Any advice for Gap Year Round the World ticket and related issues

[ZoeB]

My younger daughter (25) and her boyfriend are heading of travelling for a year this March. They want to go to Thailand first as her Dad is there on an extended holiday.
Open to any advise or tips (as a traveller or parent of one). Luckily I haven’t always had huge amounts of points (or money) she knows what long haul in economy feels like.
Please chip in with anything that could be useful.
Thanks in advance.

[Rob]

You want the Multi Partner Chart – it’s the dream solution for this sort of thing:

https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/12/14/avios-multi-partner-oneworld-award-flight-chart/

[ZoeB]

Thanks Rob, to be clear she will be using her own cash to book her RTW ticket, but we would plan to meet them (once or twice) and your reminder could be a brilliant way of doing that.

[Lula]

Amazing plan. My husband and I are currently doing similar but did use miles for our flights so can’t help with RTW ticket things.

But if you have other questions happy to help.

We’ve used a range of platforms for accommodation: booking.com, hotels.com, Airbnb and direct with hotels. Worth shopping around as prices can vary across platforms for the same accommodation. Sometimes there are discounts for booking close to the time on booking.com and they give discounts after a certain number of bookings. They also have hostels and apartments so you get a range of accommodation types on one platform. Great to have a place with a washing machine every couple of weeks at least so laundry doesn’t become a pain.

We used direct line for insurance on recommendation from friends who’d done a similar trip in 2019. Luckily haven’t had to claim so far though so can’t comment on how well that part works.

Booking internal transport has been pretty easy so far. Worth getting a mobile SIM for the country she’s in. Makes life much easier.

Don’t take too much stuff. We overpacked (easy when you have a massive luggage allowance) but have regretted it each time we have to move. Better to go with less and buy stuff as you need it.

Safety precautions are always worth observing. And try and learn a few phrases in the language of where you are. People appreciate the effort.

[SamG]

In normal times a RTW wouldn’t be the cheapest option. To Thailand for example it’s easy to pick up a very cheap ticket on all manner of airlines. Hopping around Asia or down to Aus would usually be very easy on plenty of cheap flights on Air Asia / Scoot or to the US on a Chinese airline.

These days obviously it’s more difficult both to get bargains particularly without the Chinese capacity and generally finding flights given the reduced schedules in that part of the world, so it could be work speaking to someone like Flight Centre to get an idea of a price of a RTW and the airlines that you could use. Then sit on skyscanner and have a go and compare the two

Personally having just come back from living in Asia for a few years I can say outside of peak holiday seasons flight prices don’t really go up, if you’re a bit flexible then I’d just book things as you go along (being careful to have a ticket to exit if asked at immigration – even if it’s a v cheap “throwaway”). This will also allow for plans to be adapted as required – e.g. if Bali opens up can add in for example.

The multi carrier charts are great but they could end up being quite restrictive – Malaysian Airlines isn’t flying much of a schedule currently and friends are complaining about Qantas releasing seats due to busy flights. Also a nightmare getting through to BA to actually book/change anything!

Agree with Lula – take as little as possible. You can get laundry done easily and you’ll pick up bits and pieces as you go along. I did a backpacking trip a few years back and was very strict and it was so much easier hopping on and off boats and things with a manageable bag. Agoda is usually best OTA in that part of the world or trip.com