As I mentioned earlier today, I just booked a round the world ticket. This was a total spur of the moment thing.
My brother is spending the summer in Germany, and I convinced him to make a quick trip to Seoul at the end of his stay. When he was planning his flight to Germany I was going to book him a first class award, which would cost 100,000 miles, while a trip to Asia via Europe is 120,000 miles. So for a premium of 20,000 miles he’ll be flying from Frankfurt to Seoul in Lufthansa first class and from Seoul to Frankfurt in Asiana first class. He can easily down 20,000 miles worth of booze, and he has wanted to visit the DMZ, which I visited a few years back (though not sure how great of a time it is right now).
I was looking into hotel options for him, and nothing struck me as being a particularly great bargain. But the Park Hyatt Seoul was available using “Big Welcome Back” nights from Hyatt’s very generous promotion, so I decided to pull the trigger and join him in Seoul. I wouldn’t have done it if the flights didn’t work out as beautifully.
When all was said and done, here’s my routing over the coming week:
Not bad, right? Best of all, it was a mere 120,000 Aeroplan miles. Pretty unbeatable, in my book.
I’ll be leaving on Tuesday, and I saw space on both Singapore Airlines from Los Angeles to Singapore (via Tokyo) in first class, as well as space from Washington Dulles to Tokyo in ANA first class. Singapore Airlines first class is impossible to beat, but I’ve done it before. I’ve never done ANA first class, so I decided to give them a shot. Best of all, when I get to Tokyo I’ll be able to pick up the continuation of the Singapore Airlines flight, so I’ll still get seven hours of Singapore Airlines service.
Then I’ll be spending a few nights in Singapore, first at the Crowne Plaza Changi due to the late arrival time, and then at the Grand Hyatt Singapore using free nights from Hyatt’s “Big Welcome Back” promotion. I like Singapore, though was only there for about two days during my last visit, so am looking forward to seeing a bit more.
The next portion of the trip is where I struggled with my options, since I needed to get to Seoul. I was initially set on flying from Singapore to Hong Kong to Seoul, with Singapore to Hong Kong being on United in first class and Hong Kong to Seoul being in Thai business class (on a two cabin plane), but that just didn’t sound very exciting. So I decided to push the maximum permitted mileage on this routing to the max. How?
I noticed that much like Turkish Airlines, which I flew last year, Thai is now wet leasing some 777s from Jet Airways. These planes have some of the nicest, most private suites, so I wasn’t going to turn down the opportunity. The ground services in Bangkok are also among the best in the world. The first class lounge is great, and more importantly, they have a spa. As a first class passenger you get a (near) full body hour-long massage for free. Quite relaxing! So I’ll be flying from Singapore to Bangkok in Singapore Airlines business class, then from Bangkok to Tokyo in Thai Airways first class, and then from Narita to Seoul in United Airlines first class.
I get to Seoul the night before my brother arrives, and Incheon (where the airport is) is about 90 minutes from Seoul. Conveniently enough there’s a Hyatt Regency located at the airport, which is a mere 8,000 Hyatt points per night. So I booked that for the night as I wait for my brother, and then we’ll head into the city together and stay at the Park Hyatt Seoul.
Lastly I’ll be flying from Seoul to Frankfurt on Asiana in first class, which is another first for me. Then I’ll be overnighting in Frankfurt at the InterContinental using Priority Club points, before continuing to Seattle in Lufthansa first class the next day.
Overall I’m quite pleased given that the cost was a grand total of 120,000 miles and about $160 in taxes. 😉
And of course you can bet I’ll be tweeting and twitpicking every step of the way!
I should mention, though, that this award didn’t come without some struggles. When I called to book this award the agent was of course a bit reluctant given my routing. Eventually I showed her that the routing was within 37 miles of the maximum permitted mileage plus 5%, which is what Aeroplan goes by. 37 miles on a 15,000+ mile one-way journey is what I call precise planning. 😉
The next challenge was the connection in Washington Dulles on the way out. I had a 1hr18min connection, and they tried to tell me the minimum connection time was 1hr20min. That’s BS, as the domestic to international connection time is in fact 45 minutes, as confirmed by United. United schedules the flight from Tampa to Washington so that it connects to their flights to Tokyo and Beijing, so there was no way it wasn’t allowed. After over 45 minutes on hold a supervisor finally approved it.
Last, but not least, I called ANA to select a seat. They didn’t see my reservation and insisted they never confirmed the flight. I had to call back Aeroplan, and after an hour on hold we were once again good to go.
So it has been a busy day handling all this, but now that everything is taken care of, I’m quite looking forward to the journey!
@ Ysabella -- Correct, I only have one stopover. The rest are just connections of under 24 hours.
Thanks, still not sure how this is possible with so many stopovers, I thought they only allow 1-2 stopovers on a return flight, even on a rtw they only allow 5. I thought I could use your expertise to use my points to their max..thanks again
@ Ysabella -- It's simply booked as part of a roundtrip ticket. This wasn't a traditional round the world ticket, but rather a roundtrip with a couple of stopovers.
