I'd like some advice from you F flyers - this will be my first F experience so far so I am trying to maximise the itinerary as much as possible.

This is my routing so far:
DPS-SIN-DXB-ZRH-ARN-FRA-JFK-ORD-NRT-ICN-HKG-PEK-SIN-BKK-SIN-DPS

SQ: DPS-SIN-DXB
LX: DXB-ZRH-ARN
LH: ARN-FRA-JFK (F terminal in FRA)
UA: NYC-ORD
NH: ORD-NRT-ICN
OZ: ICN-HKG
CA: HKG-PEK
SQ: PEK-SIN (A380)
TG: SIN-BKK
LX: BKK-SIN
SQ: SIN-DPS

Optimization
The only "locked" sectors are ex-Indonesia (CGK/DPS but DPS would be closer to MEL where im starting) and ARN (or any other Star Alliance hub close enough: I could get a separate ARN ticket).

I could go ex-CGK and skip ARN in the routing if I find something more exciting. I'd really like to try the A380 (in J though) and the F terminal in FRA. Also try as many Star carriers as possible.


Any thoughts?

I know you mentioned you'd like to try as many Star carriers as possible, but I would really suggest you fly longer-haul flights in the good-quality Star carriers and also avoid some well-known "nightmare" routes such as SIN-DXB (one of the longest flights in the Regional product).

For the longhauls, I would try:

NH (1st choice)
SQ, OZ (joint 2nd choices)
LX and LH (joint 3rd choices)

in First Class.

TG F would seem sufficient to try it in a shorter sector such as BKK-NRT/PEK/HKG, since the ground experience is half of the attraction and the onboard product is not so great.

I'm a little confused about the purpose of the trip though. Is there literally no restrictions as to where/when you need to be at places?

DPS-SIN-LHR (SQ J/F)
LHR-ARN (SK)
ARN-FRA-JFK (LH J/F, FRA FCT)
JFK-NRT (NH F)
NRT-BKK-PEK (TG F)
PEK-SIN-DPS (SQ J, A380)

or

DPS-SIN-NRT (SQ J/F)
NRT-LHR (NH F)
LHR-ARN (SK)
ARN-FRA-JFK (LH J/F, FRA FCT)
JFK-ICN-NRT (OZ F)
NRT-PEK (CA F)
PEK-SIN-DPS (SQ J, A380)

Both of these come just under 29k miles...

SQ DPS-SIN-DXB and SIN-DPS is regional product.
SQ A380 PEK-SIN is just for the next couple of days and then reverts to regional product.

TG SIN-BKK is 2-class as is LX ZRH-ARN and LHR ARN-FRA (not sure about NRT-ICN and ICN-HKG)
LX BKK-SIN reportedly has poor service

You'll have a surface sector in NYC since no JFK-ORD flights

Seems you will only have a couple of longhaul (non-regional) F flights.

Ah, thanks for the heads-up on that route.

Im located in MEL at the moment but need to go to ARN for a meeting. Since the ex-Indonesia FRWSTAR is so nicely priced at the moment I decided to give it a go. There are no F flights to ARN and flights intra-Europe are cheap so I could just get a FRA-ARN, LHR-ARN or whatever is necessary if it would give me more flights/experiences elsewhere.

As you are mentioning - using the F lounges at hubs like NRT, SIN, HKG, BKK should also be a experience (I hope) for someone used to C lounges.

I suppose that starting ex-CGK would give me regional F at least (DPS is C only?).

Maybe I should try to get a SIN-Europe 77W flight in F (how much is the upgrade from FRWSTAR?).

Ok. And since there is no F to R paid upgrades I might as well skip the A380 altogether (or try NRT-SIN in A380 C).

Ok. ICN-HKG is listed as F in the Star Alliance F flight list but it might be old.

Surface sector in NYC is fine - I might go to the Striphouse for a "classic Chateaubriand" and a night at the Millenium Hilton.

Deciding between shorthaul (trying most carriers, many lounges, many flights) and longhaul (full F experience) is difficult and you guys now this stuff better than me.

CGK-SIN-NRT-JFK-FRA-(extra europe?)-TLV-FRA-SIN-CGK gives 25,080 miles and several good longhaul F options

SIN-NRT SQ (744)
NRT-JFK NH
JFK-FRA SQ (744) for access to VS clubhouse or LH for access to FCL on arrival
FRA-TLV-FRA LH
FRA-SIN LH for FCT or SQ for 77W

there is significant extra mileage for intra-europe or intra-asia (eg return via NRT)

ICN-HKG is still a three class service but be aware that this route is operated by the only old 747 left in the OZ fleet.

You could also fly FRA-EWR and then EWR-ORD so you have one more segment to use somewhere else.

Hi Bjornstrom,

Just back, the trip looks/is looking good. I tried to do Mel-Dps on Garuda, in C ended up I had to Virgin up to Syd at the last minute which irritated me. Don't even think about getting a cheapie on this sector, those midnight flights and 5 hours in Y, can kill your back and ruin an excellent holiday right at the end, regards bkkrop

I've been looking at Garuda but they seem a bit "shaky". Feels kind of stupid to fly around the world in F only to die on the last leg.

How about Jetstar?

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; ) 400x240 LGE VX10000)

so ARN is the only mandatory stop? how important is getting on the A380 in J? seems like a 77W in F would be a priority, or do you just really want to get on the 380? also, i would try to get on TG exBKK rather than to BKK. that way you can "maximize" the experience by getting the full body massage in the BKK F lounge.

edit to add: an RTW in F has no charge for the SQ 77W product. surcharges are only for J (and maybe Y, can't remember)

ARN (or northern Europe) is the only mandatory stop. I suppose that I should try the 77W in F now that I have a chance. The A380 will be there on my next CRWSTAR. Also - good idea about ex-BKK on TG.

So maybe I should just skip DXB and go SIN-FRA directly on the 77W.

If you could do the itinerary in reverse, i.e., if you had ...ORD-LGA//JFK-FRA..., with the transAtlantic on SQ, you could then visit the Virgin ClubHouse first class lounge at JFK, which is worth seeing.

cheers,

Henry

ETD is in early September!

Thanks to your ideas i've got the following:

CGK-SIN-NRT: SQ (A380 J)
NRT-LHR: NH
FRA-TLV-FRA: LH (and FCT)
FRA-GVA-JFK: LX
JFK-ICN: OZ
ICN-BKK: TG
BKK-SIN-CGK: SQ

What do you think?

28.678 miles in total and SQ/NH/LX/OZ/TG including A380 and FCT.

Why not going via Australia on the way back?
It costs more, but then you would have the coupons to start your next RTW.
You have 1 year after the first flight to finish.

I just noticed that Expertflyer lists a 24 day advance purchase requirement on FRWSTAR ex-CGK, is this really correct?