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Round the World Tickets: The Ultimate Guide (Updated 2024)

Y ou've probably heard about round the world tickets, a one-stop shop approach to cross-continental flying. But let's be real: it's never been easier to book flight tickets yourself, and round the world tickets are pricey. So why do people book round the world tickets, and are they  actually worth the cost?

The quick answer is, it depends . If you're pressed for time, have a seriously fixed itinerary with many international stops to make, it can be cost-wise. However, if you have a whimsical, budget-conscious trip in mind, or are focusing on just one part of the world, there are cheaper options out there that you should know about  (like finding fares yourself on Skyscanner on Kiwi.com ).

So, here's everything you need to know about round the world tickets, followed by our DIY approach that could save you even more money!

• 1 How do Round The World tickets work?
• 2 How to book a round the world ticket
• 3 What are the restrictions and/or setbacks?
• 4 The alternative: book separate flights yourself
• 5 How to book your own round the world trip
• 6 So, what's the cheapest option?
• 7 A Thrifty Case Study: A Round the World Trip from New York City
• 8 What are the alternatives?
• 9 So, is a round the world ticket worth it?

How do Round The World tickets work?

Round the world (RTW) tickets are flight packages that let you visit a number of destinations around the world for one price. These tickets are offered by airline alliances like SkyTeam, Oneworld, and Star Alliance. All the flights in your itinerary must be served by airlines within the chosen alliance.

RTW tickets require you to select your destinations and departure dates in advance. This means you prepay for the pass and book all of your flights before your trip. Note: you don't have to actually fly “around the world” with these tickets , they're also sold as multi-city flights, continent-based travel, or by miles.

The perk of RTW tickets is the ability to book all flights at once at a discounted price, plus ensures a mass accumulation of frequent flyer miles since you'll only be flying partner airlines. You can even purchase part or all of your RTW ticket with relevant miles, where permitted.

How to book a round the world ticket

Round the world tickets can be purchased directly with airline alliances or via  travel agents .

Airline Alliances

• OneWorld Alliance
• Star Alliance

Each alliance offers an online trip planner that allows you to put in every stop of your itinerary and get a price quote. It also makes it easy to work around the restrictions of round the world tickets, warning you when your planned route doesn't meet the requirements. All alliances offer online booking, or you can call one of the participating alliance airlines directly.

Travel Agents

• AirTreks (U.S. – our top choice & has 32+ years experience in RTW planning)
• Liberty Travel (U.S.)
• Flight Centre ( Australia , U.K. , Canada )
• RoundAbout Travel (Australia)
• Student Flights (Australia)
• A travel agent local to you

Travel agents have exclusive access to flight deals, plus receive discounts accessible only via their IATA code. They also save a great deal of time and money whilst adhering to your budget and needs. Find an agency that specializes in round the world tickets, so they're aware of the restrictions and can secure the best price.

What are the restrictions and/or setbacks?

RTW tickets often more expensive than a DIY approach (covered later), especially given they exclude budget airlines. Furthermore, there are restrictions to follow, so ensure you've read the fine print. Such restrictions typically include:

• A minimum number of flights to book (typically three), as well as a maximum
• Flights usually must be within the same airline alliance. This can sometimes result in obscure stopovers to stay with partner alliances.
• Restrictions on the direction of travel (e.g. East to West only) and/or requiring you to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at least once
• All flights must end in the city you started from and connect from city-to-city (i.e. you can't fly into London, then take a train to fly out of Paris)
• A minimum number of stopovers
• Additional surcharges for itinerary changes and/or flying to certain destinations
• Missing a flight in your itinerary could result in the remaining flights being cancelled, even if days or weeks away

Whew! Though there are many restrictions, most will come up when making your booking . Simply use the round the world ticket planners provided by each alliance, put in your desired destinations, and the options and costs will be presented automatically.

The alternative: book separate flights yourself

The value of a round the world ticket depends on the route you're taking and the flexibility needed. More often than not, you'll find it's cheaper, easier, and more flexible to book your own round the world trip online across several bookings using multi-destination flight search engines like Kiwi.com  and Skyscanner . You also can mix and match airlines, and aren't confined by the restrictions that accompany an actual RTW ticket.

Credit card points programs also allow multi-city flight bookings, effectively allowing you to book your own round the world trip via points or a combination of cash and points. You can readily rack up a significant amount of miles just by hitting the minimum spend within a set time. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is our top pick as a beginner card. On hitting its minimum spend, you can earn up to 60,000 points worth $750 – more than enough for an international flight .

Flight deal subscriptions like Scotts Cheap Flights compile discounted airfare to your inbox, based on the desired departure airports. Whilst this doesn't include RTW flights, this could help you cover some of the legs of your trip, as it has majorly discounted international flights departing the U.S. For those outside America, similar services exist in the U.K. ( Jack's Flight Club ) and Canada ( Next Departure ).

