Booking a round-the-world (RTW) ticket requires finding a platform that offers flexibility, competitive pricing, and a variety of airlines. Whether you’re planning a multi-stop journey across continents or a tailored adventure, there are several websites that specialize in RTW travel and can help you plan your dream trip. Here are the top sites for booking RTW tickets:
1. AirTreks
AirTreks is one of the leading agencies specializing in RTW flights. They offer personalized itineraries and work with a wide range of airlines to create affordable, flexible RTW routes. The website has been around for over 30 years, giving it extensive experience in helping travelers plan complex multi-destination trips.
- Why Use It: AirTreks provides expert advice and personalized service, ensuring you get the best deals on your RTW trip. They also have a dedicated team to help customize your journey based on your preferences.
- Features:
- Customizable itineraries
- Over 200 airline partners
- Travel experts to assist with planning
- Flexible travel dates and routes
- Best for: First-time travelers and those looking for a tailored RTW experience.
2. Flight Centre
Flight Centre is a global travel agency that offers RTW ticket booking services. Their experienced travel agents can help you build an affordable RTW trip based on your budget, preferred destinations, and travel dates.
- Why Use It: Flight Centre’s team provides assistance from start to finish, offering flight flexibility and competitive pricing. They often run special promotions and discounted RTW deals.
- Features:
- Global flight deals
- Customizable RTW packages
- Expert travel agents
- Ability to mix and match airlines and routes
- Best for: Travelers seeking expert guidance and customer service.
3. Round the World Flights
As its name suggests, Round the World Flights specializes in RTW itineraries. They provide travelers with access to tickets across multiple airline alliances, ensuring that you can travel to a wide range of destinations at a competitive price.
- Why Use It: The website allows you to easily compare RTW fares and book tickets on one platform. They also provide discounts and exclusive promotions for RTW travelers.
- Features:
- Price comparison tools for RTW tickets
- Access to all major airline alliances
- Customizable routes
- Discounted RTW flight options
- Best for: Budget-conscious travelers looking for quick and easy RTW flight bookings.
4. Star Alliance
The Star Alliance RTW program offers the ability to book RTW tickets with a group of 26 airlines, including Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines. Their RTW program is based on a fixed pricing model, with fares determined by the distance traveled or number of continents you visit.
- Why Use It: Booking with an alliance like Star Alliance can be cost-effective and provide more seamless connections between flights. They also offer flexible booking and ticket changes.
- Features:
- Fixed pricing based on distance or continents
- Access to 26 member airlines
- Flexible travel dates and routing
- Best for: Travelers looking for a well-established alliance with many airline options.
5. Oneworld Explorer
The Oneworld Explorer RTW program is another popular choice for booking RTW tickets. This airline alliance includes major airlines like American Airlines, British Airways, and Cathay Pacific. Their RTW program offers pricing based on the number of continents visited, and you can travel up to 16 stops.
- Why Use It: Oneworld Explorer offers great flexibility with its RTW program, allowing you to customize your route and choose the number of continents you wish to visit.
- Features:
- Pricing based on the number of continents
- Access to 13 major airlines
- Flexible routes and schedules
- 16 stops allowed on one RTW ticket
- Best for: Travelers who want to visit multiple continents with a major airline alliance.
6. SkyTeam Global Award
The SkyTeam Global Award program allows travelers to plan an RTW trip with 19 member airlines, including Delta, KLM, and Aeroflot. SkyTeam’s RTW fares are flexible and priced based on the total distance traveled, and they offer a variety of stopover options.
- Why Use It: SkyTeam Global Award offers good flexibility and a large selection of member airlines, making it ideal for travelers looking for a diverse range of destinations.
- Features:
- Pricing based on distance traveled
- Access to 19 member airlines
- Up to 15 stops on a single RTW ticket
- Stopover options in many cities
- Best for: Those who want to visit up to 15 destinations across a wide network of airlines.
7. KAYAK
While KAYAK is typically known for booking individual flights, it also offers multi-city and RTW search options. KAYAK’s flexible search features allow you to compare a variety of airlines and travel dates to find affordable RTW options.
- Why Use It: KAYAK allows you to compare prices for multi-city and RTW trips quickly. It also provides a “flexible dates” option to help you spot cheaper flights.
- Features:
- Flexible date search
- Multi-city and RTW itinerary options
- Price comparison for multiple airlines
- Best for: Budget travelers who want to quickly compare RTW flight options.
8. Google Flights
Google Flights is one of the most user-friendly flight search engines, and it’s a great tool for planning a RTW trip. While Google Flights does not specialize in RTW tickets, its multi-city search function allows you to easily create and compare complex itineraries.
- Why Use It: Google Flights provides a wide range of flight options, from low-cost airlines to major carriers, and it allows you to customize your trip by adding multiple destinations.
- Features:
- Multi-city search options
- Flexible dates and price alerts
- Fare comparison across various airlines
- Best for: DIY travelers who want a quick and simple way to build their own RTW itinerary.
9. Momondo
Momondo is a comprehensive flight search engine that compares flights across airlines, travel agents, and booking websites. It also has a “multi-city” search option, which is perfect for building a budget-friendly RTW trip.
- Why Use It: Momondo shows a variety of airlines and booking options, often unearthing cheaper tickets than traditional airline websites.
- Features:
- Multi-city search for complex itineraries
- Price comparison across airlines and booking platforms
- Flexible search filters
- Best for: Budget-conscious travelers who want to compare a variety of booking options.
10. Skyscanner
Skyscanner is another leading flight search engine that specializes in comparing prices across multiple airlines and travel agencies. It’s particularly good for searching for RTW tickets, as you can input multiple destinations and compare different routes.
- Why Use It: Skyscanner’s powerful search engine is perfect for comparing RTW flights and finding hidden deals. You can also set up fare alerts to catch the best offers.
- Features:
- Multi-city and flexible date search
- Price alerts for RTW trips
- Comparison of flight prices across different airlines
- Best for: Travelers looking for an all-in-one platform to compare RTW tickets and explore flight options.
