A to Z: Flight Details

Airline alliances

There are two big airline alliances in the travel industry – ‘One World’ and ‘Star Alliance.’ Most of the major airlines belong to one of these alliances. This is great news for travelers who want to purchase a Round the World ticket because it means that, wherever you want to go, it’s likely that one of the alliances will have an airline to take you there. And, if, for some reason, they don’t, STA Travel can work with individual airlines to get you there.

Benefits

It’s important to get a handle on all the benefits your Round the World ticket provides. Make sure you ask your STA Travel Advisor about all the options you have (i.e. free stopovers). Make the most of the options and choose a Round the World fare that can take you everywhere you want to go with the least amount of connecting flights (transits).

Exclusivity

Depending on which airline you choose, your entire journey is then exclusive to the network of airlines within that respective alliance. Therefore, you’re either traveling with One World or the Star Alliance. The main difference between the alliances is the range of destinations that each can offer. One may specialize in South American destinations while the other may have a huge range of airlines to choose from in Europe. So, make sure you pick the airline alliance based on your destinations and not just based on which airlines you like or prefer.

Mileage

Rules pertaining to mileage are probably the most restrictive rules that apply to a Round the World airfare.

STA Travel Advisors calculate their prices on different mileage levels, with the price increasing as your mileage level goes up (the further you fly, the higher your mileage). The number of stops are also restricted, however you will find most of the time that mileage is more restrictive than the maximum number of stops. Keep this in mind when planning your trip.

The amount of time you can spend at each destination is not usually an issue as most Round the World fares have a 12-month validity on the entire journey. However, STA Travel has broken new ground by negotiating 18-month validity on certain exclusive Round the World airfares.

Support

This is crucial while you’re away. STA Travel has 450 branches all over the world and is able to make changes or advise on the closest airline to contact. The number of airlines now participating in Round the World alliance fares makes access to support easier than ever before.