The only major drawbacks with booking a RTW ticket yourself is the time and patience needed to make the booking. Additionally, you may end up with frequent flyer miles spread across a variety of programs, without enough miles in any program to use them. Most likely though, you'll come out ahead financially doing it yourself.

How to book your own round the world trip

Kiwi.com  and Skyscanner are the two flight search engines we recommend for booking your own tickets for a round the world trip. They include budget airlines and let you search multi-destination flights, letting you see prices for your entire itinerary at once.

The key difference between the two is that Skyscanner prefers results from partner airlines , while Kiwi.com will always  mix and match airlines (including budget airlines) for the cheapest price . Either booking site can be beneficial depending on your trip, so to get the best price, be sure to compare results and follow these tips:

• Experiment with  the order of your destinations for the best price. Just because a flight is shorter doesn't mean it will be cheaper.
• Experiment with the  dates of each flight . This can be time consuming, but if you're dedicated, you can shave hundreds of dollars off your total cost by simply finding the cheapest dates for each flight.
• Multi-city and  return flights are often better value than booking many one-way flights when they can all be fulfilled by the same airline/alliance. For example, Virgin Atlantic has routes from New York to London, London to Shanghai, and Shanghai to New York, so making one multi-city booking with this single airline will be cheaper than several individual bookings with different airlines.
• Skyscanner prefers partner airlines that can fulfil the entire itinerary you submit, which doesn't always get you the best price on complex itineraries. So if you have a lot of destinations, split your searches into 3-4 destinations at a time . For example, instead of submitting New York > London  > Paris > Beijing > New York as a single search, try searching New York > London > Paris as one search, and Paris > Prague > Beijing > New York as a second search. You don't have to worry about this on Kiwi.com , which always mixes and matches airlines to get the best results.

So, what's the cheapest option?

In our tests, the DIY approach is always cheaper, but it depends on the kind of trip you're taking. Round the world tickets can cost anywhere from $1,500 USD to $20,000 USD . The price varies greatly, and depends on your departure point, number of flights, distance flown, continents flown to, and flight class.

On the other hand, regular flight ticket prices are all over the map, dependent mostly on supply and demand. Sometimes a flight across continents can be even cheaper than a flight within your own country. Since regular flight tickets include budget airlines , sale and error fares , and you can still take advantage of discounts with partner airlines,  booking your own flight tickets has always been cheaper for us .

The only way to know for sure is to compare. Use the links provided in this guide and see what gives you the best result!

A Thrifty Case Study: A Round the World Trip from New York City

As an example, let's find the best price for the following round the world trip:  New York City > London > Paris > Prague > Beijing > Hong Kong > New York City . We want to go in  April and May , and we are booking now in  January . We'll start on Tuesday, April 10, and schedule each consecutive flight for the following Tuesday.

Option 1: A round the world travel agent

Booking with AirTreks also gives you a team with over 32 years of experience in RTW planning, all your tickets in one spot (instead of many confusing separate bookings), 24/7 support, and better routes (less layover time, more baggage, etc.) If you do find a cheaper fare yourself, let them know – AirTreks tells us they're confident they could beat it!

Option 2: A round the world ticket booked directly with airline alliances

Putting in the same itinerary into each of the airline alliances' round the world trip planner gives us the following totals:

• OneWorld: $3,738.86 USD
• SkyTeam: $3,904.28 USD
• Star Alliance: $4,543.84 USD

Not exactly thrifty, and up to 3x the advertised price of the travel agent! True round the world tickets require strategic planning, so using a travel agent's expertise can save you time and money. But let's take a look at booking regular airline tickets yourself…

Option 3: Book your own tickets using Kiwi.com and Skyscanner

Using the Kiwi.com multicity search feature, we enter our full itinerary, and within minutes, we have a variety of options from $1,390 – $1,434 USD .

As we mentioned, Skyscanner usually just shows results from  partner airlines that can fulfill a ticket for the entire route. This route is pretty complex, and it's unlikely one airline alliance could fulfill it all, so let's  break it up .

After half an hour of trying different combinations of multi-city and one-way searches, the cheapest combination I could find for these dates was

• New York City > London > Paris > Prague: $390 USD
• Prague > Beijing: $283 USD
• Beijing > Hong Kong: $119 USD
• Hong Kong > New York City: $493 USD
• TOTAL TRIP COST: $1,285 USD

This is the cheapest option, beating Kiwi.com by only $105. What's going on here? In short, trial and error. The first batch of airlines aren't partners, but Skyscanner sometimes lets you mix and match airlines by using Kiwi.com for booking. And although there are partner airlines to fulfill the rest of the route, Hong Kong Airlines is an independent budget airline with competitive pricing, so it ended up being cheaper to book the flights separately in order to include their fares.

You can take this even further by testing different dates in your itinerary, as well as the order of your flights. As you can see, the process can be time consuming, but a little time rewards you with hundreds or thousands of dollars saved!

