Frequent travelers would surely find value in purchasing an around the world ticket. With it, you can have the option to travel worldwide for as long as you can ranging from a few days to a few years. Aside from that, you can make brief stops or several stopovers and side trips. These kinds of tickets lets you fly through several cities and continents. So if you are planning to take a trip to several continents in a single trip, then this is your best option. Here then is a brief overview of where you can find around the world tickets.
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Global Airline Alliances
With the three global airline alliances, you can connect your routes from any member airline to come up with one continuous around the world trip. Each alliance provides at least one option for an around the world ticket. The total fare will be calculated depending on the total mileage and number of continents you are visiting.
With this option, you can have 3 to 15 stopovers in a period of 10 days to 12 months. Usually, the first leg of your trip should be reserved in advance while the remaining dates can be left open. There may be some restrictions on the travel direction or the number of miles you can fly. The good thing about this option is that you get eligibility to earn frequent flier miles points towards your preferred airline loyalty program.
Here are the three global airline alliances:
Specialist Agencies
Most specialist agencies are consolidators who can combine point-to-point one-way tickets that chip away at the most affordable economy rates offered by the airline alliances. Make sure to ask if your ticket qualifies for frequent flier miles as this may vary depending on the agency. Rates from these agencies usually start at $1,500 which is the price for a New York-London-Hong Kong-New York trip. Instead of selling you one around-the-world ticket, the agency will ask your stop destination then issue several point-to-point tickets. Most flights will come from major U.S. gateways so if your residence is near a smaller airport, there might be an additional charge for connecting flights.
Here are several agencies that specialize in around-the-world tickets:
Buying Considerations
Flexibility. This is perhaps the most important consideration when buying an around the world ticket. Do understand the terms and conditions first before booking your trip. Will you have the option to make any changes in your itinerary or dates? Do you need to confirm reservations in advance? By being flexible, you may be charged with higher fares so always check your budget.
Class. Will you be flying business, first, or economy class? Long travel can take a major toll on your body so your comfort during the flight is an utmost concern. Besides, there is not much difference between economy and business class on around the world trips.
Options. If you are budget conscious, around the world tickets may not be the cheapest alternative for getting from one point to another. For short segments of your trip, you can try other means of transportation such as a local train or bus service or discount airlines. This may entail more work on your art but it can give you some savings.
