Article: Great Value Round-the-World Tickets with Finnair & Lufthansa

[cbourl]

With the Lufthansa Group global fares you can add multiple fflter #s and you can chose which star alliance program to earn pointsin as well as which *A fflyer program you want for status benfits. You can also QF sectors.

eg my last usage of this fare precovid was
QF ADL-SYD, SYD-HKG
LX HKG-ZRH,ZRH-TLV
LH MUC-FRA,FRA-JFk
UA EWR-SFO, SFO-SYD
QF SYD-ADL

I don't believe you can earn *A program miles on the Finnair fare, I'm not really familiar with it. I would imagine not, unless they offer flights on a *A carrier withintheir fare rules

 

[Auski]

Is the RTW fare dependent on current fares on a particular leg, or if there is availability is a certain route is always the same price?

 

[cbourl]

Is the RTW fare dependent on current fares on a particular leg, or if there is availability is a certain route is always the same price?

Always the same price which is one of the beauties of this fare, providing the booking class you want is available. The only variation is taxes/fee calculation which can vary from day to day eg changes in YQ fuel surcharges

 

[elvee]

For the transcontinental legs do they book into "first" if you have booked a J around the world?

In two cabin aircraft, yep. In three cabin (eg. AA LAX-JFK A320) it's in J

Post automatically merged: May 19, 2022

I don't believe you can earn *A program miles on the Finnair fare, I'm not really familiar with it. I would imagine not, unless they offer flights on a *A carrier withintheir fare rules

AY do allow TG Aus-BKK vv on these fares, but that's all the *A you'll find

 

[elvee]

The LHG fares also allow some intra-Asian legs for a $100 surcharge, eg. SIN-BKK, HKG-SHA, TYO-SEL. Helps to flush it out a little more lile a traditional RTW.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

PQP and Mileage accrual is based on original class of booking, not the upgraded class. It is possible to upgrade say SYD-LAX on UA from Y to C with Plus Points (the new Globals and regionals) but you need to be clear about booking class of ticket sector , and availability on that sector - I use KVS avialability tool to see if the Award Class is avialable) If using a Star Alliance Upgrade Award there are no monetary charges of the upgrade, just the miles
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/awards/upgrade/star-alliance-upgrade-awards.html These are more restricitve nad require no copay so as in my original post you need to be very specific about your booking class in each sector planned to be upgraded before the ticket is issued. A trave lagent may not want to be transparent or do the work for you. In 2019 I used travelmanagers.com.au who have an agent who is an ex Lufthansa emplyee and is fully nuanced in these fares
As Im a 1K not sure as I have never paid a copay for a MileagePlus upgrade award.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/au/fly/mileageplus/awards/upgrade.html#region-chart

You can find similar information on the milesandmore.com website if you plan to use Evouchers for upgrades, or do a Star Alliance Upgrade award with Lufthansa miles With UA MileagePlus you can also use PlusPoints to upgrade to LH and ANA , I ususally upgrade to LH First. Again you need to be specific about booking class ticket is issued in before applying and upgrade https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/premier/upgrades/upgrading-ana-lufthansa.html

To your first point, yes I understand the point about PQP and milage being based on what the RTW itinerary was originally booked as. With United there is an additional wrinkle where every segment you take on them is based on $$$ spent and not milage flown. In my case as a Premier Gold (and next year likely as a non-status holding UA member), the only opportunity I have to upgrade is via points, I don't have any other upgrade instruments with them. The last time I flew UA, going from LHR to SYD (via LAX) there was a co-pay on the K-fare I was upgrading from - $650 USD, in addition to the 35,000 miles required. This is the case whenever you do a milage upgrade no matter what status you may hold with them, as co-pay is determined on the region you're travelling, and fare class.

That being said, I would be curious if some who have booked these LH Group RTW fares could comment on what fare class their sectors ticketed into as this would influence my decision on getting one for future travel. Also, while we're at it, what do the AY RTWs ticket into for the purpose of QF accrual? Is it Discount Economy, Economy, or Flex Economy?

