Posts: 198
Threads: 0
Joined: Dec 2010
RTW Tickets
06-28-2011, 10:14 PM
I am getting ready to purchase a RTW ticket, but I am seeing a lot of contradictory pricing. Do you really have to fly out of Tonga to save $3,000
I am trying to do something like this (or start in reverse):
LAX > Lima > Sao Paulo > Cape Town > Addis Ababa > New Delhi > Bangkok > Bali > Tokyo > Hawaii > Lima > LAX
Basically I am getting quoted like $7,800 out of LAX/Miami/Houston. I have heard of quotes like 5K (for 16 segments) on 4 hour work week. Also I think Lumiere said he got a RTW for around 5-6K USD. Am I missing something? Is it really that much cheaper to start out of the USA, and if so where is the best place to start considering I will have to purchase a ticket to get there from NA?
Any help would be much appreciated from you that have made the purchase.
Posts: 4,451
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2010
Reputation:
140
RTW Tickets
06-28-2011, 11:58 PM
Just did a sample itenary using the Star Alliance software for a RTW trip at Business Class:
Toronto-London overland to Madrid-Cairo-Abu Dhabi-Singapore-Tokyo-Sydney-Wellington-Papeete-Santiago de Cile-São Paulo-Toronto
Cost: $16,351 Canadian $.
My verdict: quite a steal specially when you know that a long distance flight for example from Toronto to São Paulo on Air Canada in Business Class goes for about $5-6K.
I'll do a mock itenary for both Economy and First Class and will post the "results" here. Even tough One World and SkyTeam networks also offer RTW tickets, I'm sticking with Star Alliance as it's not ony the biggest network with the most route options but also as I am a very frequent flyer with Air Canada. So a RTW with Star Alliance will give me a ton of points that will translate into quite a few free flights to SA and Asia with Air Canada.
Edit: For the exact same itenary:
Economy Class: $8,697CDN.
Business Class: $16,351 CDN
First Class:$23,838 CDN.
Hum...food for thought...now let's see if the prices change if instead of Toronto as my departing and arrival city, I selected say London...
Posts: 4,451
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2010
Reputation:
140
RTW Tickets
06-29-2011, 12:13 AM
Btw, truedat, which network are you using to get that 7-8k quote? Star Alliance? One World? or SkyTeam?
Posts: 198
Threads: 0
Joined: Dec 2010
RTW Tickets
06-29-2011, 01:55 AM
That's what im talking about, i am seeing about double that for 16 segments for 34K or 38K miles. I have checked both star and oneworld BTW.
Posts: 1,996
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2008
Reputation:
9
RTW Tickets
06-29-2011, 05:04 AM
Yeah but I used one world
Came out to about 4,000 US dollars
Posts: 1,996
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2008
Reputation:
9
RTW Tickets
06-29-2011, 05:23 AM
Just plugged the exact same flight details into one world.
In Aug 2009 when I started my rtw trip the cost at the time was $4,000. Same ticket now comes to $5,500
Posts: 8,017
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2010
RTW Tickets
06-29-2011, 07:38 AM
I got an initial quote from air treks.com for an RTW: ($3081-$4281)
Kuwait>Sanaa>Asmara>Sanaa>Instanbul>Tbilisi>Moscow>Tallin>Stockholm>NYC> Guatemala City>San Salvador
Travel time start early next year over a 7 month period. A Star Alliance RTW apparently wants the starting city to be the final destination. That would cause 2 extra flights over the Atlantic.
Posts: 1,536
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation:
21
RTW Tickets
07-05-2011, 10:45 AM
RTW ticket pricing has always been weird. The same ticket will cost around 50% more leaving from the States/Canada/Western Europe compared to the Third World. Exact same routing, just starting eleswhere. YTou could cinsider trying to start your trip in Mexico. That might be cheaper. Though you might not be allowed to book that ticket with a US issued CC, I dont know
Oneworld seems to be the better deal. No actual mileage limit, just 16 sectors and the usual rules about not backtracking. Also, Business and First class RTW tickets are a BIG bargain compared to théir normal prices. Econony not as much.
Posts: 1,536
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation:
21
RTW Tickets
07-05-2011, 10:51 AM
RTW ticket pricing has always been weird. The same ticket will cost around 50% more leaving from the States/Canada/Western Europe compared to the Third World. Exact same routing, just starting eleswhere. YTou could cinsider trying to start your trip in Mexico. That might be cheaper. Though you might not be allowed to book that ticket with a US issued CC, I dont know
Oneworld seems to be the better deal. No actual mileage limit, just 16 sectors and the usual rules about not backtracking. Also, Business and First class RTW tickets are a BIG bargain compared to théir normal prices. Economy, not as much.