Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explorer?

[BigKahunaBurger]

As part of a belated honeymoon, I have finally managed to get work to agree to me having 4 months off, from early April to early August this year, so that my wife and I can go on a RTW trip, as we've always wanted.

We have a rough idea of the places we want to visit and, given there's not much time to go, am keen to start booking what I can! We'd been thinking that, as we have enough QFF points to secure two Oneworld Zone 10 Classic Awards (142500 points each), that this would be the way to go. However, am aware that availability may be an issue and, as we're not 100% certain of the number of days we want to spend in each location at this stage (and hence may have to change dates/times, but not routing), am wondering if a better option would be to go with a purchased OW Explorer / Global Explorer ticket?

Relevant info
· As I had some HHonors points to use, and wanted to do this before the burn rate increased today/tomorrow, I've already booked a stay in Tahiti - somewhere we have always wanted to go. And, as a search showed that no Award seats were available to fly from SYD-PPT (via AKL), I have secured two cheap J class tickets from AKL-PPT with NZ already - as SYD-AKL still has some award availability at the time we want to travel. Not sure if I will regret having booked these tickets, but, as I think they are refundable, am not too concerned if the AFF general consensus is that there is a better way of doing the trip!
· Places we definitely want to visit (though am not sure this is the best order/routing):
o PPT
o SCL
o Southern Argentina / EZE
o RIO
o LIM
o MEX
o HAV
· We were thinking that we might have to connect from Cuba through the Caribbean in order to get to the US - in which case, we were thinking of the Bahamas.
· We want to visit LAS and SFO, and then travel from the West coast of the US over to the East coast, where we want to visit BOS, IAD and NYC. We are wondering whether to fly from LAS to SFO and then pick-up a car, or drive instead. We definitely want to drive from West to East. As for the East coast, a friend has mentioned that there are good, fast rail links that we might want to consider, which I think would be a great idea.
· From the East coast, we definitely have to travel to the UK and then from there, on to Thailand, possibly with a stop in Egypt, before heading back to Sydney.
Apologies if I’ve made some obvious blunders in the above – am fairly new to this and have tried to use abbreviations where possible!

Would really value any feedback the community can provide, both in relation to best routing, but also in relation to whether to use points or purchase the tickets.

Many thanks.

 

[drron]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Well just a quick one as to paid tickets-it would have to be a Global Explorer on OW which can use the QF codeshare on TN through to PPT.Then the LAN flight PPT-IPC-SCL-if you do this you really should stop off on Easter Island.

 

[ChrisBNE]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Cannot include AA on itinerary with HAV included. (ie travel via the US). May wish to look at a HAV side trip from MEX.

Also you may have some issues using OW carrierswith travelling from SCL/LIM/RIO/BUE. MX fly to/from BUE, so you would most likely be looking at travelling SCL-LIM-SCL-RIO and then buy a ticket RIOBUE.

Also if you are heading to Peru, you may wish to factor in flys to/from CUZ.

You'll also be pushing your 16 sectors too.

 

[notzac]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Cannot include AA on itinerary with HAV included. (ie travel via the US). May wish to look at a HAV side trip from MEX.

Definitely one of the better ways of doing this; note that it's difficult to ticket MX flights to HAV online; the only online site I've found that can search for fares to Cuban destinations is Best Frights. Consider getting a TA to ticket this (or ask QF if they can ticket it separately for you, assuming you want to use points?)

 

[ChrisBNE]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Looking at the South America part closer, what you're coming up against is the following:

No OWflights between RIO and LIM, RIO and BUE, and LIM AND MEX - meaning you are routing back and forth through SCL, which is painfull considering the miles.

Drop PPT and you're back on the DONE5 and life is a little easier.

Also you're limited to 4 stops per region on the Global, so you would have to open jaw in North America twice (ie LAS//LAX and BOS//NYC), if you wish to include BOS,NYC,WAS and MEX. While it will be cheap as to purchase flights between east cost cities mentioned, you will save on one sector (out of 16) on the LAS//LAX open jaw, as AA operate via LAX.

SYD QF AKL QF PPT LA SCL LA BUE MX MEX MX LAS // SFO AA BOS // WAS BA LON QF BKK QF SYD is within milege. Including either LIM between SCL and BUE, or CAI from LON and then back via AMM to BKK are both over mileage. This calculation I've assumed puchasing side trips to HAV and RIO.

