My husband and I want to visit Australia. We have been concerned about the very long flights from the east coast. The more we talk about this trip, we both get excited about the idea of not coming back the way we came and circling the globe instead.
The problem is we usually fly coach, so I am not familiar with the best planes and the best seats on those planes. Right now my husband and I combined have more than 1.7 million airlines miles and points in various programs. For this trip I think it is time to splurge, make a dent in our stockpile and fly first class. If first is not available for some of our flight segments, hopefully business class will be available.
We hope to begin our around the world trip some time between October 2013 and January 2014 and travel for 3-4 weeks. Our goal is to make a number stops along the way to reduce the individual flight times and most importantly see more of the world. In our RTW itinerary we plan to stop in Europe, Asia, and possibly New Zealand, Tahiti and Hawaii. It is my understanding that it is best to start looking for first class seats 330 days prior departure, so I believe now is the time to start the planning process.
The trip planning process is something I really enjoy. Even if one trip does not come together the way I initially hoped, the process of putting all the pieces together for a great trip gives me a sense of accomplishment. But to be honest the idea of planning an around the world trip with a month of travel, seems a bit overwhelming even for me.
There is a website all about around the world travel called BootsnAll and it has been providing help to RTW travelers since 1999. Here is the link. I have not yet found a website dedicated for those of us wanting to use miles and points for an around the world vacation. Have you?
The next step for me to move forward with our RTW trip is selecting an expert that books first class award tickets daily. These experts know how to use the least amount of miles for the best flights. Two great choices are:
Ben at PointsPros link
Gary at BookYourAward link
Do you have any suggestions to help us plan our around the world adventure?
