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Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
What is the best RTW ticket? While our most popular RTW ticket, via the Round the World Trip Planner, is the most flexible and budget-friendly ticket out there, it’s not the best option for every trip. Depending on your location, budget, and destination, for some RTW trips, it makes sense to use different RTW tickets, only one airline, a regional provider, or even some combination of overland travel and one-way flights. Here’s a comparison of all your RTW flight options.
Recommended Provider: BootsnAll airtreks
Best for: RTW trips beginning in the US or Canada Booking: online with the RTW Trip Planner or call 1-866-549-7614 Maximum stops: unlimited Airlines included: any Valid for: 12 months from issue date Maximum flight mileage: unlimited Required stops: no Fine print/exclusions: This is our recommended RTW ticket for a reason — low on fine print. Travel starting in US or Canada. Bonus: You can backtrack (most providers require you to continue moving east or west). You can skip cities in most routings. Business class airfare also available.
Read our AirTreks Round the World Ticket review. Have you taken AirTreks? You can write your own review here, too.
One World Explorer
Best for:First-class RTW travel Book: online at oneworld.com Maximum stops: 5-15 Airlines included: American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malev Hungarian, Mexicana, Qantas, Royal Jordinian. Valid for: 12 months from first flight Maximum flight mileage: tiered (based on continents visited) Required stops: no Fine print/exclusions: Pricing is based on number of continents visited and class of travel. Bonus: Business and first class RTW tickets available.
Read our Oneworld Alliance Round the World Ticket review. Have you used Oneworld Alliance? You can write your own review here, too.
Star Alliance
Best for: flight-heavy RTW trips Book: online at staralliance.com Maximum stops: 15 Airlines included: Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, Brussels Airlines, Continental Airlines, EGYPTAIR, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAP Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, United, US Airways, Adria Airways, Blue 1 and Croatia Airlines. Valid for: 12 months from first flight Maximum flight mileage: 26,000 – 39,000 Required stops: no Fine print/exclusions: Trip has to start and end in the same country. Travel must follow east or west direction (no backtracking). Atlantic and Pacific oceans must each be crossed exactly once. Routing changes $125 fee. Bonus: Business and first class RTW tickets available.
Read our Star Alliance Round the World Ticket review. Have you used Star Alliance? You can write your own review here, too.
Air New Zealand RTW
Best for: limited-stop UK/USA/Australia/New Zealand itineraries Book: online at Air New Zealand Maximum stops: 7 Airlines included: Air New Zealand (partner airlines: Lufthansa, United Airlines, Swiss International, Austrian Airlines, Air Pacific or Air Tahiti Nu) Valid for: 12 months from first flight Maximum flight mileage: unlimited Required stops: Australia or New Zealand Fine print/exclusions: limited stopover points, including 3 in Asia, 3 USA, 5 Pacific Islands. Bonus: Business and first class RTW tickets available.
The Great Escapade
Best for: only RTWs leaving from London or Manchester Book: online at Great Escapade Maximum stops: unlimited Airlines included: Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Valid for: 12 months from first flight Maximum flight mileage: 29,000 Required stops: Australia or New Zealand (and required to cross the Atlantic or Pacific) Fine print/exclusions:you can only stop in each city once and limited stopover points.
Round the World Flights RTW
Best for:UK citizens
Book: by phone or email at Round the World Flights
Maximum stops: unlimited (depends on what company they use)
Airlines included: Various
Valid for: Varies depending on what company they use
Maximum flight mileage: Varies depending on what company they use
Required stops: no
Fine print/exclusions: They act more as a travel agent and sometimes they use the alliances to book their RTW tickets. Sometimes they find other options, so there are no set rules for using them.
Bonus: They have many different options.
Read our Round the World Flights RTW Ticket Review. Have you used Round the World Flights? You can write your own review here, too.
Round About Travel RTW
Best for:Australian citizens
Book: by phone or email at Round About Travel
Maximum stops: unlimited (depends on what company they use)
Airlines included: Various
Valid for: Varies depending on what company they use
Maximum flight mileage: Varies depending on what company they use
Required stops: no
Fine print/exclusions: They act more as a travel agent and sometimes they use the alliances to book their RTW tickets. Sometimes they find other options, so there are no set rules for using them.
Bonus: They have many different options.
Read our Round About Travel RTW Ticket Review. Have you used Round About Travel? You can write your own review here, too.
