Round-the-World Trips Since the Death of the

RTW Award

Scott GrimmerMileValue.com

Chicago Seminars, October 17, 2015

What Do I Mean by RTW?

Not roundtrip to Europe

Any big trip with many destinations whether it literally goes around the world or not

Are RTW Awards Really Dead?American and Delta killed theirs in 2014 and 2015ANA, United, Aeroplan, Korean, and Cathay Pacific still have RTW award possibilitiesANA, Korean, and Cathay Pacific are killed by fuel surchargesUnited costs 200k/350k/450kAeroplan costs 200k/300k/400k

How to Book a RTW Trip in 2015

A series of (mostly) one way bookings that takes advantage of low-cost carriers, distance-based miles (Avios), and region-based miles

Must have: a knowledge of several domestic and foreign programs and their sweetspots

Must have: a knowledge of transferable points programs

A series of (mostly) one way bookings that takes advantage of low-cost carriers, distance-based miles (Avios), and region-based miles

Legs you can stand to fly in economy (short)

On a Low-Cost Carrier (Wikipedia list and Wikipedia airport pages)

Most likely to find unbeatable fares in Southeast Asia and Europe

Also see: Mile Value Calculator

Best Cards to Get for “Cash” Flights

Arrival Plus FlexPerks ThankYou Premier ThankYou Prestige

for $250 Air Travel Credit

A series of (mostly) one way bookings that takes advantage of low-cost carriers, distance-based miles (Avios), and region-based miles

Avios are best for: short direct Economy flights On partners with no fuel

surcharges On flights that connect

regions And have no cheap cash

alternatives

Best Cards to Get Avios

Chase British Airways Sapphire Preferred Ink Plus Membership

Rewards Earning cards though 1,000 = 800

A series of (mostly) one way bookings that takes advantage of low-cost carriers, distance-based miles (Avios), and region-based miles

Region-based miles are best for long, premium-cabin flights

Programs I'd focus on: United, American, Delta, Alaska, Singapore, Aeroplan, Asiana, Air France, Korean

Transferable points: Ultimate Rewards, Membership Rewards, ThankYou Points, SPG Starpoints

Region Based Miles

All about hitting sweet spots And avoiding fuel surcharges

Sweetspots 40,000 American Airlines miles for Qantas First

Class (A380) DXB-LHR 60,000 American Airlines miles for Etihad First

Class (A380) AUH-SYD 40,000 United miles for Thai First Class BKK-

SYD 10,000 United miles Caribbean to Northern

South America 12,500 Flying Blue miles + $110 from select,

rotating American cities to Europe (Promo Awards)

Sweet Spots

The Page I Update with Region Based Sweetspots

Avoiding Fuel Surcharges

Best Cards to Get Region Based Miles

Sapphire Preferred, Ink Plus, Freedom, SPG personal and business, ThankYou Premier and Prestige, and whatever Membership Rewards card has the big bonus

United, American, Alaska, and Delta cards

Tactics Avios across regions Alaska award stopovers United award stopovers Asia Miles award within South America

Avios Across Regions

These awards are expensive with region-based miles (but not necessarily cash)

Examples: Alaska Airlines flights to Hawaii SriLankan flights to India Iberia flights to Africa

Alaska Stopovers

One stopover per one way award

Alaska awards can only fly one partner per one way (plus Alaska)

United Stopovers

Zero stopovers on one way awards; one stopover in addition to the destination on roundtrips

“Roundtrip” has a broad definition

Asia Miles Awards within South America

Need to fly two oneworld airlines and avoid fuel surcharges

You can make a maximum of five stopovers, two transfers and two open-jaws

LAN + TAM + AA in South America

See here 2,754 miles →

Questions before the examples?