-RooFlyer88

 

[Seat0B]

Does anyone know if the Finnair product will allow a stop in Dubai? So maybe CBR-SYD-LAX-HEL-FCO-DXB-SYD-CBR. Is this possible?

 

[SYD]

Does anyone know if the Finnair product will allow a stop in Dubai? So maybe CBR-SYD-LAX-HEL-FCO-DXB-SYD-CBR. Is this possible?

No. Need to fly long haul on an AY service.

 

[Seat0B]

No. Need to fly long haul on an AY service.

It is so damn expensive flying to Dubai and so few options.

 

[cbourl]

To your first point, yes I understand the point about PQP and milage being based on what the RTW itinerary was originally booked as. With United there is an additional wrinkle where every segment you take on them is based on $$$ spent and not milage flown. In my case as a Premier Gold (and next year likely as a non-status holding UA member), the only opportunity I have to upgrade is via points, I don't have any other upgrade instruments with them. The last time I flew UA, going from LHR to SYD (via LAX) there was a co-pay on the K-fare I was upgrading from - $650 USD, in addition to the 35,000 miles required. This is the case whenever you do a milage upgrade no matter what status you may hold with them, as co-pay is determined on the region you're travelling, and fare class.

That being said, I would be curious if some who have booked these LH Group RTW fares could comment on what fare class their sectors ticketed into as this would influence my decision on getting one for future travel. Also, while we're at it, what do the AY RTWs ticket into for the purpose of QF accrual? Is it Discount Economy, Economy, or Flex Economy?

-RooFlyer88

As you would be flying on 220 LH or LX 724 Ticket stock, NOT UA 016 Ticket stock, Miles are earned according to DISTANCE. UA mile per $$$ only applies $$$ Spent on its own ticket stock, and on say a 220 (LH ticket) UA SFO-SYD as a 1K earnt me 20397 United MileagePlus Miles booked in D Class Business and the "free" EWR-SFO or other such domestic US sector also earns per miles flown as it is still on LH ticket stock eg I earnt 7689 Miles EWR-SFO on UA as part of fare in D Class with a Bonus for 1K
See https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/earn-miles/airline-partners/lufthansa.html and checkout "Ticket # does not start with 016)

Qantas books into I class in Business Domestic as QF are reticent to release D Class, and International to connect to LH/LX/NH/SQ *A etc should book into D class Qantas, but again good luck as QF are reticent also for international sectors

Booking class you pay for, say in Business, depends upon whether you want to use upgrade instruments. That depends upon your individual circumstances and what upgrade instruments you have available It is a complicated fare and I have found over the several decades I have used it yearly that travel agents may find it too complicated and therefore not fully inform you as to the booking classes, change fees, refund fees etc For example you can book into cheapest Business P class but then you need to use a lot more LH or UA miles
As I said previously, these are excellent fares, and I have been using them for decades, in fact the earlier fares in the early 2000's allow purchase of 4 LH/LX/OS flight coupons for AUD$100 each (plus taxes) in Economy, then they swapped to a Star Alliance Airpass, where Airpass baggage allowance must match intercontinental ticket it is purchased against
As to the Finnair AY fare, I can not comment

 

[SYD]

It is so damn expensive flying to Dubai and so few options.

Actually, AY has a seasonal route to DXB:
31 Oct 2022—26 Mar 2023

Not sure if / how that is covered by the RTW fare. At worst, it could be like going to a Euro destination then back tracking thru HEL to a longhaul.

 

[Mattg]

Not sure if / how that is covered by the RTW fare. At worst, it could be like going to a Euro destination then back tracking thru HEL to a longhaul.