STA Travel RTW
Best for: Students, teachers, and those under 26 years old
Book: by phone or email at STA Travel
Maximum stops: unlimited
Airlines included: Various
Valid for: unlimited
Maximum flight mileage: unlimited
Required stops: no
Fine print/exclusions: We know your plans might change which is why many of our Student Exclusive tickets offer special date change and refund rules just for students and youth. Unlike many non-refundable fares that cost at least $150 to change dates, our ticket changes start at just $50. Ask your Travel Expert for more details.
Bonus: They have many different options.
Read our STA Travel RTW Ticket Review. Have you used STA Travel? You can write your own review here, too.
Build your own Multi-stop flight:
Expedia multi-stop flights (5 stops maximum)
Kayak multi-city search (6 stops maximum)
britishairways.com(6 stops maximum)
Read our DIY RTW Ticket Review using Kayak. Have you used Kayak or a combination of websites to book your flight as you went? You can write your own review here, too.
Other RTW transportation options:
Train: Eurail in Europe Overland travel: most adventure tours include overland travel (like the Trans-Siberian Railway from St Petersburg, Russia to Beijing, China) and most regional flights. Low-cost airlines: in Europe Skyscanner.net (photo: alex-s)
Tags: deals, rtw, rtw tickets
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Cheapest airports in Asia
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
When planning a round the world trip, putting your itinerary together usually seems quite easy, at least as far as the longer flights are concerned. You’ll fly from New York to London or from Los Angeles to Sydney or from Cape Town to Rio, as these options are generally known to be the cheapest to connect one big region to another. But things can be more difficult to plan your entry to Asia because the scene there can be confusing and can change regularly.
So with that in mind I’ve done the research for you. Of course the lists below could potentially change a bit over time, but at least this will give you a place to start your research. I spent a long time going over databases and using various tools that I could find on the internet, and some of the results were a bit surprising, though others were exactly what I expected beforehand.
Cheapest airports in Asia for long distance flights
The list below represents the six cheapest airports in EAST Asia, since everyone will go through this region at least once. I didn’t include India on this list since it’s not too easy to get around overland from India. Most people fly into India and then fly out of India. And besides, the prices for flights coming from Europe into East Asia should correspond with flights coming from India, so you can use that list as a place to begin.
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Tags: Airports, asia, flights
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RTW in the USA: West Coast edition
Monday, September 21st, 2009
This is the 4th and final installment in my series concentrating on places in the continental United States that RTW travelers should consider. Even though I violated some naming rules in the process, I divided the country into 4 vertical slices, so you can catch up with my East Coast, Midwest, and Great Plains editions if you like.
Once again, the idea behind this series is that the USA is a monstrous place and visiting anything approaching it “all” would take a lifetime and also be really boring. So in that spirit I’ve identified places around the country that are different enough from other things you’ll see so you can determine if they work into your trip or not. Just like any other country on the planet, the US has plenty of cities that are great to live in or even great to visit if you’ve got a reason to go, but that just aren’t different enough from one another to justify the trip for most people.
West Coast cities to consider
Seattle, Washington – It’s been a while since Kurt Cobain and a few other musicians helped put Seattle on the global culture map, and that phenomenon has faded a bit in the last few years. Still, Seattle has plenty going on and it’s somewhat unique, at least if you aren’t also visiting Vancouver, BC or Portland, Oregon. It’s also fairly cheap compared to the California cities, which is another plus. If you go between November and April then you should expect cool and drizzly weather, but it’s not really as bad as many say it is. If you are looking for something to explore between California and Canada, this has got to be on your list.
Portland, Oregon – To me this is a perfect example of a nice city with a great quality of life that is also cheap, but honestly there isn’t anything here (it’s where I live now) to really distinguish the place. There are no tourist attractions at all, unless you count the huge and awesome Powell’s City of Books. It’s like a smaller and less chaotic version of Seattle, with cheaper beer, so it’s a fine stop if you are taking a car or the train up or down the coast, but don’t get your expectations too high.
The coast of Oregon – If you have rented a car and are driving up or down the coast, this is an excellent detour. The scenery is similar to most of California, but it’s almost empty by California standards, so finding cheap camping or a cheap hotel in summer is relatively easy. The whole area feels a bit forgotten by most US standards, so it has a slightly eerie feeling to go along with the natural beauty. Driving up and down the coast of Southern California is like being in a parade, so if you have the choice this is better.
San Francisco – Everyone always says, “San Francisco is America’s most European city” so naturally Europeans would want to go there, right? Everyone should definitely try their best to work San Francisco into their itinerary, but don’t expect to be reminded of Europe. There are homeless people panhandling everywhere, for example. This is a very interesting and unique city with plenty to see and do, but unless you are staying in a tourist district you’ll find the public transportation sucks and things are still weirdly spread out. It’s also a beautiful city, mostly because of the flowing hills in each direction, so make this a stop and try to stay somewhere central if you can. You won’t regret it.
