SECRETS TO BOOKING ROUND-THE-WORLD ITINERARIES

OVERVIEW
Booking a true “Round‐The‐World” (RTW) itinerary is the ultimate points challenge—8+ cities across multiple continents, dozens of flights, and just one program billing. If done right, you get two free stopovers, no surcharges, and fewer complications than stringing together individual one-ways. This guide explains how to leverage alliances, understand key rules, and plot an epic circuit.

1. UNDERSTANDING RTW TICKET BASICS

Before diving into flights, you need a mental map of how RTW awards work:

1. Alliances & Program Rules

   • Star Alliance RTW: Offered by Avianca LifeMiles, United, and Air Canada Aeroplan. You pay based on “mileage bands” (e.g., up to 26,000 miles, 29,000 miles, etc.).
   • Oneworld Explorer: Priced as “segments” (16–35 segments depending on distance). British Airways Avios, Cathay Asia Miles, and American AAdvantage have RTW options.
   • SkyTeam RTW: Rare, but Delta MDW program occasionally launches limited-time promotions–only valid if you start in the US.

2. Key Terms

   • Open‐Jaw: Flying into City A and out of City B.
   • Stopover: Staying more than 24 hours in a city. RTW awards usually allow 2–3 free stopovers.
   • Mileage Bands: Total flown distance (city-pair to city-pair) must fit within specified bands (e.g., 0–29,000 miles = 180k miles in Star Alliance).

3. Alliance Sweet Spots

   • Aeroplan RTW: No fuel surcharges on many partners, generous 2 free stopovers, pricing by zones.
   • Avianca LifeMiles RTW: No close-in booking fees, but strict max routings and limited partner access.
   • Asia Miles RTW: Up to 5 stopovers, but high surcharges on Cathay Pacific.

2. DRAFTING YOUR ITINERARY

Once you know the program, plot 6–8 major waypoints to cover continents:

1. Pick Your Major Continents

   • Example: North America → South America → Europe → Africa → Asia → Oceania → North America.
   • Use a map tool (Great Circle Mapper) to calculate approximate distances between each leg. This gives you an edge on staying within mileage caps.

2. Identify Anchor Cities & Hubs

   • North America Start: JFK, LAX, or ORD (plenty of partner availability).
   • South America: GRU (São Paulo), EZE (Buenos Aires), or BOG (Bogotá).
   • Europe: LHR, CDG, or FRA—connect easily to Africa or Asia.
   • Africa: CPT (Cape Town), JNB (Johannesburg), NBO (Nairobi).
   • Asia: SIN (Singapore), HKG (Hong Kong), or NRT (Tokyo).
   • Oceania: SYD (Sydney) or AKL (Auckland) if you want New Zealand.

3. Plot Distances & Check Band Limits

   • Use Great Circle Mapper (gcmap.com) to measure miles; tally them to ensure you don’t exceed your chosen program’s maximum.
   • If you exceed, consider an open-jaw (e.g., fly Boston → London, return Paris → Boston) to “cut” a long connection.

4. Optimize Stopovers & Connection Times

   • Most RTW programs allow 2–3 stopovers—but some treat a technical connection (less than 24 hours) as a connection, not a stopover.
   • Example: Land in CDG, do a 3-day Paris stay (stopover), then fly CDG → JNB via FRA.
   • Pick hubs where you want a break—Hong Kong, Istanbul, or Dubai are ideal for 2–3 days.

3. REDUCING FEES, SURCHARGES & SURPRISES

RTW awards can be lucrative but also carry hefty cash fees if you aren’t careful:

1. Avoid Fuel Surcharges

   • Aeroplan: No surcharges on most Star Alliance partners, except Air Canada.
   • Avianca LifeMiles: No surcharges on almost all partners, but award chart quirks can push you into a higher mileage band.
   • Asia Miles: Cathay Pacific segments incur large fees—consider booking Cathay via Alaska Mileage Plan instead.

2. Book Open‐Jaw Leg By Leg When Needed

   • If a single RTW award is too expensive, break it into two one‐ways (e.g., North America → Europe & Europe → Oceania → Asia → North America).
   • Sometimes two separate RTW awards are cheaper than a single all‐in-one ticket.

3. Plan for Aircraft Swaps

   • On long legs (e.g., LAX → SIN), airlines might change the equipment. If you need lie-flat, confirm the exact flight number instead of assuming “Business” means flat bed.