What are the alternatives?

Regional flight passes.

While not a round the world ticket in itself, this type of flight pass might be more sensible for your trip, depending whether you'll be flying a lot in one region versus globally. For instance, if you are planning to take more flights around South America than across continents, then you may be better off investing in one of their regional passes (check our guide here ).

Some examples of regional flight passes include:

• OneWorld single-continent passes: available for Africa, Asia, Japan, Australia & New Zealand, Malaysia, South America, Europe, North America, Middle East, South Asian Sub-Continent
• OneWorld multi-continent passes: rather than flying all the way around the world, these passes let you fly in a circle around one smaller area of the world
• SkyTeam regional passes : available for Asia & Southwest Pacific, Africa, Asia, Europe, Greater China, Russia, and USA & Canada
• Independent airline passes in South America : these work within specific South American countries (check our comprehensive list and guide here )
• Qantas Explorer pass : a flight pass for exploring Australia and New Zealand

Building your own stopover

A stopover – that is, an extended layover where you can actually leave the airport for 1 or more days or weeks – can be added for cheap or free to any trip, all by yourself. Our how-to guide here explains exactly how to do this.

Essentially, you find a flight fare that includes a layover, but instead of rushing to your connecting flight, you spend days or weeks in the layover destination, visiting 2 destinations for the price of 1. Whether you go round the world or not, it's a great way to squeeze more travel value out of your flight costs.

So, is a round the world ticket worth it?

In short, for most travellers, the answer is probably no. There are a certain set of criteria where it could be more cost-effective, and some travellers may prefer the ease of having all of their tickets booked in one pass anyway. However, the fixed timing, many restrictions, and high price are likely to be unappealing to those who are seeking a thriftier approach, especially when it's so easy to book yourself for less with Kiwi.com and Skyscanner .

The Thrifty Gist

• Round the world tickets are usually pricier than self-booking, but offer peace of mind and a pre-set itinerary
• A dedicated RTW agent such as AirTreks can save you a lot of time, with the added benefit of 24/7 support, having all of your flights in one place, established airlines with shorter routes, and over 32 years of experience in RTW planning. AirTreks tells us they're confident they could beat the other prices in this post, so if you find a cheaper fare yourself, let them know!
• Round the world tickets can be booked with airline alliances or travel agents, while self-booking regular flight tickets can be booked using the multi-destination features of Skyscanner and Kiwi.com
• Self-booking is usually the cheapest approach to a round the world trip, but can also be more tedious
• Reasons to self-book include the abundance of available error/sale fares , budget airlines, the ease with which self-booking can be done, and that stopovers can easily be added to any trip

Our website contains some affiliate links in relevant areas. This means we get a small commission, at no extra cost to you, for recommending a product we personally use, trust, and own.

trying to fin d the cheapest country to start a Oneworld 4 continent ticket July 2022, it used to be South Africa or Jordan, any update links?

Please send complete information for my round the world travel for 2 – up to a year.

Skyteam RTW tickets are not available currently, and haven’t been since the start of COVID. The Star Alliance RTW business ticket I just booked was half the price of using the DIY method.

I booked a OneWorld RTW ticket in 2015. The huge benefits were: – change any arrival/departure date at any time with no fee or fare difference – email with a dedicated RTW agent who manages your itinerary during the trip – mileage credit for using AA-linked credit card for the fare and the trip itself

My agent was great. She helped me out on a critical date change that I had no control over, and fixed a problem created by a gate agent that deleted the entire rest of my trip!

I’m planning another RTW Sep 2024 – Feb 2025 and will price out all of the options you’ve listed above, but my gut tells me to go with OneWorld again.

The Star Alliance site is filled with 403 Forbidden pages that the site is not usable. I want to use them for my RTW tickets since I bank my mileage with UA but the site is so broken.

looking forward to trying this amazing experience all over the world.Next summer would like to do eastern europ and south-east Asia!

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Round the World

Buying a multi-destination ticket has never been simpler.

Do you want to travel the world? Are you excited to discover and experience different countries and cultures? Are you looking for the best value for travelling to the world’s top iconic cities?

Our Star Alliance Book and Fly tool helps you plan and book multi-destination fares online. Certain exceptions apply. Alternatively, contact a member airline or your travel agent.

One Star Alliance ticket. Limitless travel possibilities.

Imagine embarking on a journey that takes you all around the world. Picture all the places you will go, the sights you will see, the people you will meet. Now imagine doing all of that and more, with just a single ticket.

The Star Alliance Round The World ticket offers you a travel experience unlike any other.

Journey across the world and visit up to 15 cities, while enjoying the kind of seamless flexibility and outstanding value for money that only the world’s largest airline network can offer. Where will your Round The World journey take you? Imagine your trip and make it a reality—all in just a few clicks with our Star Alliance Book and Fly tool. Certain exceptions apply. Alternatively, contact a member airline or your travel agent.