Seriously, drop PPT, I know she wants to go there, but save the cash take her to the Cook Islands next year and you'll be able to do so much more on a DONE5.

ie. SYD LA SCL LA LIM LA BUE MX MEX MX LAS // SFO AA BOS AA NYC AA WAS BA LON BA CAI RJ AMM RJ BKK QF SYD

You'd also have another two sectors up your sleave with thsi itinerary to do a side trip in Europe or another point in Asia.

Just some food for thought.

 

[medhead]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Seriously, drop PPT, I know she wants to go there, but save the cash take her to the Cook Islands next year and you'll be able to do so much more on a DONE5.

ie. SYD LA SCL LA LIM LA BUE MX MEX MX LAS // SFO AA BOS AA NYC AA WAS BA LON BA CAI RJ AMM RJ BKK QF SYD

You'd also have another two sectors up your sleave with thsi itinerary to do a side trip in Europe or another point in Asia.

Just some food for thought.

Since the AKL-PPT is already purchased, perhaps buy the return to AKL and do the above with a slight modification:

SYD - AKL LA SCL LA LIM LA BUE MX MEX MX LAS // SFO AA BOS AA NYC AA WAS BA LON BA CAI RJ AMM RJ BKK QF SYD

It only adds one segment.

Or what is wrong with:

SYD-AKL // PPT-xIPC-SCL-LIM-BUE-MEX-LAS // SFO-BOS-NYC-WAS-LON-CAI-AMM-BKK-SYD.

But you can't stop at IPC and it depends whether PPT-xIPC-SCL can be done as one flight. i.e. if it counts as PPT-SCL.
I assume that IPC is classed as being in South America and PPT as SWP.

 

[ChrisBNE]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

But you can't stop at IPC and it depends whether PPT-xIPC-SCL can be done as one flight. i.e. if it counts as PPT-SCL.
I assume that IPC is classed as being in South America and PPT as SWP.

Yes it's one flight number from PPT to SCL, so only counts as one sector.

It's South America, as it's a special territory of Chile (though geographically it's really a part of Polynesia so could go either way I guess!). PPT is SWP.

 

[BigKahunaBurger]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Since the AKL-PPT is already purchased, perhaps buy the return to AKL and do the above with a slight modification:

SYD - AKL LA SCL LA LIM LA BUE MX MEX MX LAS // SFO AA BOS AA NYC AA WAS BA LON BA CAI RJ AMM RJ BKK QF SYD

It only adds one segment.

Or what is wrong with:

SYD-AKL // PPT-xIPC-SCL-LIM-BUE-MEX-LAS // SFO-BOS-NYC-WAS-LON-CAI-AMM-BKK-SYD.

But you can't stop at IPC and it depends whether PPT-xIPC-SCL can be done as one flight. i.e. if it counts as PPT-SCL.
I assume that IPC is classed as being in South America and PPT as SWP.

Hi guys - many thanks for the speedy responses so far!

As mentioned, am still a bit of a newbie on this stuff. What are the implications of 'open-jaw'? Is this a bad thing? Or is it just a case of lining this up to the break in the RTW trip (as far as either QFF points / Global Explorer booking is concerned?). If so, then the ideal (if possible) breaks would be AKL-PPT (as I already have tickets for this), and then SFO-NYC (as we want to drive across the US and can the take the train between the other cities we want to visit - am assuming NYC is best of the East coast cities as far as availability of a flight to LON is concerned?).

With regard to the SWP/South America point that medhead raises, is this a concern due to number of continents? Will I still have this problem if I go down the using points route?

On this last point, does anyone have any first hand experience in relation to having completed a trip similar to this, using QFF points? Was availability and making changes a big issue?

Again - appreciate all of the advice. Cheers.

 

[medhead]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Hi guys - many thanks for the speedy responses so far!

As mentioned, am still a bit of a newbie on this stuff. What are the implications of 'open-jaw'? Is this a bad thing? Or is it just a case of lining this up to the break in the RTW trip (as far as either QFF points / Global Explorer booking is concerned?). If so, then the ideal (if possible) breaks would be AKL-PPT (as I already have tickets for this), and then SFO-NYC (as we want to drive across the US and can the take the train between the other cities we want to visit - am assuming NYC is best of the East coast cities as far as availability of a flight to LON is concerned?).

With regard to the SWP/South America point that medhead raises, is this a concern due to number of continents? Will I still have this problem if I go down the using points route?

