Thanks Bundy Bear, that's what I was thinking, but was hoping for a much cheaper figure given the "economic climate"
I am looking at the following trip
MEL-LAX
(Drive to SFO)
SFO-LON
LON-ZRH
ZRH-LON
LON-CDG
CDG-LON
LON-DXB
(Make own arrangements to/from Maldives)
SIN-MEL
Currently have most trips booked on points/tickets but can easily cancel for a small forfeiture of points.
Would get a nice load of status credits and miles from this trip, so it makes the $12k outlay not as bad, but it means I avoid travelling on EK's 777-300ER and SQ's 777-300ER/A380 as it would be a One World trip.
OW RTW fares have risen - my TA tells me it's to do with a re-arrangement of the revenue split agreement between the carriers (for the given fare) and hence the price rises. It is already considered a "disocuunted" fare and most airlines will now only offer significant discounts if you stay on their metal (rather than ticket you onto another carrier).
$10k ex-NZ is good value as it's easy to position/reposition. You'll purchase for closer to $8-9k ex-JNB or DPS but they're more difficult to get to/from. JNB might have worked if your trip was in reverse (unfortunately) with tha maldives side-trip but it's hopeless if going to US first and then on to UK/EU.
If you go ex-NZ you can fly via AKL to LAX, start the RTW in AKL, and return to AUS and leave the end trip MEL-AKL open (and either use later on another trip to US or "throw away".)
Last edited by docjames; 1st June 2009 at 11:29 AM.
Reason: fix typos;
How many status credits and QF FF miles would this earn me ?
My calculations using http://slfft.allhyper.com/0.95/award.htm seem to be 25000 miles! + my QFF bonus (silver/gold)
Around 740 Status credits as well ?
Hmmm
Last edited by lovestotravel; 1st June 2009 at 03:46 PM.
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Was also thinking, if you wanted to stay on OW you could route DXB-HKG-SIN all within the cost (ie. get to SIN for free), then you'd only be up for return SIN-MLE (which may be significantly cheaper than trying from DXB). I presume given you're coming back to SIN that it's the easeist or closest, but there'd be plenty of other SEAsia options if you took CX to HKG then into any major Asian city (to travel to MLE and then fro MLE to SIN). Basically, use the RTW to get you closest to MLE!
Wow, that ended up wordy!
Edit: Colombo is closer, so you could maybe route DXB-HKG-CBO-HKG-SIN-MEL, or just do CBO-SIN yourself.
Edit2: Also, could go from DXB back to AMM then to CBO. There are also OW options CBO-SIN so no need to backtrack unless trying to max out the SCs!