Booking round the world award in biz
Oct 2, 2005, 4:35 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: BNA
Posts: 2,076
Booking round the world award in biz
I've searched a bit but my terms have turned up little.
By the time I will be able to travel for a few months again, I will have enough miles for a round the world in business class. Based on how hard it can be to get a single award flight in first or biz, how hard is it to book alot of them that fit together? Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks
By the time I will be able to travel for a few months again, I will have enough miles for a round the world in business class. Based on how hard it can be to get a single award flight in first or biz, how hard is it to book alot of them that fit together? Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks
Oct 2, 2005, 6:06 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 321
I have traveled on paid RTW tickets but not on an award ticket. However I don't know why it would be any different than booking other award travel. If you book well in advance and are somewhat flexible on your travel dates, i.e. are willing to leave a day before or a day after your preferred travel date, you should be fine.
Oct 2, 2005, 6:36 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2003
Programs: BA GGL, AA EXP and former CK, DL Plat, UA Gold MM
Posts: 493
Not impossible. But get ready to spend countless hours on the phone with a cust service rep.
It is extremely helpful to download the Star Alliance timetable from staralliance.com and have it open with several alt routes as you book with the agent on the phone. I have often pointed out successful alternate routes that the agent did not consider.
Good luck. Sounds like a fun trip!
It is extremely helpful to download the Star Alliance timetable from staralliance.com and have it open with several alt routes as you book with the agent on the phone. I have often pointed out successful alternate routes that the agent did not consider.
Good luck. Sounds like a fun trip!
Oct 2, 2005, 8:18 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: CA USA
Posts: 133
How many miles does it take to do a RTW in Biz?
Oct 2, 2005, 8:28 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: SPG Plat
Posts: 169
Be patient and persistant
We recently returned from an ATW trip and I had to book 3 business tickets.
It will take some time and flexibility. Depending upon your routing and the time of year, prepare to do some research and look for alternatives.
We used UA, LH, SQ and it worked out ok. I tried really hard to try and go through New Zealand, but Air New Zealand was nearly impossible to book. They have very few available seats and according to my UA reservation angel, they are the only air line that does not allow them to call. All reservations must be submitted electronically and you wait to see availability. Even if it shows available they have a period of time, either 24 or 48 hours to reject the booking.
Good luck!
It will take some time and flexibility. Depending upon your routing and the time of year, prepare to do some research and look for alternatives.
We used UA, LH, SQ and it worked out ok. I tried really hard to try and go through New Zealand, but Air New Zealand was nearly impossible to book. They have very few available seats and according to my UA reservation angel, they are the only air line that does not allow them to call. All reservations must be submitted electronically and you wait to see availability. Even if it shows available they have a period of time, either 24 or 48 hours to reject the booking.
Good luck!
Oct 2, 2005, 8:29 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Palo Alto. Previously, below the approaches to Rwy 19 @ DCA or 28 @ ORD
Programs: UA 1K 0.8MM, AA EXP
Posts: 1,768
Originally Posted by Coolcamden
How many miles does it take to do a RTW in Biz?
Oct 2, 2005, 8:51 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Denver
Programs: UA Lifetime Plat 2MM. Starwood Lifetime Gold
Posts: 178
Originally Posted by chuckd
I've searched a bit but my terms have turned up little.
By the time I will be able to travel for a few months again, I will have enough miles for a round the world in business class. Based on how hard it can be to get a single award flight in first or biz, how hard is it to book alot of them that fit together? Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks
By the time I will be able to travel for a few months again, I will have enough miles for a round the world in business class. Based on how hard it can be to get a single award flight in first or biz, how hard is it to book alot of them that fit together? Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks
Just booked a RTW in paid business and was to upgrade all UA segments to F. It took a little time and a very helpful CSR. Tried to upgrade a LH segment but was told that LH did not upgrade in this class of service - tried multiple times and always the exact same response
Oct 2, 2005, 8:59 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 17,769
Originally Posted by omsflyer
Just booked a RTW in paid business and was to upgrade all UA segments to F. It took a little time and a very helpful CSR. Tried to upgrade a LH segment but was told that LH did not upgrade in this class of service - tried multiple times and always the exact same response
Oct 2, 2005, 10:19 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: BNA
Posts: 2,076
Cool, thanks guys (gals?). I'll get that staralliance chart and go ahead and read up on the rules and T&C and try to figure out a few tentative schedules. It's looking like I'll have 2-3 months, and if possible I want to hit Japan,Oz, thailand, bankok, russia, india, and maybe some stuff in africa and south or central america, though I'm not sure what will fit with the whole north/south travel stuff. I wanted to make sure a RTW was (realistically) possible before I start planning. But flexibility is something I should have lots of.
Oct 3, 2005, 1:54 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Cambridge MA (BOS)
Programs: MP Platinum
Posts: 2,240
For 300K, it almost seams worth it to do 2 x 90K C trips and 1 x 120K F trips and stop back at home and resupply....
How many stopovers do you get with a *A RTW?
How many stopovers do you get with a *A RTW?
Oct 3, 2005, 2:20 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,245
There's also a tool on the *A website that let's you verify you have a "legitimate" itin (i.e. you're heading in the correct direction, etc)
Oct 3, 2005, 2:37 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: DEL/TYO/SAN
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 201
Originally Posted by yogi
How many stopovers do you get with a *A RTW?
From United's website, it looks like you get 5 stopovers?
If your purpose is too see a lot of places, this kinda seems like a rip off to me... what does everyone else think?