Help needed: round the world trip with *A
Sep 13, 2009 | 10:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Milan
Programs: BA Gold, LH SEN, AF Silver, Cartafreccia, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Esselunga Fidaty Gold,
Posts: 585
Help needed: round the world trip with *A
This is my first post but I am a long time Flyertalk lurker. Now I need some help from all of you, experienced FTers, planning my homeymoon trip, expected in may or june 2010.
My idea is a 20-25 days round the world trip with *A, in Y or perhaps in C (this would be one of the marriage gifts, so the class of service will depend by the budget available).
I am planning to leave eastbound from Italy (Milan or Rome), with stops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan or New Zealand or Australia or Bora Bora or some other Pacific Islands, Hawaii, US West Coast (LAX or SFO or SEA or PDX), Alaska (if praticable), then US east coast (NYC but I can choose any city with any intermediate stops). At this point (or also on leaving west coast) I could choose a caribbean stop or a trip to South America (Argentina) or a TATL flight back to Europe. Obviously this is not a fixed itinerary but only a temptative schedule and I am open to any itinerary suggestion from all of you.
My starting idea is to choose the *A 26000 miles special economy option if we have to fly in Y (with all the cuts in stops and itinerary in order to stay in this mileage limit) or the 29000 miles option if we could choose also C class.
I don't have yet any details about the fares (so help needed also on this aspect), but I know that these varies depending on place of residence and/or place of departure, so I would like to know if is there a place to start the trip with fares cheaper than starting in Italy.
I have status with some *A carriers: LH Sen, CO gold, US silver and I am UA basic member. I have points with all of them but I would like to maximize the earnings (choosing the right FF program to credit the miles) and the possible upgrades along the trip (also companion upgrades). My future wife has only basic M&M membership with only a small amount of miles, so she could enroll in any other FF program (suggestions welcome).
I thank in advance all the FTers who can help me with any ideas or suggestions. Please also feel free to send me PM messages if needed.
My idea is a 20-25 days round the world trip with *A, in Y or perhaps in C (this would be one of the marriage gifts, so the class of service will depend by the budget available).
I am planning to leave eastbound from Italy (Milan or Rome), with stops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan or New Zealand or Australia or Bora Bora or some other Pacific Islands, Hawaii, US West Coast (LAX or SFO or SEA or PDX), Alaska (if praticable), then US east coast (NYC but I can choose any city with any intermediate stops). At this point (or also on leaving west coast) I could choose a caribbean stop or a trip to South America (Argentina) or a TATL flight back to Europe. Obviously this is not a fixed itinerary but only a temptative schedule and I am open to any itinerary suggestion from all of you.
My starting idea is to choose the *A 26000 miles special economy option if we have to fly in Y (with all the cuts in stops and itinerary in order to stay in this mileage limit) or the 29000 miles option if we could choose also C class.
I don't have yet any details about the fares (so help needed also on this aspect), but I know that these varies depending on place of residence and/or place of departure, so I would like to know if is there a place to start the trip with fares cheaper than starting in Italy.
I have status with some *A carriers: LH Sen, CO gold, US silver and I am UA basic member. I have points with all of them but I would like to maximize the earnings (choosing the right FF program to credit the miles) and the possible upgrades along the trip (also companion upgrades). My future wife has only basic M&M membership with only a small amount of miles, so she could enroll in any other FF program (suggestions welcome).
I thank in advance all the FTers who can help me with any ideas or suggestions. Please also feel free to send me PM messages if needed.
Sep 14, 2009 | 2:12 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: HPN
Programs: LH HON
Posts: 204
This is my first post but I am a long time Flyertalk lurker. Now I need some help from all of you, experienced FTers, planning my homeymoon trip, expected in may or june 2010.
My idea is a 20-25 days round the world trip with *A, in Y or perhaps in C (this would be one of the marriage gifts, so the class of service will depend by the budget available).
I am planning to leave eastbound from Italy (Milan or Rome), with stops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan or New Zealand or Australia or Bora Bora or some other Pacific Islands, Hawaii, US West Coast (LAX or SFO or SEA or PDX), Alaska (if praticable), then US east coast (NYC but I can choose any city with any intermediate stops). At this point (or also on leaving west coast) I could choose a caribbean stop or a trip to South America (Argentina) or a TATL flight back to Europe. Obviously this is not a fixed itinerary but only a temptative schedule and I am open to any itinerary suggestion from all of you.
My starting idea is to choose the *A 26000 miles special economy option if we have to fly in Y (with all the cuts in stops and itinerary in order to stay in this mileage limit) or the 29000 miles option if we could choose also C class.
I don't have yet any details about the fares (so help needed also on this aspect), but I know that these varies depending on place of residence and/or place of departure, so I would like to know if is there a place to start the trip with fares cheaper than starting in Italy.
My idea is a 20-25 days round the world trip with *A, in Y or perhaps in C (this would be one of the marriage gifts, so the class of service will depend by the budget available).
I am planning to leave eastbound from Italy (Milan or Rome), with stops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan or New Zealand or Australia or Bora Bora or some other Pacific Islands, Hawaii, US West Coast (LAX or SFO or SEA or PDX), Alaska (if praticable), then US east coast (NYC but I can choose any city with any intermediate stops). At this point (or also on leaving west coast) I could choose a caribbean stop or a trip to South America (Argentina) or a TATL flight back to Europe. Obviously this is not a fixed itinerary but only a temptative schedule and I am open to any itinerary suggestion from all of you.
My starting idea is to choose the *A 26000 miles special economy option if we have to fly in Y (with all the cuts in stops and itinerary in order to stay in this mileage limit) or the 29000 miles option if we could choose also C class.
I don't have yet any details about the fares (so help needed also on this aspect), but I know that these varies depending on place of residence and/or place of departure, so I would like to know if is there a place to start the trip with fares cheaper than starting in Italy.
/
AFAIK, the cheapest place to buy C or F *-RTWs is still Japan (~2000 Euros cheaper than the Euro-zone)
The tool will give you the exact fare and also an estimation on the taxes and surcharges after you selected the specific flights.
You need to select the flights because building an itinerary only (choosing potential stops) might give you a wrong fare.
Sep 14, 2009 | 5:49 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: VIE
Programs: M&M SEN
Posts: 463
Zara,
to get an idea about total mileage use the online RTW calculator in the *A Website.
My RTW last year (starting in Austria) had China (PEK, PVG), Japan (KIX, TYO), Cook Islands (RAR via AKL), US (SFO) and Venezuela (CCS) in the itinerary, coming in just 100miles shy of 29.000.
Hence I assume you won't be able to include both Australia/New Zealand AND southern South America in your itinerary without passing the 29.000 miles.
For honeymooning I can definitely recommend the Cook Islands, though (make sure you include Aitutaki island!).
David
to get an idea about total mileage use the online RTW calculator in the *A Website.
My RTW last year (starting in Austria) had China (PEK, PVG), Japan (KIX, TYO), Cook Islands (RAR via AKL), US (SFO) and Venezuela (CCS) in the itinerary, coming in just 100miles shy of 29.000.
Hence I assume you won't be able to include both Australia/New Zealand AND southern South America in your itinerary without passing the 29.000 miles.
For honeymooning I can definitely recommend the Cook Islands, though (make sure you include Aitutaki island!).
David
Sep 17, 2009 | 11:55 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: QFF, Velocity, Asiana
Posts: 298
The online tool is very good for planning, but I'd be very sceptical of the number it spits out for taxes and surcharges. I recently booked a special economy fare through AirNZ and paid about a third of what the online tool spat out for taxes.