RTW help

NoQuarter

Hi guys,

I was thinking about buying a RTW ticket for my other half for her 21st in december for the summer but im a bit clueless (the search function being down doesnt help either:o ).

Ive seen some sites that offer them for under £1000 and they look really good but are there any irish sites that do the same or similar??

With regards to destinations the musts are brazil and tahiti, then maybe the inca trail and india and other than that the rest is flexible i would imagine.

Im not really sure of my questions on the spot because there are so many so i was kind of hoping you guys just just advise!

But ill try:

How should i go about starting to do this and getting a final price for the flights?? the specialist package RTW trips seem to be the way to go right?? i have a general idea on budgetting from advise given on this site already. and how could i present it to her on her birthday?? id rather have her input into picking the exact destinations but perhaps i could choose if i had to.

There so much confusion in my head its hard to write so thanks for listening and hopefully ill get some good suggestions/advice!

Also thinking of the duration to be around 6 weeks??

Thanks!

Neamhshuntasach

6 weeks for Brazil, Peru, Tahiti and India? That's quite the circuit in a short space of time. I'm not even sure you'd get that for a grand on a RTW package as they are based on mileage rather than amount of stops and 6 weeks is the same price as a year for which RTW's are usually used for. And if you were going that route you'd have to either go through the US to get to Papeete or make it to Chile and fly via New Zealand or Australia. Then a stop in maybe Singapore and on to India. So that's a full circumnavigation and usually they are over 1500 Euro if booking through Usit or Trailfinders. My mates recent one was actually closer to 2 grand. One other problem would be that the RTW doesn't offer internal flights within South America. So if Brazil is a must an internal flight would have to be bought seperate or your girlfriend would have to make it down to Buenos Aires or Santiago by some means or where she'd need to go to get a flight to Tahiti. I imagine that would require at least 2 connections.

I think your best bet is going into Trailfinders or calling them up. You can explain everything to them and they'll see if it's possible.

NoQuarter

Hi thanks for the reply, it makes a lot of sense.

Would perhaps

Dub - Los Angeles - Tahiti - Peru - Brazil - Dub

make more sense being a little (loose term) loop??

Neamhshuntasach

Unfortunately with the RTW you can't back track. Once you head west you must continue on and return to your point of departure from the east. The RTW packages can work out good value but they are quite restricting. You can't change locations once booked and you have to pay to change the flight date if you decide to. They work out better if they are used for the year because you have time to travel overland and play around in between. But with 6 weeks you'd want it all planned. Doing it with individual flights would be much more expensive. Could probably get to LA with United for around 300 euro. Maybe around 400-500 to Tahiti from LA. A flight to Lima would be expensive as you'd have to stop on Easter Island, then Santiago and onto Lima or Cuzco. Flights to South America from the Pacific are generally always expensive. I reckon around 800 euro. Internal flight in South America are expensive. It would be around 200 to fly from Peru to Brazil. And then maybe 600 from Brazil back to Ireland via somewhere in Europe.

So maybe 2300 to do it with a RTW. Granted i'm only guessing at prices. Tahiti makes it awkward as it pretty much makes the RTW impossible as it will either have you exceeding the mileage or needing to backtrack.

solas geal

Just wanted to correct a couple of things that other people have said cos I know it could make a difference to your plans;

1) You CAN get internal flights in South America on a RTW ticket. For example I have Auckland - Santiago - Buenos Aires - Sao Paulo (Brazil) - Lima (Peru). This is on the One World RTW ticket
2) There is also a certain amount of backtracking allowed. For example I flew to Japan first and then backtracked to China. Depending on the distance of the backtracking this may be approved/rejected. Your travel agent will be able to advise
3) Also, you can change the route (fee applies) if necessary and if you contact the airline directly (eg my ticket is ultimately issued by Qantas) you can often change flight times/dates with no charge

The oneworld website is quite good as there is a RTW planner on it, which will let you know if the route is valid or not. You can actually buy your ticket online if you want.

Also another tip that may be relevant; as the sterling/euro rate is good at the moment it can be worth routing your RTW ticket from London as you then essentially buy a sterling-priced ticket. Then just get a cheap flight over to London yourself. As many flights are routed through Heathrow anyway, you don't actually lose too much time and can make a significant difference in price!

NoQuarter

Thanks for all the advice so far guys.

I had assumed i would ultimatly have to go from london but just thought id see about dublin first!

The thing about tahiti is that on www.roundtheworldflights.com they seem to include a pacific island stop in their itinery for the RTW's for around the 800 - 900 sterling mark. So i wondered if this was usual practice.

I realise 6 weeks is very short but we just couldnt affoard much more due to spending money etc etc...at a stretch i could do 8 weeks!

Solas geal who is your RTW ticket with, it sounds really good? the South American one?

Unfortunatly were both students so paying over 1000 stg for a ticket is pretty much out of the question, especially as i have to buy my own and hers! and then theres spending money....

Any more advice appreciated thanks...

solas geal

Hi,

My RTW ticket is with oneworld, you can buy it through usit, trailfinders or buy directly on the internet

NoQuarter

solas geal wrote: »

Hi,

My RTW ticket is with oneworld, you can buy it through usit, trailfinders or buy directly on the internet

Thanks,

Sorry i hadnt read your original post right first!

The planner on the site is excellent but would it be safe to assume your ticket cost waaaaay over 1000 stg??