How to Book Round-the-World Flights with Points: A Step-by-Step Guide to Maximizing Your Miles

Imagine embarking on a journey that circles the globe, touching down in multiple continents, exploring diverse cultures, and creating memories of a lifetime—all without spending a fortune on airfare. For points and miles enthusiasts, a round-the-world (RTW) ticket booked with miles is the ultimate redemption. While it requires planning and knowledge of airline alliance rules, it’s an achievable goal that can deliver extraordinary value. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from understanding the basics to executing a complex itinerary with minimal taxes and fees.


Understanding Round-the-World Tickets with Miles

A round-the-world ticket is a single award ticket that allows you to travel to multiple destinations across different continents, typically in one direction (eastbound or westbound), returning to your starting point. With cash, these tickets can cost $10,000 or more in business class, but by using airline miles, you can book them for a fraction of that cost—often just the miles and a few hundred dollars in taxes.

Most RTW awards are based on airline alliances: Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam. Each alliance has specific rules regarding mileage limits, number of stops, and permitted airlines. Alternatively, some individual frequent flyer programs offer their own RTW awards with unique terms. The key is to find a program that aligns with your travel goals and points balances.

Choosing the Best Frequent Flyer Program for RTW Awards

Not all frequent flyer programs are created equal when it comes to RTW tickets. Here’s a comparison of the most popular options across the three alliances, based on 2024-2025 data:

Key takeaway: For most travelers, ANA Mileage Club offers the best value for Star Alliance RTW tickets, especially in business class, due to its distance-based chart and low fuel surcharges. For Oneworld, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles can be a sweet spot if you can work within distance limits.

Mastering Alliance Routing Rules

Every alliance imposes rules to prevent abuse and ensure a true round-the-world journey. While specifics vary by program, here are the common principles:

• Direction: You must travel continuously east or west, with no backtracking. Some programs allow a mix but generally require a global circumnavigation.
• Transoceanic crossings: Typically, you must cross both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans at least once.
• Maximum stopovers: Most programs allow 5–10 stopovers (a stopover is a stay of more than 24 hours).
• Maximum segments: There is usually a limit on total flight segments (e.g., 16 for ANA).
• Permitted airlines: You can only fly on alliance members and sometimes select partners. For example, ANA RTW awards can include Star Alliance carriers like United, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines, but not non-alliance partners like Etihad.
• Open-jaws: Some programs allow open-jaw segments (flying into one city and out of another), but they must fit within the overall direction.

Always read the specific program’s terms and conditions before planning. For instance, ANA requires that the itinerary be “logical” and not exceed a certain total distance, while Aeroplan allows any routing as long as it doesn’t exceed the maximum permitted mileage for the region.

Step-by-Step Booking Process

Booking an RTW ticket with miles is a multi-step process that requires patience and flexibility. Here’s a detailed walkthrough:

1. Plan Your Route and Destinations

Start by listing your must-visit cities and desired stopovers. Consider the direction of travel—eastbound or westbound—and how you’ll connect continents. Use tools like Google Flights to visualize routes and alliance hubs. Remember that you’ll need to fly on alliance carriers, so check which airlines serve your chosen cities.

2. Check Award Availability

This is the most challenging part. Use alliance search tools or individual airline websites to find saver-level award space for each segment. For Star Alliance, United’s website is excellent for searching partner availability. For Oneworld, British Airways’ Executive Club or Qantas’ site can be useful. Be flexible with dates and airports; sometimes flying into a nearby city can make all the difference.

3. Calculate Mileage and Fees

Once you have a tentative itinerary, use the program’s award chart to estimate the total miles required. Don’t forget to factor in taxes and fuel surcharges, which can vary dramatically by airline. For example, flying Lufthansa or Austrian Airlines often incurs high surcharges, while United, Air Canada, and Avianca typically have low or no surcharges.

4. Call to Book

Most RTW awards cannot be booked online; you’ll need to call the frequent flyer program’s service center. Have your flight details ready, including dates, flight numbers, and booking classes. The agent will price the itinerary and confirm availability. Be prepared for long hold times and potential language barriers.

5. Put the Itinerary on Hold

If you need time to transfer points or finalize plans, ask the agent to put the reservation on hold. Many programs allow holds for 24–72 hours, giving you a window to transfer flexible points from programs like American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Capital One Miles.

6. Ticket and Confirm

Once you’re satisfied, ticket the reservation and pay the taxes and fees with a credit card. Double-check all details in your account and set alerts for any schedule changes.