• Terms and Conditions

Book and Fly

• Single ticket valid on all Star Alliance members
• Every journey is different
• Follow our tips and reminders while booking

How to Map Your Journey

• Start and end in the same country
• Follow one global direction (East or West)
• Cross both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
• Have a minimum of 2 stops and maximum of 15 stops
• Travel between 10 days to 1 year
• Transits must be less than 24 hours
• Stopovers are more than 24 hours
• Check the terms and conditions for detailed inclusions

Flexibility

• Save your itinerary at any time
• Contact support 24/7
• Accrue frequent flyer points or miles
• Upgrade your flight or entire itinerary at any time, subject to availability

Round The World in Just a Few Clicks

Select your destinations.

Start by entering your Origin City. Then add destinations by entering the city name or by selecting cities on the map.

Choose Your Flights

The system will automatically select the flights for each segment, but you may also pick flights from the Star Alliance network that best cater to your needs.

Enter Your Details

Provide the necessary travel details such as your contact information and identification documents to help us secure your booking.

Pay Seamlessly

Enter your payment details to complete the transaction.

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The itinerary can be accessed and changed by visiting staralliance.com and entering the Itinerary Code under 'Open Saved Itineraries' in the booking tool. Thank you for using the Star Alliance booking site for your journey.

• Planning: Please save your itinerary and copy the 20-character code for us to better assist you.
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Super Human Service on Around the World Tickets and your complex travel needs since 1987 My name is Sean Keener, I am the lead travel servant at AirTreks and I welcome you with open arms and gratitude.

You are in the “right place” if you…

• Know that you need an around the world ticket or an air ticket with 3 or more stops (We can do up to 100 stop for country counters)
• Are interested in this concept of slow travel or long-term travel.  We have been called authorities on this topic over the past decades
• Want to look at other options beside Disneyworld and Carnival Cruises and other manufactured travel experiences
• Want to explore the concept of collecting experiences vs material things
• You need a travel logistics partner to organize and book the best routes with best chance of being on time with less hassle
• Want to meet or read about people like you that have done around the world travel and how it impacted their lives and their communities.
• Want to see what an around the world trip might cost ?
• Want to explore taking your family on a life changing trip that will impact your childrens lives in ways a classroom or school can’t
• Need to book group international airfare for companies, groups, churches and schools.

Here's what you need to know to plan a trip around the world

Dec 29, 2021 • 7 min read

Don't start planning your round-the-world trip without reading this guide © Getty Images

In 1924, a team of aviators from the USA successfully completed the first-ever circumnavigation of the globe by airplane, a feat that took 175 days, 76 stops, a cache of 15 Liberty engines, 14 spare pontoons, four aircraft and two sets of new wings. This achievement ushered in an era of international air travel, and nearly a century later, travelers are still creating their own round-the-world itineraries. 

You might not have the same worries as those early aviators, but planning a round-the-world trip has never been a more complex process. As COVID-19 continues to alter world travel , heading out on a multi-country trip might be more complicated than it has been in decades. While it might not be the right time to hit the road, luckily it's never too early to start figuring out the logistics of a trip around the globe. After all, who doesn't have a lot of pent-up wanderlust at the moment? 

When it comes to booking your trip, there are several options for booking your airfare, as well as flexibility on timing, destinations and budget. But don't let that overwhelm you – start here with our handy guide on how to plan that round-the-world trip you’ve always dreamed of.

Where and how to get a round-the-world plane ticket

The most economical way to circumnavigate the globe is to buy a round-the-world (RTW) plane ticket through a single airline alliance. These are confederations of several different airlines that make it simple to maximize the number of places you can travel and pay for it all in one place or with points. There are three primary airline alliances to choose from: Star Alliance, OneWorld and Skyteam.  Star Alliance is a coalition of 26 airlines that fly to 1300 airports in 98% of the world’s countries.  OneWorld includes 14 airlines traveling to 1100 destinations in 180 territories.  Skyteam is made up of 19 airlines that serve 1000 destinations in 170 countries.  

Read more:   How to save money when you're traveling

Once you pick an airline alliance, whether because of a loyalty program you’re already a member of or because you like its terms, conditions and destination list, you can purchase a single RTW airline ticket made up of several legs fulfilled by that alliance’s partners. The RTW ticket rules vary between each of the airline alliances, with particulars like Star Alliance’s rule that a RTW ticket can include two to 15 stops. But there are some general principles that apply to most RTW tickets, no matter which airline group you go with. 

You typically must follow one global direction (east or west – no backtracking); you must start and finish in the same country; and you must book all your flights before departure, though you can change them later (though this could incur extra charges). Typically you have one year to get from your starting point to the finish line.

How long do I need for a round-the-world trip?

