How strict are the RTW limits?
 

How strict is *A about the 29,000 mile limit on a CRWSTAR1? Is there any slop allowed?

Used to be some flexibility but a few years ago they seem to have decided no more exceptions.

Hence the need to use the many tricks described on this board such as
- starting and ending the ticket on opposite sides of the same country, the gap between end and start points doesn't count. For example SYD-America-Europe-Asia-PER liberates the 2,000 miles PER-SYD (for which you have to buy a separate ticket of course.)
- using one-stop journeys on the same flight number, so they count the direct mileage from start point to end point rather than the two segments. For example GRU-ORD-SFO on UA842 counts as 6,470 rather than 7,068 (5222+1846) miles

This doesn't seem to be applied consistently :( I've had some through flights count as start to end mileage (as if nonstop) and others (notably NZ1/2) counting as the sum of mileage for the 2 segments.

If you are close you may want to try ticketing with another airline. Each airline has their own mileage calculation so maybe different airline will be just under the limit.

Using city codes on the coupons instead of airport codes can sometimes help. Eg SIN-TYO-HKG is 64 miles shorter than SIN-NRT-HKG (according to great circle mapper).

Not according to the *ARTWMC. GRU-SFO via ORD, UA842/UA842, is charged at 7065. Similarly, SIN-SFO via HKG, SQ2/SQ2, costs 8509 miles -- i.e., exactly the sum of the two sectors, 1594 + 6915.

cheers,

Henry

None at all. You must stay within 29,000. Not a mile over. :(

As others suggested, the only way is to play around co-terminals, direct flights or calculations using different airlines, but you must stay within 29,000. The airlines who does your ticketing determines the mileage calculation.

The *A tool has always shown the summed mileage. However I have been able in the past to get some flights with nonstop mileage (and some not :( ).

I read somewhere there is a possibility of buying more miles. I.e. You can buy an extra 1000 miles for $X. Is this true?

Nope. You can buy up to the next mileage level - eg pay more to go from 29k limit to 34k, or 34 to 39.

Perhaps you are confusing *A RTW with OW RTW (where you can buy extra flights within a continent subject to some restrictions).

Thanks for the clarification.

What do you think of this one?
GCM claims 29,000 on the nose. *A RTW tool says 28,979. Then, we just need to get from ORD to SFO.

Replacing the end of the trip with JNB-GRU-IAD-JFK comes in at 28,836 (though I hate leaving those 164 miles on the table) and lets us fly p.s. back home. It would also give us three continents I've never been to (leaving only Antarctica).

Who in *A flies SYD-JNB?

cheers,

Henry

QF flies SYD-JNB which SA codeshares. Is the codeshare on the *A RTW excluded list?

Nope, SA 7770/7701 JNB-SYD-JNB are allowed.

Doesn't do much for your mileage earn though !

That of course depends on your program, it certainly works for SA's Voyager members as well as US' DM members (until 2/28/07).