Strategies to Minimize Taxes and Fees

One of the biggest pitfalls of award travel is high taxes and fuel surcharges, which can reach hundreds of dollars per person on premium cabins. Here’s how to keep them low:

• Choose airlines with low or no fuel surcharges. In Star Alliance, United, Air Canada, Avianca, and Copa are safe bets. Avoid Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and ANA (surprisingly, ANA charges fuel surcharges on its own flights but not on partners when redeemed through its program).
• Avoid flying through high-tax airports. London Heathrow (LHR) imposes steep Air Passenger Duty on long-haul flights, especially in premium cabins. Consider connecting in other European hubs like Frankfurt (FRA) or Madrid (MAD) instead.
• Book economy class for short segments. If you’re primarily flying business class, using economy for short intra-regional hops can reduce surcharges.
• Use programs that don’t pass on surcharges. Aeroplan is a standout here—it doesn’t add fuel surcharges on most partners, making it a great choice for RTW itineraries involving surcharge-heavy airlines.

Sample RTW Itineraries and Mileage Costs

To give you an idea of what’s possible, here are two sample itineraries using ANA Mileage Club (2024 award chart):

Economy Class (55,000 miles + ~$300 taxes)

• New York (JFK) → London (LHR) on United
• London (LHR) → Bangkok (BKK) on Thai Airways
• Bangkok (BKK) → Tokyo (NRT) on ANA
• Tokyo (NRT) → Los Angeles (LAX) on United
• Los Angeles (LAX) → New York (JFK) on United

Business Class (115,000 miles + ~$500 taxes)

• San Francisco (SFO) → Frankfurt (FRA) on United
• Frankfurt (FRA) → Singapore (SIN) on Singapore Airlines
• Singapore (SIN) → Sydney (SYD) on Singapore Airlines
• Sydney (SYD) → Auckland (AKL) on Air New Zealand
• Auckland (AKL) → San Francisco (SFO) on United

Note that these are simplified examples; actual availability may require adjustments.

Earning Miles for Your RTW Adventure

Accumulating enough miles for an RTW ticket can seem daunting, but with strategic credit card sign-up bonuses and everyday spending, it’s achievable. Here are some of the best transferable points programs in 2024:

• American Express Membership Rewards: Transfers to ANA, Aeroplan, Singapore KrisFlyer, and more.
• Chase Ultimate Rewards: Transfers to United MileagePlus, Aeroplan, and Singapore KrisFlyer.
• Capital One Miles: Transfers to Aeroplan, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.
• Citi ThankYou Points: Transfers to Singapore KrisFlyer, Qantas Frequent Flyer, and more.

Consider getting cards like the American Express Gold Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred, or Capital One Venture X to earn welcome bonuses that can cover a significant portion of your RTW ticket.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Not verifying partner award space: Always confirm availability on the actual operating airline before calling. Third-party search tools may show phantom space.
• Ignoring program rules: Each program has unique restrictions. For example, ANA requires that you include both transpacific and transatlantic flights, and you cannot have more than one stopover in the same country.
• Underestimating taxes: Use ITA Matrix or the airline’s own site to estimate taxes for each segment.
• Booking too late: Award space, especially in premium cabins, disappears months in advance. Start searching 10–12 months before travel.
• Not considering alternative airports: Flying into a secondary city can open up availability and reduce costs.

FAQ

Can I book a round-the-world ticket with points from any credit card?

Yes, if your credit card points transfer to a frequent flyer program that offers RTW awards. Flexible programs like American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One Miles are ideal because they partner with multiple airlines.

How far in advance should I book an RTW award ticket?

Aim to start planning and searching for award space 10–12 months before your desired departure date. Some airlines release award seats about 330–360 days out, and premium cabin seats get booked quickly.

What is the best class of service for an RTW ticket with miles?

Business class offers the best balance of comfort and value, especially for long-haul flights. ANA’s business class RTW award at 115,000 miles is a steal compared to cash prices. First class awards are rare and often require significantly more miles.

Can I change my itinerary after booking?

Most programs allow changes for a fee, but rules vary. ANA, for example, permits date changes for free but charges 3,000 miles for routing changes. Always check the program’s change policy before booking.

Are there any tools to help plan RTW itineraries?

Yes, tools like AwardHacker, FlightConnections, and Google Flights can help you visualize routes and estimate mileage costs. For finding award space, ExpertFlyer and Point.me are valuable resources.

References

1. ANA Mileage Club Round-the-World Award Chart and Rules (2024): https://www.ana.co.jp/en/us/amc/reference/rtw/
2. Aeroplan Flight Rewards Chart and Stopover Policy (2024): https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/redeem/flight-rewards/air-canada-flight-rewards.html
3. Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Round-the-World Award (2024): https://www.asiamiles.com/en/afr.html
4. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Star Alliance Round-the-World Award (2024): https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/us/ppsclub-krisflyer/use-miles/miles-redeem/star-alliance-round-the-world-award/
5. Qantas Frequent Flyer Round-the-World Classic Award (2024): https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/use-points/classic-flight-rewards/round-the-world.html