I don't think this would be allowed and doubt DXB would work with one of these fares, unfortunately.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

As you would be flying on 220 LH or LX 724 Ticket stock, NOT UA 016 Ticket stock, Miles are earned according to DISTANCE. UA mile per $$$ only applies $$$ Spent on its own ticket stock, and on say a 220 (LH ticket) UA SFO-SYD as a 1K earnt me 20397 United MileagePlus Miles booked in D Class Business and the "free" EWR-SFO or other such domestic US sector also earns per miles flown as it is still on LH ticket stock eg I earnt 7689 Miles EWR-SFO on UA as part of fare in D Class with a Bonus for 1K
See https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/earn-miles/airline-partners/lufthansa.html and checkout "Ticket # does not start with 016)

Qantas books into I class in Business Domestic as QF are reticent to release D Class, and International to connect to LH/LX/NH/SQ *A etc should book into D class Qantas, but again good luck as QF are reticent also for international sectors

Booking class you pay for, say in Business, depends upon whether you want to use upgrade instruments. That depends upon your individual circumstances and what upgrade instruments you have available It is a complicated fare and I have found over the several decades I have used it yearly that travel agents may find it too complicated and therefore not fully inform you as to the booking classes, change fees, refund fees etc For example you can book into cheapest Business P class but then you need to use a lot more LH or UA miles
As I said previously, these are excellent fares, and I have been using them for decades, in fact the earlier fares in the early 2000's allow purchase of 4 LH/LX/OS flight coupons for AUD$100 each (plus taxes) in Economy, then they swapped to a Star Alliance Airpass, where Airpass baggage allowance must match intercontinental ticket it is purchased against
As to the Finnair AY fare, I can not comment

Per United's website, milage for flights operated by United, regardless of who issues the ticket is based on fare. This was one of the "enhancements" UA brought in 2020. There is a separate milage chart for UA operated flights on speciality tickets (don't know if this would qualify) which is based on distance flown.

That being said, based on the prices I'm seeing I tend to agree that these represent great value. Would be curious what the economy (and potentially premium economy) fares book into for these partners as for me these represent the best value for a traveller on a budget who wants to boost their airline status for minimal cost.

-RooFlyer88

 

[Mattg]

That being said, I would be curious if some who have booked these LH Group RTW fares could comment on what fare class their sectors ticketed into as this would influence my decision on getting one for future travel. Also, while we're at it, what do the AY RTWs ticket into for the purpose of QF accrual? Is it Discount Economy, Economy, or Flex Economy?

With the LH fares, you would be booked into the following fare classes:

Economy:

• LH/OS/LX: L
• QF: O
• UA: L
• SQ: K

Premium Economy:

• LH/OS/LX: N (books into Y for intra-Europe sectors with no premium economy cabin)
• UA: Books into Q for domestic connectors in coach, not sure about long-haul
• QF: T
• SQ: L

Business:

• LH/OS/LX: P
• UA: P
• SQ: D
• QF: I

I have no idea what the sectors operated by United would earn though when crediting to UA MileagePlus as they are not transparent about this. It seems to be based on what United is paid, and that is not public information. I can report back in July after I've finished my current trip.

With AY, the Finnair flights book into T class on AY/QF (Premium Economy), I class on AY/QF (Business) and O class on AY/QF (Economy).

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Actually, AY has a seasonal route to DXB:
31 Oct 2022—26 Mar 2023

Not sure if / how that is covered by the RTW fare. At worst, it could be like going to a Euro destination then back tracking thru HEL to a longhaul.

I don't see Dubai listed as one of the cities on their site. However, one question are what airlines are part of that package. For instance, if MH is one of the carriers, theoretically you could catch AY down to DXB, then catch MH on to KL and from there fly either MH or QF back to AU.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

I don't think this would be allowed and doubt DXB would work with one of these fares, unfortunately.

But could be a HEL’ava status run if priced ok ex Oz thru Asia and HEL as a return or open jaw fare!

