course of the next 8 months so you could save a fair bit by booking later. You can book RTW very close to departure.

Disclaimer: Of course, I may be wrong, D class may close etc...

Thanks, I'm not booking it right now anyway. Anyone know vaguely when the surcharges will fall? After the current sale?

Re tier point earning - as the flights will be OneWorld partner operated, they should all be tier point earning.

We'll let this run on the BA Board for a wee while and then move it over to the Oneworld forum for their RTW expertise.

You could always route SYD-EZE-LHR on QF/BA if you want a different option coming back from SYD.

Or get from GIG to GRU yourself (easy) and either go to EZE on BA and spend a night there or SCL on LAN to get to SYD.

You should also check travelling from other cities in Europe as prices differ. I flew a RTW from Gibraltar and got over £1000 off the UK price. Just contact Bland Travel. This year I'm departing from Stockholm and saving a budle. If you want the travel agents details let me know as I don't have the to hand.

I think prices have gone up, but if you look on the one world forum they have a link to the latest prices from each country in world.

Both times, the trip has been organised without a hitch.

one other thing if you don't use all your 16 sectors up think about a trip to the middle east some other time.

Both times I've flown RTW and then gone home for a few months before using a couple of sectors to go to DXB later on.

Two holidays for the price of one!

But like I say check out the one world forum for all the info!

Thanks Shuttle-Bored, its appreciated ^.

Good thinking! I'll keep that in mind - pity BA is only allowing me to book up to 04/01/2010. Does anyone know why this is, and when will dates after that be available? I assume its due to schedules not decided etc?

Thanks to everyone - I'll look into all the information above.

Cheers
Marc

just to add that Bland travel seem to do everything well

Isn't that simply because you can only book up to 350 (?) days ahead? Just wait a while with booking until the final trip comes within the 1 year window.

yeah it is because of the 350 day rule, each day you should see another day open up.

I've heard you can ring some airlines up for dates beyond 350 days for point to point availability, not sure about RTW.

Also remember that you only have to have the first flight booked before you travel all your other dates can be open, but you need the D class availability for whenever you want to fly.

My Dubai ones on both trips were left open, just had them dated for the day I got back from my main holiday and then had the dates changed later on.

OK, Thanks for the 300-day info.

I'm new to this lark with RTW ;) so I take it it is fixed price? Per how many continents your going to?

So I book my first flight in D class, and if I want to add a sector, I can add one as long as its D class? Does it cost if I do this or is it as I say, a fixed price?

Maybe i'm being stupid on my part.. Not for the first time ^