On this last point, does anyone have any first hand experience in relation to having completed a trip similar to this, using QFF points? Was availability and making changes a big issue?

Again - appreciate all of the advice. Cheers.

There is no realy problem with an "open-jaw" just that it has to be taken within the same continent and it will count as 1 segment.

The reason I asked about the continent for IPC and PPT is related to the need to take surface trip in the same continent. If IPC was in SWP then you break could be AKL//IPC with you buying AKL-PPT-IPC. So that could be an option if you needed an extra segment or if you wish to visit IPC. And PPT-IPC-SCL being the one flight number also affects the number of segments. If it was 2 different flight numbers then it counts as 2 segments.

But it doesn't change the number of continents visited.

I've just realised that I'm thinking about all this in terms of a DONE. So everything I've written might be useless for an Award. Sorry, if it is.

 

[ChrisBNE]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Hi guys - many thanks for the speedy responses so far!

As mentioned, am still a bit of a newbie on this stuff. What are the implications of 'open-jaw'? Is this a bad thing? Or is it just a case of lining this up to the break in the RTW trip (as far as either QFF points / Global Explorer booking is concerned?). If so, then the ideal (if possible) breaks would be AKL-PPT (as I already have tickets for this), and then SFO-NYC (as we want to drive across the US and can the take the train between the other cities we want to visit - am assuming NYC is best of the East coast cities as far as availability of a flight to LON is concerned?).

With regard to the SWP/South America point that medhead raises, is this a concern due to number of continents? Will I still have this problem if I go down the using points route?

On this last point, does anyone have any first hand experience in relation to having completed a trip similar to this, using QFF points? Was availability and making changes a big issue?

Again - appreciate all of the advice. Cheers.

That's perfect with those open jaws you have mentioned, would you then be flying from LAS to SFO in that case? itinerary would look like this ie. SYD QF AKL // PPT LA SCL LA LIM LA BUE MX MEX MX LAS AA LAX AA SFO // NYC BA LON BA CAI RJ AMM RJ BKK QF SYD is 15 sectors. Side trips to HAV and RIO of course are additional. If you drive from LAS to SFO as well, this of course would save another two sectors which you can use somewhere else on the itinerary. That is to say the open jaw would be between LAS and NYC.

This is still 5 continents. I'm not too au fait with how FF redemtions work in this case, but I would say that it's more a calculation of individual sectors and the applicable points required for each sector. So open Jaws, mileage and continents don't come into it with awards. What I can say is that you will be reasonably hard pressed to find award availability at this late stage.

 

[BigKahunaBurger]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

That's perfect with those open jaws you have mentioned, would you then be flying from LAS to SFO in that case? itinerary would look like this ie. SYD QF AKL // PPT LA SCL LA LIM LA BUE MX MEX MX LAS AA LAX AA SFO // NYC BA LON BA CAI RJ AMM RJ BKK QF SYD is 15 sectors. Side trips to HAV and RIO of course are additional. If you drive from LAS to SFO as well, this of course would save another two sectors which you can use somewhere else on the itinerary. That is to say the open jaw would be between LAS and NYC.

This is still 5 continents. I'm not too au fait with how FF redemtions work in this case, but I would say that it's more a calculation of individual sectors and the applicable points required for each sector. So open Jaws, mileage and continents don't come into it with awards. What I can say is that you will be reasonably hard pressed to find award availability at this late stage.

Many thanks for the further input ChrisBNE. Have done a little more thinking and research over the weekend and am now looking at the following:

SYD QF AKL // PPT LA SCL LA BUE LA LIM LA CUN AA DFW AA LAS AA LAX AA SFO // BOS AA LHR BA FCO BA LHR QF BKK QF SYD

Having tried above on the OW online planner, it seems to be a valid route.

Side trips in relation to this would be to RIO (from BUE, unless there's some advantage in doing this from LIM instead?) and HAV from CUN.

I've also done some preliminary looking into booking the RTW ticket as a reward through QF (for the later, AA, BA and QF legs that are available within the system - the earlier legs am guessing I would have to book over the phone?), and availability does not look too fantastic. So, will probably end up purchasing the tickets.

To that end, the price am being quoted online through OW is 10,123 AUD, all up for 2 PAX in Y.