4. Be Mindful of Routing Restrictions

   • Some RTW awards limit backtracking (e.g., you can’t go Europe → U.S. → Asia on a Pacific-Asia RTW.
   • Always double-check your program’s official routing rules before getting too deep into planning.

4. STEP-BY-STEP BOOKING PROCESS

Here’s how to actually lock in your RTW award:

1. Search One Leg at a Time

   • Start with your longest-distance piece (e.g., JFK → GRU).
   • Use your chosen program’s website or search tool (e.g., Aeroplan’s Multi-City search).
   • Mark down the exact flight numbers, cabin class, and mileage cost.

2. Aggregate Segment Mileage

   • Use a spreadsheet: list out each leg’s distance, then sum. Compare the sum to the mileage bands.
   • If you’re at 32,000 miles total, you might fit in the 0–34,000 band (e.g., Aeroplan charges 200k points).

3. Hold Awards in Sequence

   • If your first-leg availability is limited, hold that flight (Aeroplan allows a 24-hour hold).
   • Next, search your second leg (GRU → LHR). If you secure it, ask to hold.
   • Repeat until all legs are held, then call to confirm the full routing and book in one transaction.

4. Use ExpertFlyer “Proxies” If Necessary

   • Some programs—like Avianca—won’t show Star Alliance awards online. Create an ExpertFlyer account, run a “space availability” search for United flight UA42, and note any open “I” or “O” inventory class.
   • Once you confirm availability, call the call center to ticket.

5. Pay Taxes, Fees, and Fuel Surcharges

   • If you booked via Aeroplan, expect ~$400–$600 in taxes/fees on a transatlantic segment. Use a no-foreign-transaction-fee card with embedded travel credits.
   • Get a refund if you cancel within 24 hours, but be aware of program‐specific rebooking fees after that window.

5. REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE: 7-CITY, 3-CONTINENT CIRCUIT

Let’s illustrate with a hypothetical:

1. Itinerary Blueprint:

   • Leg 1: JFK → GRU (Business, United Polaris)
   • Leg 2: GRU → LHR (Business, LATAM)
   • Leg 3: LHR → CPT (Business, British Airways)
   • Leg 4: CPT → NBO (Business, Kenya Airways)
   • Leg 5: NBO → DEL (Business, Kenya/Emirates)
   • Leg 6: DEL → SYD (Business, Qantas via Singapore)
   • Leg 7: SYD → LAX (Business, United Polaris)

2. Program Used: Aeroplan RTW, 35,000 miles band (pricing at 220k points total).

3. Search Steps:

   • Leg 1 & 7: Found UA Polaris availability at 70k each one-way → 140k total.
   • Leg 2: LATAM award space at 80k.
   • Leg 3: BA Avios space at 50k.
   • Leg 4: Kenya Airways shows space when searching via Aeroplan. 40k.
   • Leg 5: Not available on Kenya, but Emirates opened on CX (partner) → call Aeroplan, pay 50k.
   • Leg 6: SPLIT: Qantas didn’t show. Instead, piecemeal with Singapore Airlines (QF partner) for 45k.
   • Sum distances: ~33,000 miles. Fits in the 35k band.
   • Add taxes/fees: ~$750 total (way cheaper than paying cash).

6. ADVANCED HACKS & PRO TIPS

1. Use “Airport Co-Terminal” Workarounds

   • If CDG → EWR is expensive, consider flying CDG → YYZ (Aeroplan) then YYZ → EWR (short hop). Sometimes it’s cheaper than direct.

2. Leverage “Excursionist Perk” on Aeroplan

   • After paying for Start → Midpoint, the return to Origin in a different region can be free if you structure it correctly (e.g., North America → Europe → North America, and an Asia stopover).

3. Stacking Elite Benefits

   • If you have United Premier Silver, you get a free upgrade on award tickets to Polaris if there’s space in Standard business. Always check upgrade space separately.

4. Combining Points with Cash

   • Some programs (e.g., Avianca LifeMiles) let you pay cash + points on partially expensive segments. Use that to preserve your stash for long-haul legs.

CONCLUSION

Round-The-World bookings require meticulous planning—mapping distances, hunting award space, and watching every fine print on transfer times and fees. But once you nail it, you’ll experience 7+ cities, 3–4 continents, and countless memories for fewer points than a single business-class transpacific. Good luck plotting your ultimate journey!