You could whip around the world in a weekend if you flew non-stop, especially with the advent of new ultra-long-haul flights that can clock in at 20 hours of flight time. However, the minimum duration of most RTW tickets is 10 days – still a breathless romp. To get the most out of your round-the-world ticket, consider stock-piling vacation days, tagging on public holidays or even arranging a sabbatical from work to take off at least two months (but ideally six months to one year). Because most airline alliances give you up to a year to use your ticket, you can maximize your purchase if you plan well.

When should I travel on a round-the-world trip?

The weather will never be ideal in all your stops, so focus on what you want to do most and research the conditions there. In general, city sightseeing can be done year-round (escape extreme heat, cold or rain in museums and cafes), but outdoor adventures are more reliant on – and enjoyable in – the right weather.

Research ahead of time if any must-see destinations or must-do activities will mean facing crowds. For example, if you’re hoping to be in Austria for the famous Salzburg Festival, you’ll want to plan ahead and book your tickets months in advance. If you’re hoping to fit a shorter thru-hike into your round-the-world trip, you’ll want to make sure you’re going in the correct season and starting in the right spot. You won’t get far or have as enjoyable an experience if you’re, say, attempting the Tour du Mont Blanc during the dates of the annual winter marathon or headed northbound on the Pacific Crest Trail in July, missing most of the warmer months. 

Accept youʼll be in some regions at the "wrong" time – though this might offer unexpected benefits. For example, Victoria Falls has a dry season each year , which means a slightly less thunderous cascade, but it does open up rafting opportunities and a chance to swim right up to the lip of the falls in The Devil’s Pool. Going to Venice in the winter might mean grayer skies but fewer crowds. Heading to Kenya and Tanzania in April is likely to mean fewer humans, but not fewer chances to spot wildlife, all while saving money on safari.  Also keep in mind that mom-and-pop locations have their downtime and holiday seasons as well; don't be too surprised if your local bakery in Paris is closed for a holiday week or two in August.

Where should I go on my round-the-world trip?

The classic (and cheapest) RTW tickets flit between a few big cities, for example, London – Bangkok – Singapore – Sydney – LA . If you want to link more offbeat hubs ( Baku – Kinshasa – Paramaribo , anyone?), prices will climb considerably. The cost of the ticket is also based on the total distance covered or the number of countries visited.

Remember, you donʼt have to fly between each point: in Australia you could land in Perth , travel overland and fly out of Cairns . Or fly into Moscow , board the Trans-Siberian railway  and fly onwards from Beijing.  Pick some personal highlights and string the rest of your itinerary around those. For instance, if youʼre a keen hiker, flesh out a Peru ( Inca Trail ) – New Zealand ( Milford Track ) – Nepal ( Everest Base Camp ) itinerary with stops in Yosemite , Menz-Gauassa and the Okavango Delta .

If budgetʼs an issue, spend more time in less expensive countries and plan budget city breaks along the way. You’ll spend more in metros like Paris, Dubai and San Francisco than in Nusa Tenggara , Budapest  and Buffalo . 

Tips, tricks and pitfalls of round-the-world tickets

Talk to an expert before you book a round-the-world ticket: you may have an itinerary in mind, but an experienced RTW flight booker will know which routes work best and cost least. A few tweaks could mean big savings in time and money. Hash out a budget well ahead of time, not only for your RTW ticket, but also for the whole trip. Reach out to friends or travel bloggers who have done a round-the-world trip or are full-time travelers because they can offer tips on how to budget for a trip around the world .

Be flexible: moving your departure date by a few days can save money. Mid-week flights are generally cheaper, as are flights on major holidays such as Christmas Day. Avoid days and times popular with business travelers to escape higher prices and more crowded cabins.

Think about internal travel: it can be cheaper to book internal flights at the same time as booking your RTW ticket, but with the global increase of low-cost airlines, you may find it better (and more flexible) to buy them separately as you go.

Be warned: if you donʼt board one of your booked flights (say, on a whim, you decide to travel overland from Bangkok to Singapore rather than fly it) your airline is likely to cancel all subsequent flights.

You might also like: 10 destinations perfect for solo travel Can visiting lesser-known places offer a better travel experience? 6 things I learned from flying 6 days in a row

This article was first published Mar 20, 2012 and updated Dec 29, 2021.

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one world Priority Benefits

Welcome to the world of one world Priority benefits. Each one world tier enjoys an array of one world Priority benefits designed to deliver a superior and seamless travel experience, including airport lounge access, priority check-in and boarding, and more.

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When you reach a top tier status with a one world member airline frequent flyer programme, you are automatically designated a one world tier status: Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald. Find out what your one world tier status is by using the drop-down menu below.

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Finnair, with its hub in Helsinki, connects customers and cargo across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America, serving nearly 100 destinations.

Iberia, as the leading airline between Europe and Latin America, operates alongside Iberia Express and Iberia Regional Air Nostrum, offering flights to 50 countries from its hub at Madrid Airport.

Congratulations to Finnair and Iberia on 25 years with the one world alliance!