This got me thinking that there could be a cheaper way of doing this, by starting the trip in another country - a quick look showed that the prices from Indonesia are not much cheaper. However, the prices from NZ looked like they could be a fair bit cheaper - 5 continent Y ticket was just over 4000 NZD, so around 3200 AUD, excluding taxes - which is about 1000 AUD cheaper per person!

So, I next tried to amend the itinerary to start from AKL - but, it said I had to have a flight sector as my first flight (and, as mentioned previosuly I've already booked cheap J tickets from AKL to PPT, hence why I want this is a 'surface' sector). Am still open to cancelling these cheap J tickets though, if it makes sense.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I can get around this, in order to lock in NZ prices?

Only thing I can think of is to take out a couple of earlier sectors to build in AKL-SYD return, and purchase one-way SYD-AKL ticket. But this would mean AKL-SYD-AKL when I don't really need to, and may not work out as much of a saving, when factoring in the additional SYD-AKL one way and also the cost of replacing the earlier, removed sectors with standalone tickets (as I will still want to follow my RTW itinerary).

Again, any help appreciated.

 

[medhead]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Only thing I can think of is to take out a couple of earlier sectors to build in AKL-SYD return, and purchase one-way SYD-AKL ticket. But this would mean AKL-SYD-AKL when I don't really need to, and may not work out as much of a saving, when factoring in the additional SYD-AKL one way and also the cost of replacing the earlier, removed sectors with standalone tickets (as I will still want to follow my RTW itinerary).

Again, any help appreciated.

You can't do AKL-SYD-AKL as you're not allowed to return to the starting point until the end. You could fly to AKL to rotorua or somewhere close, making rotorua-PPT a ground sector.

 

[ChrisBNE]

Re: Help required - RTW itinerary - QFF points or purchase OW Explorer / Global Explo

Many thanks for the further input ChrisBNE. Have done a little more thinking and research over the weekend and am now looking at the following:

SYD QF AKL // PPT LA SCL LA BUE LA LIM LA CUN AA DFW AA LAS AA LAX AA SFO // BOS AA LHR BA FCO BA LHR QF BKK QF SYD

Having tried above on the OW online planner, it seems to be a valid route.

Side trips in relation to this would be to RIO (from BUE, unless there's some advantage in doing this from LIM instead?) and HAV from CUN.

Fares ex CUN will be mucho cheaper than ex Lima, plus will be a direct flight.

I've also done some preliminary looking into booking the RTW ticket as a reward through QF (for the later, AA, BA and QF legs that are available within the system - the earlier legs am guessing I would have to book over the phone?), and availability does not look too fantastic. So, will probably end up purchasing the tickets.

To that end, the price am being quoted online through OW is 10,123 AUD, all up for 2 PAX in Y.

This got me thinking that there could be a cheaper way of doing this, by starting the trip in another country - a quick look showed that the prices from Indonesia are not much cheaper. However, the prices from NZ looked like they could be a fair bit cheaper - 5 continent Y ticket was just over 4000 NZD, so around 3200 AUD, excluding taxes - which is about 1000 AUD cheaper per person!

So, I next tried to amend the itinerary to start from AKL - but, it said I had to have a flight sector as my first flight (and, as mentioned previosuly I've already booked cheap J tickets from AKL to PPT, hence why I want this is a 'surface' sector). Am still open to cancelling these cheap J tickets though, if it makes sense.

You can't start with an open jaw obviously, so if you're first sector was flying you on the QF code share on TN, which puts you back on the global explorer - that means you need to limit the stops within North America unfortunately.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I can get around this, in order to lock in NZ prices?

Only thing I can think of is to take out a couple of earlier sectors to build in AKL-SYD return, and purchase one-way SYD-AKL ticket. But this would mean AKL-SYD-AKL when I don't really need to, and may not work out as much of a saving, when factoring in the additional SYD-AKL one way and also the cost of replacing the earlier, removed sectors with standalone tickets (as I will still want to follow my RTW itinerary).

Again, any help appreciated.

As medhed advised, you can fly somewhere close, but QF no longer operate within NZ, so you're looking at flying back to Australia. ie, you can fly back to BNE or MEL, open jaw to PPT. You'd then have a SYD-AKL sector to use at the end of your trip for another trip to NZ, if that's what you really want.

I guess you'd be spending $500 to save $1000 - that is to say you're paying for a return trip to NZ (for the relocation fly to NZ, and then another to return after the LONE is done).