Please can someone advise me on a good place to buy my RTW ticket. I have dates and itinerary planned, but i am finding it a mine field as to where to buy my ticket. My itnerary is Lon,Thailand,Bali,Oz,Mexico,LA,NY, Lon leaving 1st september. Another problem i have is that I did want to incorporate a middle east trip Lebanon, Dubai, Iran (HAS to be in that order)before I leave for Far East but Travel agency's have been advising to start from London and so 2 months of my trip i am considering cancelling. I am being so badly advised,please can some one help, I can't get this one wrong, as am selling and leaving everything behind:-) thanks in advance.
Stirling

trailfinder, get a partnership with british airways and quantas. very attractive prices

with cheese please
RWT 19/01/2004 - 01/2005
mail: monsegu@yahoo.fr

HAVE JUST BOOKED RTW TICKET WITH STA TRAVEL VERY HELPFUL.
aM GOIN TO THAILAND, OZ, NZ, FIJI, SAN FRANCISCO FROM MANCHESTER, UK.
cOSTIN 1,166 POUNDS ALTOGETHER INCLUDIN TAX.
qUITE A GOOD PRICE. dEFO WORTH CHECKIN OUT!
sEE WEBSITE WWW.STA.CO.UK
HAPPY HUNTIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Susie Ford

When I went to travel, I couldn't really be bothered to deal with the many offers I had seen for years and comtemplated in planning, where the brochures and adverts came from: STA, USIT, etc. I am sure they are really good.

Now I would try Trailfinders as I hear it is very good, and compare this with where I booked previously.

I used a travel club in the United Kingdom, WEXAS (www.wexas.com) who offer RTW tickets at similar prices to everywhere else though all business can be conducted from your home by email, phone and fax with ease. I joined and got my tickets within a couple of weeks, having decided to go at short notice.

In the end, I took a route I wanted based on one the WEXAS basic routes that ended up costing me some over one and half times the price of that 700 or 800 pounds route.

So they were not so great for tailored routes, though I don't know if the cost might have been the same elsewhere. I also had to buy a flight sent from Canada at probably the best value available and a Latin American flight pass from a L.A. operator in London as WEXAS prices for these portions of the route were too expensive. (All other travel agent details I got from the relevant Rough Guide books - Central America.)

Wexas offer a free trial membership period. If you do decide to join, for people living in the U.K. or flying there reasonably often, or also wanting to take advantage of reasonable (not basic backpacking budget) worldwide accommodation and travel offers, they have probably the cheapest world-wide individual flights on offer (on non-budget airlines).

Hi www.roundtheworldflights.com and www.travelbag.co.uk both have interactive maps where you can plan a route and get a quote on line. Trailfinders are also very helpful. I have been on the phone to them and they were polite and very helpful with my 'a million and one' questions. Their website is www.trailfinders.co.uk

I won't be going to a normal travel agent for a RTW flight - I don't think they can get the best deals - best of luck

I have a similarly confusing route - and have had different quotes for different people.

Trailfinders were very good in the end and suggested a 'Discovery Plus' ticket for £1022 which allows you 29,000 miles over five continents and you don't have to do a 'round the world' route (i.e. crossing both the atlantic and pacific). For an extra £275 you ca upgrade that to 35,000 miles.