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Located in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s non-Schengen departure area, this bright new lounge is no more than 10 minutes away from one world member airlines’ departure gates.

This new airport lounge experience provides one world customers a spacious, bright, contemporary setting to unwind and rejuvenate before embarking on their journeys.

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From major airline alliances like oneworld and star alliance to individual travel agencies, there are several ways to score an around-the-world flight ticket. here’s what to know..

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Break up a transpacific leg of an around-the-world flight with a restful stop in O’ahu, Hawai’i.

Photo by Peter Thomas/Unsplash

Embarking on a yearlong journey around the world is a dream scenario for many travelers. However, the logistics of making it happen can be challenging, not least because of the sheer number of flights you would need to book. One way to make the journey a reality is by purchasing an around-the-world flight ticket.

Here are the basics of what you need to know about around-the-world flights, including which airlines and companies offer them and tips for navigating this travel option.

What is an around-the-world ticket?

An around-the-world (often referred to as RTW for “round the world”) ticket allows travelers to hopscotch across the globe and visit multiple destinations on one ticket, usually at a lower cost than individually bought tickets. RTW trips typically need to be in a continuous forward direction, either eastward or westward; for example, an eastward itinerary could include flights from New York to Buenos Aires to Barcelona to Berlin to New Delhi to Bali to Honolulu to New York again.

With RTW tickets, changes are typically allowed, so extending or shortening your stay at each destination doesn’t cost extra. Travelers either choose their own unique itinerary or follow one of the sample itineraries provided.

Consider starting your around-the-world journey in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before crossing the Atlantic to Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Courtesy of Sasha Stories/Unsplash

Which airlines offer around-the-world tickets?

Around-the-world tickets are typically offered by airline alliance networks and travel agencies—not by single airlines. Both Oneworld Alliance and Star Alliance offer around-the-world flights, but SkyTeam (which includes Delta Air Lines, Air France, and KLM) no longer has an around-the-world program . The rules around the tickets vary based on the provider.

Oneworld Alliance around-the-world tickets

The Oneworld Alliance (which includes U.S. carriers Alaska Airlines and American Airlines as well as international carriers British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qatar, and seven others) offers travelers two options for RTW tickets , including:

• Oneworld Explorer, which sets prices based on the number of continents you visit
• Global Explorer, which bases the fee on the distance traveled

There are a few restrictions for each. For one, trips must start and end in the same city within 12 months. Also, travelers need to visit at least three continents and cross both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans in no more than 16 flights, without backtracking (meaning you need to continue in the same direction of travel).

Oneworld RTW prices for itineraries starting stateside begin at roughly $3,500 for an economy ticket to three continents. However, that price climbs to about $7,000 for travelers planning to visit six continents. Those seeking to travel in business or first class should expect rates to start at more than $10,000.

Star Alliance around-the-world tickets

There are few places you can’t get to on a Star Alliance RTW ticket —the network reaches more than 1,300 destinations in 190 countries. It includes 26 airlines, some of which are United, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, and Air New Zealand.

Travelers have two options when booking: to pick their destinations or to select one of Star Alliance’s themed RTW tickets. The themed itinerary Architecture Hotspots Round the World , for example, starts in Athens, from where you fly to Cairo, Beijing, Miami, Chicago, Brasilia (Brazil), Barcelona, and Florence and then return to Athens.

Like Oneworld, Star Alliance RTW tickets demand travelers make both a transpacific and transatlantic flight in no more than 16 flights, flown within one year. However, Star Alliance doesn’t require fliers to start and end at the same airport. They just need to get back to the same country—so users could feasibly start in San Francisco and wrap up in New York if they’re running short on allotted miles (the maximum allowed for the entire journey is 39,000). Additionally, each stop must last at least 24 hours.

For Star Alliance, prices are determined by total mileage flown and class of service. On the low end, expect to pay about $4,000.

Whether you’re going east or west, you might decide to hop off in Melbourne, Australia, during an around-the-world flight.

Photo by Weyne Yew/Unsplash

Other companies that offer around-the-world tickets

If you’d rather not use one of the airline alliances, another option is to consult a travel agency that specializes in around-the-world tickets.

One of the oldest is AirTreks, which has been assembling RTW tickets for travelers since 1987.

Because AirTreks works with multiple airline alliances (including SkyTeam, even though it no longer sells RTW tickets), it can offer greater ticket flexibility, often at a lower price. It also provides overland options from one airport to another (meaning you could fly into London, take the train to France, and fly out of Paris), whereas Oneworld and Star Alliances require travelers to fly in and out of the same airports.

One sample itinerary titled the Off The Beaten Path starts in Los Angeles and has you fly to Melbourne and Catania, Italy, where you travel overland to Palermo to catch forward flights to Porto, Portugal; Florianópolis, Brazil; Medellín, Colombia; and Los Angeles. The price starts at $3,000, which is slightly cheaper than booking a similar trip with one of the airline alliances.

