LATAM

It is possible to use a mix of cabins on an around the world itinerary! It is usually best to change classes at the point of turnaround which will generally be Europe. This means that you can, for example, fly from Australia to the USA to Europe in Business Class and then from Europe to Asia to Australia in Economy or vice versa.

It depends on the exact itinerary. There are several fantastic airfare options for travelling around the world and they all have their pros and cons. The main deciding factor will usually be the destinations you wish to visit as these airfares all have some routing and destination options that aren’t permitted with the others. It also depends on your preferences with regards to airlines and frequent flyer programs. For example, if you are keen on amassing a giant pile of Qantas Frequent Flyer status credits, a Finnair itinerary can be an amazing choice. Or if you are a Krisflyer member, in love with the hospitality of Singapore Airlines, then a Lufthansa or SWISS option might be the better choice.

Usually the most cost effective, in terms of dollars per status credit, round the world airfare for earning Qantas Frequent Flyer status credits is going to be a Finnair fare. Finnair’s global fares that allow multi-continent trips around the world, it is possible to use Qantas or a full oneworld member on every leg of the journey. This also means that if you have existing status with Qantas Frequent Flyer, you can enjoy the perks at every airport and on every flight along the way!

Generally, the best airfares for round the world travel for earning with Star Alliance frequent flyer programs will be either with Lufthansa or SWISS. These airfares allow you to travel the entire way around the world flying with Star Alliance partners on every leg. As Star Alliance programs vary hugely in both their earning rates on each airline as well as their rules (especially with regards to earning on codeshares), please make sure you let your consultant know which program you’re planning on crediting your flights to if earning towards status with a Star Alliance partner is important to you.

If obtaining status with a frequent flyer program is important to you, there are several ways to maximise earning when planning a round the world trip. This can often mean making your flight path less direct, for example adding an unnecessary domestic connection on the way out of or back into Australia. Sometimes it just means choosing one carrier over another. At Airfare Geeks, we are experts at maximising frequent flyer earnings on round the world travel.