Thanks..do you book it as individual portions, or a rtw ticket?
@ Ysabella -- Unfortunately Aeroplan has since raised the cost of award tickets, so this route would now cost 175K points.
i am so confused how do you book all this on only 120k miles. I currently have 200k miles to use by next year and would like to book a trip around the world, do you have any advice?
@ Joe J -- Sadly I'll be missing the Captain Denny dinner. Was a tough decision, but figured spending time with my brother was a priority in this case.
@ Sean -- Haven't credited anything to Aeroplan, so it's all transfers.
@ Mark E. -- AJ is exactly correct, this is a US to Asia award which allows routing either via the Atlantic or the Pacific (or both)!
@ rkaradi -- I earned all those...
@ Joe J -- Sadly I'll be missing the Captain Denny dinner. Was a tough decision, but figured spending time with my brother was a priority in this case.
@ Sean -- Haven't credited anything to Aeroplan, so it's all transfers.
@ Mark E. -- AJ is exactly correct, this is a US to Asia award which allows routing either via the Atlantic or the Pacific (or both)!
@ rkaradi -- I earned all those miles from transfers, not actually crediting flights to them. You're right, though, Singapore is pretty unbeatable. Was a tough decision turning them down, but figured it was worth the new experience.
@ zy -- Thanks!
@ Sam -- It was mostly because that's where I saw availability too, and I figured I could maximize my experience with the longer flight to the west coast. Besides, it allows me to earn some extra miles by booking a separate ticket home.
@ JOSH -- Rest of the trip is solo. Did you want to join me, JOSH? ;)
@ Christian -- Maintaining 1K is the least of my concern (I actually already comfortably requalified), as I do about 250,000 miles per year. But these miles didn't come from crediting flights, but rather from transferring miles.
Lucky,
Just wondering- how do you manage to maintain 1K, but also accrue enough miles on Aeroplan to book this? Thanks!
To #17
He has to stopover in SEA because of the routing and he can use a free award at the Hyatt Olive SEA.
JOSH
LUCKY,
Apart from meet up with your brother in ICN, are you doing the rest of your entire trip solo?
JOSH
Lucky,
Is returning back to SEA your intention or is that because that's only available, or is it to increase the mileage so that you stay under the maximum allowed mileage?
Impressive.
I think in the past he stated that he transfers AMEX MR points to Aeroplan.
Just another query to find out if you booked this with MP miles or are you booking your UA miles to Aeroplan?
I'm really surprised that you don't like Seoul! I think it's a fantastic city, so full of energy and great food (dolsot bibimbap, please!). I can't remember exactly what you did from your previous trip report, but if you haven't been to the Bongeunsa Temple, you might want to check that out.
SIN night time taxi rates rise for travel between 10pm- 4 am have a surcharge, but the fare is often better or equal to daytime rates as there will be little traffic on the road which makes for a speedy drive.
The transfer time from SIN to the city is less than 30 mins by taxi (even less during the night). No need to stay at the CP unless you get a much cheaper rate.
Have a nice trip!
Ham
wow amazing!! i've read your previous trip report on LH and LX first class, and by some stroke of luck i managed to book an award on a combination of LH, LX and TG first class as well - but your RTW is simply amazing!!
have fun!
Wow, how do you do all that? I have to admit I am a newbie at this.
Wow nice routing, I've never flown ANA in First but have Sin, and I am blown away that you would turn that down. But I do understand why. Enjoy tour trip. Also how are you crediting miles to AC is it from UA flights or some other way, it sounds like a pretty generous program, and I may consider crediting to them too.
It's an award to Asia 1 via Europe, which is effectively an RTW award since they generally allow crossing both oceans. Any Aeroplan member who pays the RTW price is being gypped it seems.
Also, nick, I just signed up for lucky's twitter and he's *is* something of a hottie.
OK, I am not sure where the RTW award is on this chart - but how is it only 120,000 miles? http://www1.aeroplan.com/use_your_miles/travel/flights/air_reward_chart.do?p=staralliance
UA's award chart sets fees for RTW at significantly more than ACs program. What am I missing?
The Park Hyatt isn't even in Downtown Seoul, it's in COEX. @Seth did you take the airport train to Gimpo then transfer to the metro, since the airport train extension to Seoul Central Station doesn't open until later this year?
Was this booked with MR points or are you actually crediting to aeroplan?
I'm 14 and love to fly. I think you accomplished all of my dreams in that one trip. I'm SO jealous!!!
If it is taking you 90 minutes to get from ICN to downtown then you're doing something wrong. It was just about an hour on the trains back in August for me.
Another thought - are you going to make it back to SF for the Capt. Denny dinner?
I thought TG was dry leasing the 77Ws from 9W, not wet leasing. I know they are wet leasing 777Fs from Southern Air.