AirTreks doesn’t have mileage or segment restrictions, so it allows travelers to embark on and conclude their journey wherever they choose. However, because flights are spread across multiple alliances, tickets can be subject to change fees.

Other companies you might consider include Trailfinders , Flight Centre , and RoundAbout Travel .

Can you pay for an around-the-world ticket using miles?

Yes, it’s possible to fund your around-the-world ticket with select airline miles. However, you’re going to need a treasure trove of loyalty points to make it happen, and you’ll be tasked with finding flights with award availability for each flight segment, which can be challenging.

Some of the mileage programs that currently offer RTW tickets are Aeromexico, Air Canada, ANA, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines.

Are around-the-world tickets worth it?

It depends.

“RTW tickets can be a pretty seamless way to bundle that once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Katy Nastro, a travel expert at flight deal tracking service Going.com .

There are some distinct advantages to booking a RTW ticket, chief among them are having some flexibility and a set price. Because the price is determined by the number of places you visit, it can be cheaper for travelers who are keen on flying during more expensive peak travel periods such as summer, versus during the off-season.

However, some travelers may find it easier to book individual tickets as they go rather than the whole itinerary upfront. Booking outside of an airline alliance also allows for the mixing and matching of airlines. Similarly, going the DIY route would also allow travelers to use a combination of points and cash.

“While they can make the planning process a lot simpler, be aware of the restrictions and costs,” Nastro said. “Someone who is considering a RTW ticket should consider all of their options and not be afraid to price out a similar itinerary one flight at a time.”

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The Guide to Around-the-World Tickets

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Table of Contents

What is an around-the-world ticket?

Which airlines offer around-the-world tickets, how much is an around-the-world ticket, booking an around-the-world ticket with miles, if you're considering booking an around-the-world ticket.

For those who love travel, there may be no more romantic idea than taking off on a long trip spanning the globe. Airlines realize this and offer travelers the ability to book such a trip using an around-the-world ticket.

However, around-the-world tickets can be very complicated and quite expensive. Thankfully, travelers with a stash of airline miles or program points with a bank can book around-the-world mileage tickets.

Here's a guide to your options for booking an around-the-world ticket — both with cash and miles.

An around-the-world ticket is generally a series of flights that circumnavigate the world and start and end around the same general point, all booked as part of one airline ticket.

The rules for around-the-world tickets vary based on the airline, airline alliance or mileage program issuing the ticket.

The price of some around-the-world tickets is based on how many continents you fly through — regardless of the number of stops or distance. Other around-the-world ticket prices are based on the total flight distance.

Generally, around-the-world tickets are much more flexible than regular airline tickets. Some around-the-world tickets even allow free changes if you stick to the same itinerary. Plus, you'll generally earn miles on the booking when purchasing a cash around-the-world ticket.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

Most airlines offer around-the-world tickets through their airline alliance. Both Star Alliance and the Oneworld alliance currently offer around-the-world tickets. However, the SkyTeam alliance has suspended its SkyTeam Round the World pass.

Oneworld Round The World Airline Tickets

The Oneworld alliance — which includes American Airlines and Alaska Airlines — offers three types of multi-city multi-airline tickets:

Oneworld Explorer prices the around-the-world ticket based on the number of continents you visit.

Global Explorer is a distance-based around-the-world ticket.

Circle Pacific is a not-quite around-the-world ticket limited to continents bordering the Pacific Ocean.

Oneworld recently launched an intuitive new Oneworld Explorer tool that walks you through the city and date selection process. Input your preferred destinations, dates and length. Then, the tool will determine the right pass for your itinerary, help you select flights and book the around-the-world ticket.

» Learn more: What to know about Oneworld multi-carrier awards

Oneworld currently has the following restrictions on around-the-world tickets:

Trips should start and end in the same city.

Fly no more than 16 flights.

Visit at least three continents.

No backtracking allowed — you need to continue in the same general direction of travel.

Complete your trip within 12 months.

Cross the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean

Star Alliance Round The World Airline Tickets

As the world's largest airline alliance, Star Alliance is an obvious choice for around-the-world tickets. Star Alliance's 26 members combine to serve 1,300 destinations in 190 countries. You can build an epic trip to pretty much anywhere through a Star Alliance around-the-world ticket.

Know where you want to go? Start with the Star Alliance Round The World journey builder . Otherwise, get inspired with more than 20 sample itineraries .

Like Oneworld, Star Alliance around-the-world tickets allow up to 16 flights, up to one full year from the date of departure and require you to generally travel in the same direction. You can also book a Circle Pacific not-quite around-the-world ticket through Star Alliance.

If you're booking with cash, around-the-world tickets aren't cheap.

Oneworld around-the-world tickets beginning in the U.S. start at $3,599 for an economy ticket visiting three continents and climb as high as $6,899 to visit six continents in economy. And that's before taxes and fees. Business and first-class fares are even higher, often pricing above $10,000.