I don't see Dubai listed as one of the cities on their site. However, one question are what airlines are part of that package. For instance, if MH is one of the carriers, theoretically you could catch AY down to DXB, then catch MH on to KL and from there fly either MH or QF back to AU.

-RooFlyer88

Dubai

Book your flights to Dubai. Learn more about our excellent flight offers and book your Dubai flights today!

www.finnair.com

 

[kangarooflyer88]

With the LH fares, you would be booked into the following fare classes:

Economy:

• LH/OS/LX: L
• QF: O
• UA: L
• SQ: K

Premium Economy:

• LH/OS/LX: N (books into Y for intra-Europe sectors with no premium economy cabin)
• UA: Books into Q for domestic connectors in coach, not sure about long-haul
• QF: T
• SQ: L

Business:

• LH/OS/LX: P
• UA: P
• SQ: D
• QF: I

I have no idea what the sectors operated by United would earn though when crediting to UA MileagePlus as they are not transparent about this. It seems to be based on what United is paid, and that is not public information. I can report back in July after I've finished my current trip.

With AY, the Finnair flights book into T class on AY/QF (Premium Economy), I class on AY/QF (Business) and O class on AY/QF (Economy).

Thanks for that! I notice in the article there are different types of economy classes sold for the RTW ticket (i.e. Econ Basic, Econ Basic Plus and Econ Flex for LH Group) do you happen to know whether that impacts the fare class ticketed (i.e. Econ Flex ticketing into say an M fare)? If it does, then an argument could be made for forking over the extra $100-$200 if that means earning more milage, getting cheaper upgrades and having the additional flexibility built into the ticket.

-RooFlyer88

Post automatically merged: May 19, 2022

But could be a HEL’ava status run if priced ok ex Oz thru Asia and HEL as a return or open jaw fare!

Dubai

Book your flights to Dubai. Learn more about our excellent flight offers and book your Dubai flights today!

www.finnair.com

When I say I couldn't see Dubai listed as a city on their site, I was referred to the RoundAboutTravel site.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

When I say I couldn't see Dubai listed as a city on their site, I was referred to the RoundAboutTravel site.

-RooFlyer88

There’s other seasonal routes not listed eg YUL that I assume could be booked?

 

[cbourl]

There’s other seasonal routes not listed eg YUL that I assume could be booked?

Yes using the Free Nth America Add Ons in the USA with either United or Air Canada
eg AC UA HNL/HOU/LAX/SFO/YVR/YTO/NYC/DFW/CHI - ATL/AUS/BOS/CHI/CUN/CLT/DEN/DFW/DTT/HOU/LAS/LAX/MCO/MEX/MIA/NYC/ PHL/PHX/SAN/SEA/SFO/SJO/TPA/YOW/YUL/YVR/YYZ/YYC/WAS
As intercontinental sector YUL is not permitted for direct flights with AC - you would say fly to JFK /EWR then to YUL, only YVR is permitted as an intercontinental origin/destination sector
YUL as an intercontinental sector is serviced year round ie not seasonal by both Lufti and Swiss

 

[SYD]

Yes using the Free Nth America Add Ons in the USA with either United or Air Canada
eg AC UA HNL/HOU/LAX/SFO/YVR/YTO/NYC/DFW/CHI - ATL/AUS/BOS/CHI/CUN/CLT/DEN/DFW/DTT/HOU/LAS/LAX/MCO/MEX/MIA/NYC/ PHL/PHX/SAN/SEA/SFO/SJO/TPA/YOW/YUL/YVR/YYZ/YYC/WAS
As intercontinental sector YUL is not permitted for direct flights with AC - you would say fly to JFK /EWR then to YUL, only YVR is permitted as an intercontinental origin/destination sector
YUL as an intercontinental sector is serviced year round ie not seasonal by both Lufti and Swiss

YUL was in relation to AY. This thread could get confusing! Perhaps the AY Q&A should switch to the existing thread on their RTW fares (now, if only I could find that thread!)….