Booking flights for a round-the-world (RTW) trip can be one of the most significant expenses in your travel budget. However, with the right strategies and tools, you can find discounted flights and save money while planning your dream adventure. Here are the most effective ways to score affordable RTW flights.
1. Use RTW Tickets from Airline Alliances
One of the best ways to save money on a RTW trip is by booking a ticket through one of the major airline alliances. These alliances—such as Star Alliance, OneWorld, and SkyTeam—offer discounted RTW tickets that allow you to visit multiple destinations with one booking.
- Star Alliance: Offers flexible RTW tickets through its global network of 26 airlines.
- OneWorld: Allows travelers to fly to over 1,000 destinations across the globe.
- SkyTeam: Provides RTW tickets that allow you to fly to more than 1,150 destinations in over 175 countries.
These tickets can be a great deal because they often offer significant discounts on individual flights, especially if you’re flying through multiple continents. While these tickets have some restrictions (such as traveling in one continuous direction), they can provide great value if you are planning to visit several major destinations.
2. Book Separate Flights and Use Budget Airlines
Sometimes booking individual flights for each leg of your journey can be more affordable than using RTW tickets from airline alliances. Budget airlines are often overlooked when planning RTW trips, but they can offer significant savings.
- Europe: Airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet, and Wizz Air offer incredibly cheap flights across the continent.
- Southeast Asia: AirAsia, Scoot, and Lion Air are known for affordable flights between popular destinations in Asia.
- North America: Look for Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, or Alaska Airlines for cheap regional flights.
While budget airlines often have extra fees (e.g., checked luggage), these airlines are usually much cheaper than traditional carriers, especially if you book well in advance.
3. Use Flight Search Engines and Tools
Flight comparison websites are invaluable for finding discounted RTW flights. They allow you to compare prices across multiple airlines and booking platforms. Here are a few search engines and tools that can help you find the best deals:
- Skyscanner: Allows you to search for the cheapest flights based on your desired destination and flexible dates. You can also use its “Everywhere” search function to find the cheapest flights to any destination worldwide.
- Google Flights: Provides a comprehensive tool for tracking and comparing prices. You can set alerts for price drops on specific routes and use its flexible date options to find cheaper travel dates.
- Momondo: Known for finding great deals and offering flexible search options, Momondo compares prices from a wide range of airlines and online travel agents.
- Kayak: Offers a price alert tool and allows you to search for multi-city tickets or RTW flights, often featuring discounts or special offers.
- ITA Matrix: A powerful tool (operated by Google) that allows for complex flight searches, helping you to identify discounted RTW options based on your route.
These websites help you compare prices, track fare changes, and identify trends, so you can book flights at the lowest possible price.
4. Book Flights in Advance
Booking your flights as early as possible is one of the best ways to ensure that you get discounted fares for your RTW trip. Airlines often release cheaper tickets several months in advance, and the earlier you book, the more likely you are to secure the best prices. While last-minute deals sometimes exist, it’s far more common to find cheaper fares when booking well in advance (6-9 months before departure, if possible).
5. Be Flexible with Dates and Destinations
Flexibility is key to finding discounted flights. If you’re willing to adjust your travel dates or change your destination slightly, you can often find significant savings. Here are a few ways flexibility can help:
- Flight Dates: Use search tools like Skyscanner or Google Flights to compare prices for different dates. Flights on weekdays (Tuesday and Wednesday) are often cheaper than weekend flights, and early morning or late evening flights can also be less expensive.
- Destinations: If you’re open to visiting multiple destinations, you may find cheaper RTW routes. For example, flights to Asia or South America are often more affordable than flights to Europe or Oceania. Consider nearby cities or countries that can be reached with budget airlines to save money.
6. Use Points and Miles
Frequent flyer miles or travel points can be an excellent way to reduce the cost of your RTW trip. Many credit cards offer sign-up bonuses, and you can accumulate miles by making everyday purchases or booking through partner programs. Here are a few strategies to make the most of points and miles:
- Credit Card Points: Many travel credit cards offer points or miles for every purchase you make. Some cards offer large sign-up bonuses that can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, or car rentals. Look for cards that offer flexible point systems like Chase Sapphire or American Express Membership Rewards.
- Frequent Flyer Programs: If you have miles accumulated from previous flights, use them to book RTW tickets with airlines that are part of global alliances. You can also transfer points between programs if your points are part of a transferable network.
- Airline Miles Promotions: Sign up for airline newsletters and promotions to find special offers or bonus mile opportunities. Some airlines offer discounted RTW tickets for frequent flyer members or during seasonal promotions.
7. Monitor Flash Sales and Special Offers
Flash sales and special promotions from airlines and booking websites can provide significant discounts. Keep an eye on these sales to get cheap RTW flight deals. Subscribe to airline newsletters, follow them on social media, and use deal websites to get alerts when these sales happen. Some websites, like Secret Flying and The Flight Deal, specialize in posting last-minute flight deals that can save you a lot of money.
8. Consider Alternative Airports
Flights to major airports in popular cities tend to be more expensive. To save money, consider flying into smaller airports or alternative airports located near your desired destination. For example, flying into Gatwick or Stansted instead of Heathrow (London), or Ciampino instead of Fiumicino (Rome) may result in cheaper fares. Additionally, look for secondary airports in cities like New York, Paris, or Bangkok, as they may offer more affordable flight options.
9. Look for Multi-City or Open-Jaw Flights
Instead of booking separate one-way tickets for each leg of your trip, search for multi-city or open-jaw flights. An open-jaw flight allows you to fly into one city and out of another, which can be cheaper than booking a round-trip flight to a single destination. Many RTW flight search engines like Kayak and Skyscanner offer multi-city search options that allow you to book flights with multiple stops at once.
10. Travel Light and Avoid Extra Fees
Many low-cost airlines offer cheap base fares but charge high fees for checked baggage, seat selection, and other services. To keep your costs down, pack light and avoid any additional fees. Consider traveling with only carry-on luggage, which allows you to avoid checked baggage fees, and try to select your seats during the booking process to avoid additional charges.
11. Consult a Travel Agent
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of booking RTW flights, it may be worth consulting a travel agent who specializes in RTW trips. Travel agents can often access exclusive deals, help you plan an efficient route, and find discounted RTW flights that may not be available to the general public. They can also help you navigate the various airline alliances, flight routes, and booking restrictions.