Two advantages of booking an around-the-world ticket are flexibility and the set price. Around-the-world tickets are priced at the same price whether you're flying during the off-season or peak holiday times.

If you want to fly on peak dates or pricey routes, it can be cheaper to book an award-the-world ticket than to piece together a trip using individual flight bookings.

Booking around-the-world tickets using cash is just one option. Several airline loyalty programs offer around-the-world mileage tickets.

Around-the-world awards have the obvious advantage of saving you a lot of cash out-of-pocket. However, you'll need to accumulate quite a stockpile of miles to be able to book these tickets. Plus, you'll need to find award availability on every flight segment — which can be a daunting task.

Here's a quick overview of the best around-the-world mileage options for each airline alliance:

ANA Mileage Club (Star Alliance)

All Nippon Airways — better known as simply ANA — offers arguably the best around-the-world mileage tickets. Travelers can book up to 12 flights and eight stopovers between their origin and final destination. The price depends on how far you fly and in which cabin:

Travelers can limit flight mileage by booking up to four "ground transport" segments. These segments don't count toward your total distance. That means you can use a low-price award or cheap cash ticket to keep your around-the-world ticket distance down.

Restrictions to keep in mind:

Limit of one crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and one crossing of the Pacific Ocean.

Backtracking isn't permitted.

The full journey must span at least 10 days.

Must return to the same country you departed.

The best way of getting enough ANA Mileage Club miles for an ANA around-the-world ticket is by accumulating American Express Membership Rewards.

You can transfer AmEx points to ANA at a 1:1 transfer ratio. And you can top off your ANA account with transfers from Marriott Bonvoy, but points transfer at a rate of 3:1.

» Learn more: The best AmEx transfer partners — and ones to avoid

Asia Miles (Oneworld)

Asia Miles — the mileage program of Cathay Pacific — doesn't technically have around-the-world tickets. But you can piece together an epic journey around the world using the mileage program's Oneworld Multi-Carrier Award chart.

Since it isn't a true around-the-world ticket, it doesn't have some of the same restrictions. That means you can backtrack and don't have to end your trip where you began. Award pricing depends on your class of service and the distance of your trip.

» Learn more: Cathay Pacific: What to Know

Maximize your Oneworld Multi-Carrier Awards booking with up to five stopovers. And use the two allowable open-jaws to connect the dots where Oneworld doesn't have a good option.

Make sure to fly at least one flight on Cathay Pacific to remove the limitation of just two airlines. The only major limitations are that premium economy awards aren't available and your journey must be limited to 50,000 points.

Build your Asia Miles balance by transferring points from:

American Express Membership Rewards (1:1 transfer ratio).

Capital One Miles (1:1).

Citi ThankYou Points (1:1).

Bilt Rewards (1:1).

Marriott Bonvoy (3:1).

Aeromexico Club Premier (SkyTeam)

One of the only SkyTeam airlines that offers a compelling around-the-world mileage ticket is Aeromexico. And it's a pretty solid option. Travelers can book a whopping 15 stopovers, meaning you can piece together an absolutely epic trip in the one-year ticket validity.

The cost sounds extremely high, but remember that these are in kilometers instead of miles: 224,000 Premier Points in economy or 352,000 Premier Points in business class.

American Express Membership Rewards transfer to Aeromexico at a 1:1.6 transfer ratio. That means you need 140,000 AmEx points for an economy SkyTeam Around-the-World ticket or 220,000 AmEx points for business class.

While AmEx is the best option, you can top off your Aeromexico Club Premier account by transferring points from:

Other loyalty programs to consider

Several other airlines offer around-the-world mileage tickets — or multi-carrier awards with multiple stopovers. Here's a quick summary of other options and why we didn't highlight them in detail:

British Airways Multi-Carrier Reward Flights . Asia Miles generally provides better pricing and fewer restrictions.

Qantas Oneworld Classic Flight Reward . Allows up to five stopovers. But Asia Miles generally provides better pricing.

Japan Airlines Oneworld Award Tickets . Superb pricing and very flexible, but the only major transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy.

Korean SkyTeam Round the World Award . Excellent prices, but no longer issued after March 31, 2023.

Lufthansa Miles & More Round the World . Pricey and Miles & More has no major transfer partners.

Singapore Star Alliance Round the World Awards . Up to seven stopovers and easy-to-accumulate miles. Plus, KrisFlyer generally limits award availability to partners. However, ANA generally provides better pricing.

There's a lot to keep in mind when considering an around-the-world ticket.

For cash fares, consider booking through one of the major airline alliances for the best options. Just pay attention to the restrictions. Just as importantly, consider what isn't restricted. You might be able to add additional destinations for no additional cost.

Many airline mileage programs also offer around-the-world mileage tickets, although some are labeled "multi-carrier awards" instead. These can be an excellent deal as long as you can find award availability.

How to maximize your rewards

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