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Three Examples

Six Stop RTW Americas Blowout Pacific Hopp-est

Six Stop RTW Los Angeles to Nadi to Sydney in Fiji economy: 40k Alaska +

$142 Sydney to Kuala Lumpur in Thai First: 40k Untied + $60 Kuala Lumpur to Delhi in Malindo Air economy: $187 Delhi to London in Etihad A380 First: 40k American + $40 London to Madrid in Ryanair economy: $36 Madrid to Los Angeles in American economy: 20k American +

$54

Six Stop RTW Alaska stopover policy for free stopover in Fiji United sweetspot Australia/New Zealand ↔ SE Asia Cash fare over Avios fuel surcharges American sweetspot Middle East/Indian Subcontient ↔

Europe American off peak sweetspot

Six Stop RTW 40,000 Alaska miles 40,000 United miles 60,000 American Airlines miles $519

Thai and Etihad First Class and lots of economy

Six Stop RTW Alaska Airlines personal card Chase Sapphire Preferred American Airlines Platinum personal card SPG personal card Barclcaycard Arrival Plus

Minimum spending requirements of $13,000 over the first three months

Six Stop RTW 25,000 Alaska miles 49,000 Ultimate Rewards 53,000 American Airlines miles 28,000 Starpoints 46,000 Arrival miles

after meeting all minimum spending requirements

Six Stop RTWTransfer 40,000 Ultimate Rewards to United miles, 15,000 Starpoints to Alaska

miles, and 7,000 Starpoints to American Airlines miles. Then you’d have:

40,000 Alaska miles 40,000 United miles 60,000 American Airlines miles 9,000 Ultimate Rewards (could transfer to Hyatt for free hotel night) 6,000 leftover Starpoints (could be as many as three free hotel nights) 46,000 Arrival miles

Six Stop RTWEnough to book all the flight awards, four hotel nights, and use Arrival miles for

$483 off of $519 in airfare plus award taxes.

You pay $36 out of pocket for flights/taxes and a $75 annual fee on the Alaska Airlines card–or $111 total for a RTW trip with six stops.

Americas Blowout Begins and ends in Miami Economy from Miami to Galapagos Business Class from Galapagos to Miami

7,500 Avios 20,000 United miles 80,000 Asia Miles 35,000 Asiana miles

Sapphire Preferred ThankYou Premier ThankYou Prestige SPG personal card

7,500 Avios

20,000 United Miles

United chart sweetspots + stopover on “roundtrip”

80,000 Asia Miles in Business

Flies two partners (LAN and TAM)

60,000 in economyThree Stopovers and Two Open Jaws (5 + 2 + 2 allowed)

35,000 Asiana Miles in Business

Credit Cards Sapphire Preferred ThankYou Premier ThankYou Prestige (8

days after Premier) SPG personal card

$13,000 in four months$450 annual fee in first year, but...

49,000 Ultimate Rewards, transfer 20k to United and 8k to British Airways

106,000 ThankYou Points, transfer 80k to Asia Miles

28k SPG points, spend $2k more, transfer 30k points to 35k Asiana miles

Pacific Hopp-est

Big Picture 30k Singapore 87.5k United 10k Avios 40k Alaska Two cash tickets (Arrival miles)

Starts in Chicago Flat bed First Class to Hawaii Economy to Manila Thai First Class to Sydney Economy to Chicago

Sapphire Preferred United Explorer card 2x Alaska personal Arrival Plus

30k Singapore miles in United First

47.5k United miles

Two stops along the way (in addition to Honolulu and Manila)

Takes advantage of stopover on “roundtrip” United award

Island Hopper 14 hour five-stop flight on Monday and Friday from Honolulu to Guam

I'm booked in January with stops in Pohnpei and Palau

40k United miles in Thai First

Met at plane in BKK, hourlong massage

10k Avios

Cash (Arrival miles) for flight or...

40k Alaska Miles

Stop as long as you'd like in Fiji

Cash (Arrival Miles)

Credit Cards Sapphire Preferred United Explorer card 2x Alaska personal Arrival Plus

$9,000 in four months$150 annual fees in first year on Alaska cards

57,000 United miles + 49,000 Ultimate Rewards, transfer 31k UR to United, transfer 10k UR to Avios

50,000 Alaska miles 46k Arrival miles =

$483 in free flights and award taxes

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