The California coast – If you are driving between Los Angeles and San Francisco, then you have a few choices, and one of those is doing much of the trip on Highway 1 along the coast. During summer you can expect terrible traffic, and every hotel or motel you’ll see will be really expensive, but it is quite scenic so it can be worthwhile for some people. There are a few interesting cities along the way, plus the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, but if your time is limited you could skip this whole thing.
Santa Barbara – This isn’t an obvious choice at all, since Santa Barbara is known as the home and playground of the idle rich, but it’s actually a very cool city to spend a day or two in. The downtown area (on State Street) is unique and old school by California standards, and everything is walking distance, including a huge selection of bars that attract university students as well as locals. There are a few cheap hotels and hostels downtown, and if you can stay in one of those for a day or two you will probably love it.
Los Angeles – This is where I grew up, and I still have a love/hate relationship with the place, but even when describing the parts of it I hate I still contend that this is one of the world’s great cities and you have to visit at least once, at least for a few days, or you have no right to criticize the place. Hollywood sucks and isn’t nearly as fun as it should be, but if you are into entertainment at all you should probably check it out anyway. Downtown is getting better but still doesn’t have much to see unless you are really interested in some extreme ethnic neighborhoods.
Santa Monica and Venice Beach are probably the best places to stay and hang out, and you might think about the South Bay (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach) if you aren’t in too much of a hurry, since those areas are really nice yet don’t have too many tourists to worry about. Orange County doesn’t offer much that is special, though a drive along the beach in Huntington and Newport is worth a few hours at least once in your life.
Try to spend at least 3 nights here, and also think about basing yourself in more than one place during your stay. This city is so spread out that it’s impossible to deal with or understand if you try to see it in a day or two just to say you have.
San Diego – I put San Diego in the same category that I do Portland, Oregon, in that it’s a nice place to live but there aren’t many unique things to see. It’s all exactly like Los Angeles and Orange Counties, but with fewer hyper-aggressive people. If you just want to chill by a decent beach for a few days then San Diego is probably better than Los Angeles, but it’s all pretty forgettable if I’m being honest. Taking a day trip down into Tijuana is a must though, as it’s unlike anything you are likely to see anywhere else in the world, including other parts of Mexico itself.
Tags: itineraries, rtw, USA
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RTW in the USA: Great Plains edition
Thursday, July 9th, 2009
This is Part 3 in a series of 4 articles that give recommendations for places in the United States that those on a RTW trip might consider visiting. The “Great Plains” has a specific definition that I’m mostly ignoring here, by the way. I’m dividing up the US mainland in 4 parts, and this article covers the western half of the country, except for the West Coast, which will be covered in Part 4.
In case you want to follow along, you can see the RTW in the USA: East Coast one and the Midwest edition in order to catch up.
Once again, here’s the premise: Everyone knows that the US is ridiculously large and spread out, and I’ve been lucky enough to visit almost every corner of it on various road trips and other journeys over the last couple of decades. If you have 6 months to spend in this country, then you can just get here and go wherever you please, and if you only have time to stop in 2 or 3 cities on this trip, then you probably already know which ones appeal to you (and will work in your itinerary). But if you have a month or two, and especially if you will have access to a car or don’t mind taking the buses around this country, this series of articles might help you decide which cities to consider when you are planning your round the world trip.
And, as I’ve said before, this country is filled with cities that are excellent places to live for a variety of reasons, but most of them aren’t really “special” enough to go out of your way to visit unless you have many months or another specific reason to go there. So if a city you like is left off this list, it’s not because it’s boring or a bad place, it’s mostly because it’s not unique enough for visitors to consider as a special stop, at least in my opinion.
Great Plains cities to consider
Austin, Texas – If you are at all curious about “Texas” and you can only choose one city then this is the one to pick. It’s historic, and the state capital, and it’s also a fantastic college town with amazing nightlife and one of the best communities of tech people and artists in the country. But there is also barbeque and Tex-Mex restaurants, and most of the other common clichés about Texas at your fingertips as well. It’s smaller than Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, and that’s a good thing. Spending a night or two in the 6th Street entertainment district is something you won’t soon forget, and it’s pretty cheap here as well.
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota – This is where you’ll see those 4 presidents’ faces carved into that enormous rock in the side of the mountain. It’s pretty spectacular, and the national park surrounding the sculpture is more impressive than you might think, but the whole thing probably isn’t worth going too far out of your way for. If you are driving across the country along this route then it’s only a few miles out of the way and you totally should stop to see it. Otherwise, probably not.
Yellowstone Park – This claims to be the first-ever national park in the world, and it’s the largest and most famous in the United States. If you are a true nature enthusiast, and especially if you are on a long road trip, then this place could be a great stop for a few days, but be warned that outside of the warm summer months this place is almost completely shut down. If you think you’d like to see it but are wondering if it’s too far out of the way then you might consider Yosemite Park in Northern California instead. That one is only a few hours drive from San Francisco, and it’s quite similar to those of us who aren’t forestry students.
Santa Fe, New Mexico – Back down south, you have this interesting city that, like Austin, Texas, contrasts well with everything else around it in the state, while still giving you most of the charm of the region. Santa Fe is hundreds of years old, which is quite rare for this part of the world, and in the last few decades it’s gained a reputation as being one of the major art centers in North America, at least in some respects. This mountainous area is really beautiful, and the downtown area is charming and unique, though it can be a bit expensive.
Sedona, Arizona – This small town is dramatically set among red rocks, that can look otherworldly in the right lighting, so if that sounds at all interesting then it’s worth considering a visit. Sedona is also known as a major destination for “spiritual (but not religious) people” from around the world, and many claim there are energy vortexes that can be easily felt by those perceptive few who know what they are. Regardless of whether you are into the new age aspect of this place, the scenery is stunning, and the famous Pink Jeep tours of the nearby canyons are unforgettable.
Grand Canyon, Arizona – Chances are, you’ve already made up your mind whether you really want to visit this place or not. I’ve been there probably around 10 times, starting around the age of 5, so it doesn’t really feel special to me, but many people feel that it’s nearly a religious experience since it’s such an extreme example of topography that isn’t found anywhere else on the planet in this scale. During summer it’s packed and expensive, and during winter it’s cold and not very accommodating, so avoiding both of those extremes is good if you can pull it off. The South Rim is very commercial and easy to reach, and the North Rim is neither of those things, in case that sounds a bit better.
Las Vegas – In spite of being only a few hours by car from the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, as you might imagine, is the exact opposite of the Canyon in almost every way. And for that exact reason, it’s highly recommended that everyone check it out at least once in his or her life. Everything is so out of scale and over-the-top that you won’t believe your eyes. Through 2008 Las Vegas had become quite crowded and weirdly expensive, but that has all changed in 2009, and it’s likely to stay that way for years to come. There are a few real hostels in Las Vegas, but they aren’t in good locations, and the Vegas hotels are now fighting to stay even half full, so visitors can practically name their price.
Feel free to chime in with your thoughts, as I know this is a subjective list and mine is only one opinion. But I know that none of these places are really in the Great Plains by the traditional definition, so there’s no need to point that out.
photo by nikkorsnapper on Flickr
Tags: rtw, USA
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RTW in the USA – Midwest edition
Friday, May 22nd, 2009
This is part 2 in a series of 4 articles that will suggest places to consider in the US for those on a round the world trip. The first part covered East Coast suggestions and the final two will be the Great Plains (more or less) and the West Coast.
If you are from another country then you might find choosing which places to visit more than a little daunting. This country is huge and getting from one place to another is rarely easy, cheap, or convenient. If you are going to spend 6 months in the US then you can hit most of these suggestions plus many other places in between, but if you are limited to a month or two, you’ll want to pick carefully.
I’ve spent a couple decades criss-crossing the country myself and checking out everything I could. As I mentioned in the previous article, there are plenty of really wonderful cities that are fantastic places to live, but still aren’t really “special” enough that they are worth going out of your way for.
By the way, there are many different definitions of Midwest, but for this I’m just considering the Eastern half of the mainland that doesn’t border the Atlantic Ocean.
Midwest cities to consider
Chicago – If you aren’t skipping everything in between the coasts then this should be one of your highest priorities. I’m from Los Angeles and I’ve lived a long time in New York City, but still I will admit that everyone loves Chicago when they visit. It’s huge and busy, but still the people are noticeably friendlier than on the coasts, the food is excellent, and there are tons of worthwhile museums and attractions. There are also dozens of ethnic neighborhoods that feel authentic and are easy to reach, so there’s a good chance you can find an expat community from your home country here.
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Tags: midwest, rtw, USA
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RTW in the USA – East Coast
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
If you are planning a round the world trip, and you are from either the US or Canada, then the list below will mean very little to you, and it might even make you laugh or motivate you to disagree. But we know that plenty of people from Europe and elsewhere go on RTW trips, and those who are coming through the United States would have every right to be baffled about which places to hit and which aren’t worth the time.
This series will cover the entire United States, but we’ll start with just the East Coast states here.
My criteria
I’ve lived in many different cities in the US (plus in Amsterdam), and there’s a big difference between a nice city that is pleasant to hang out in or live in, and a city that is so special that it’s worth going out of your way to see. For example, I currently live in Portland, Oregon, and it’s a fantastic place to live, but I wouldn’t even put it in my Top 20 if I were making recommendations to a foreign friend who wanted to tour the States for the first time.
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Tags: rtw, USA
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Some great travel resources for the RTW crowd
Friday, March 27th, 2009
There are great resources for the RTW traveler all over the web, but some of them are much easier to find than others, so I’d like to point out some cool stuff that would otherwise be easy to miss. BootsnAll is running a weekly series of Expert Travel Articles, and most of them offer great advice that is especially helpful to those trying to figure things out on their own, and of course that means they often apply to RTW folks.
Here are some articles that may be of interest to you:
Overnight buses and how they work – If you are going to South America in particular, you may be aware that flights between cities can be very expensive, but long and reasonably luxurious bus rides can connect most places cheaply. At first, the thought of a 20-hour bus ride sounds easy, since all you have to do is climb on board and then read and sleep until you arrive. But it isn’t always that simple. Check this article out for tips and good advice on how to approach these things.
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Special March fares for RTW tickets
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009I know we’ve said it before, but it bears repeating – the economic news, however bad it sounds (and is), can be great news if you’re a bargain-hunting world traveler. Some people can’t think about travel right now, and that’s understandable. But if you’re one of the lucky ones with a (still) steady income, you’d be crazy not to try to take advantage of some of the amazing travel deals that are coming out at the moment.
And if you’re even luckier and can afford to take some time off to do a more long-term trip, there are deals available for you, too. There are great prices available on all kinds of multi-stop flights, for just about any itinerary you can dream up. Just to get you started thinking, however, here are a few sample itineraries (and their low-priced tickets).
These are the March RTW ticket deals – these prices are good through March 31, 2009.
- New York – Hong Kong – Dubai – London – New York from US$1459 (plus taxes)
- Los Angeles – Papeete (Tahiti) – Sydney – surface – Melbourne – Christchurch – surface – Auckland – Los Angeles from US$1599 (plus taxes)
- Chicago – Tokyo – Bangkok – surface – Kuala Lumpur – Delhi – Vienna – surface – Paris – Chicago from US$2149 (plus taxes)
As mentioned, the itineraries listed here are great deals, but if they don’t quite work for you then consider them food for thought. Then head over to this RTW trip planner and start having some fun creating your own customized itinerary. It’s incredibly addictive to play with, so consider yourself warned!
Tags: rtw tickets
Posted in Featured, RTW Travel Deals | 1 Comment »
Budget travel strategies to consider for 2009
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
If you have money saved up, and are on a RTW trip or are about to set out fairly soon, then you are luckier than you might imagine. We’ve all seen headlines for the past couple months about this problem or that problem, and the travel industry itself is one of the hardest hit of all. It is likely that some airlines will be going under at some point, and that won’t help any of us, but the bargains now on offer can really make for some outstanding deals.
Strategies to consider for 2009
Hostels
Hostels are reporting to be busier than ever, so the competition for these cheap beds is probably going to continue to increase, especially in expensive European, Australian, and North American cities. If you are on the tightest of budgets, these will probably still be your best bet for cheap sleeps, but you might actually have to reserve even farther in advance for the cheap beds at the hostels with the best locations. If you are fairly sure you know where you want to stay, then book your first night as early as you can.
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Tags: budget travel, rtw
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Itineraries for RTW trips – Leaving from North America
Friday, January 30th, 2009
When people get serious about the idea of going on a round the world trip, obviously one of the first issues involves putting together some kind of itinerary or route map. Sure, there are people who prefer to just buy their first one-way ticket, and make the rest up as they go, but if you really want to travel “around the world” it’s not a bad idea to have a general plan in mind early on, even if you end up winging it anyway.
As someone who’s done a long RTW in addition to dozens of other trips of various lengths, I’ve learned quite a bit about how these itineraries and RTW route maps tend to go, so I’ll be sharing some itinerary ideas along with commentary here over the next few months.
Leaving from North America
While it’s true that Australians probably travel more per capita than any of the rest of us, and Europeans aren’t far behind, Americans and Canadians still make up a huge percentage of the people doing this. So to begin with, I’ll share the route I ended up doing myself, and then I’ll branch into other starting points in the future.
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Tags: Featured
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