round the world trip

Round The World Airline Tickets

Fly rtw with one world member airlines.

one world's Round The World tickets give you unprecedented access to hundreds of destinations in 170 territories. We offer three types of Round The World trips:

one world Explorer: a continent-based fare,

Global Explorer: a distance-based fare,

Circle Pacific: an inter-continental journey to explore continents that border the Pacific Ocean.

Where to first? The whole wide world is waiting for your Round The World trip.

one world Explorer

Continent-Based Air Travel

No matter where business or pleasure takes you,  one world's vast network means your Round The World trip via  one world Explorer fare makes it easy to travel from city to city, and continent to continent. And, for every dot you connect, you earn more miles and points to spend across the  one world Alliance.

Global Explorer

Distance-Based Air Travel

For an even wider choice of where to travel, book your Round The World trip via Global Explorer, which grants you access to an even more extensive list of airlines, including Aer Lingus, Bangkok Airways,  one world  connect   partner  Fiji Airways , Jetstar, Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Japan, Jetstar Pacific, WestJet, and  Qantas  code-share flights operated by Air Tahiti Nui.

Circle Pacific

Multi-Continent Air Travel

If you prefer to visit multiple continents without actually flying all the way around the world, our Circle Pacific fare lets you explore the continents that border the Pacific Ocean. You can choose to start and finish your journey in one of the following continents:

Asia  (Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam)

Southwest Pacific  (Australia and New Zealand)

North America  (USA and Canada)

South America

Contact a  one world member airline or your travel agent to plan and book your Circle Pacific trip now.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a round the world ticket.

The one world Alliance offers a way to visit many countries, around the world, all in a single itinerary.

On oneworld.com, you can choose to book either one world Explorer, where the fare depends on the number of continents you visit, or Global Explorer, where the fare depends on the distance you travel.

Circle Pacific, an inter-continental journey to explore continents that border the Pacific Ocean, can be booked by your travel agent and is not currently available for booking on oneworld.com.

Where Can I Fly With Round The World?

For one world Explorer and Global Explorer, one world member airlines and affiliate airlines cover six continental regions: Europe/Middle East (including Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen); Africa (excluding countries listed above); Asia (including the Indian subcontinent, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, but excluding countries named above); Australia, New Zealand, and the South West Pacific; North America (including the Caribbean, Central America, and Panama); and South America. Currently, it is not possible to begin your itinerary through Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) through one world member Qatar Airways. Book both one world Explorer and Global Explorer on oneworld.com.

Through the one world Circle Pacific fare, one world member airlines and affiliate airlines cover four continental regions: Asia (including the Indian subcontinent, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan); Australia, New Zealand, and the South West Pacific; and North America. Ask your travel agent about booking a one world Circle Pacific fare. Routes are subject to change.

Where Can I Travel Now, Given COVID Restrictions?

View entry restrictions and COVID-19 travel requirements for countries around the world on our the one world Travel Requirements Information Portal . Use the map to get information on travel restrictions by country, including entry restrictions, as well as COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and quarantine requirements.

Is Round The World Ticket Business Class An Option?

Yes, Round The World tickets are available in Economy, Business, and First class. On our oneworld.com booking tool, there is a drop-down menu to select your preferred cabin class. Premium economy upgrades will show where available when you select flights.

Is Round The World Ticket First Class An Option?

How much does a round the world ticket cost.

Your Round the World fare is based on a few factors: the number of continents you visit or pass through or the distance travelled, the travel class selected, and the number of travelling passengers. Read on for more information about full fare rules and conditions [Note: Links open PDF in browser]:

What Are The Round The World Rules?

Read on for Round The World rules and conditions [Note: Links open PDF in browser]:

What Should I Know To Help Me Plan My one world Explorer Itinerary?

When planning your one world Explorer itinerary, here are tips to keep in mind:

Destinations are grouped into three zones and six continents:

Zone 1: North & South America

Zone 2: Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Zone 3: Asia and the South West Pacific

Your trip must be in a continuous forward direction, East or West, between Zone 1, Zone 2 and Zone 3. Backtracking within a continent is generally permitted, however some exclusions apply.

Your adventure can last from 10 days up to a year. