Round the World

[pzu]

Having amassed the miles (plus spent a fortune on AMEX), I now have enough points for 2 RTW (Business Class) tickets on Star Alliance:D :cool:

Q1 - Any reccomendations on Partners/Routing/Timing - am UK based - haven't been to S America, S Africa, Australia/NZ or any Pacific destinations - planning on 6/8 week trip as a 40th Anniversay celebration:O :)

Q2 - Luggage allowance - as presumably trip will involve N Atlantic crossing what allowances will apply 2 cases or 30kgs or a combination based on sector?

Any advice welcome inc mid price hotels (the points will have run out !!!)

Thanks in advance

PZU

[gofer]

What is mid priced for U.

Suggest 1st choose time and locations - then modify if you can't get a Starflight that fits.

Am told Namibia is great. Capetown and the Indian Ocean coast are fab when the flowers are out - and the wine is good down there. Australia & NZ are also great. In South America don't miss Iguasu.

Fly east U will save a whole day. Personallz would route via FRA to CPT on LH, then to BKK or SIN on TG or SQ, and down to Oz. Across to NZ with Air New Zealand & on with them to Numea, Hawaii and ZVR or LAX. From there on with Varig to Brazil and back to UK via LH

On the other hand by the time you get past Hawaii your 8 weeks should be up, so you might be so sick of planes that all you do is AC it back home.... All of the above probably require a rent a car!!!

Mail me direct with your questions if you want more details ...

;) :hmm:

[Pax Vobiscum]

Flying east loses you an hour or so a leg (in time zone changes), which you get back in one big lump as you cross the Pacific. It also means that you're travelling with the jetstream (the met phenomenon, not the plane!) so you'll probably save a few hours on overall flying time. On the other hand, you're likely to get more night flights which may or may not suit your taste.

Whatever, I'm sure you'll have a great time!

[PAXboy]

gofer is certainly correct about South Africa and Namibia. Only point will be to watch out for the peak tourist season when FFM seats are in short supply. I am biased as I grew up in South Africa.

Getting from CPT to WDH (Windhoek, Namibia) is available on a number of carriers. SAA is a junior partner of Star A. and I have earnt mileage with them, although not tried claiming. Their website should inform.

If you do the Cape Province first, car hire from CPT up the first stage of the garden route and back is fabbo. Ask if you want more details. Then CPT to WDH, then to JNB for onward travel.

Incidentally, if you take up the LH to CPT idea, they do have some routings MUC (Munich) to CPT, two or three a week only but the advantage is that MUC is much smaller and quieter and up to date than FRA. I am biased as I worked in MUC for 18 months and know the airport well but it is a good one. After I had generated loads of miles on the LHR~MUC, I used them LHR~MUC~JNB in 'C' and was pleased. On the MUC to South Africa routes, they tend to use 340s but will run 74s if load demands.

[edinv]

I have just completed a *alliance RTW trip in business class.
Route:- EDI-LHR-YYZ-YVR-HNL-AKL-CNS// BNE-SIN-FRA-EDI. Airlines BD, AC, NZ, SQ, & LH.

Flying east to west 'following the sun' seems to help combat jet lag to some extent, in my opinion. - Note slightly longer flying times this way!

Take flights which are not scheduled with early morning departures or midnight arrivals, and if possible overnight flights! - avoiding overnight trans Pacific flights may not be possible.

[PAXboy]

It is true that, if flying long haul in Biz:- Going West, daylight flights are long but you see something of the world. Overnights mean that you save on hotel bills! ;)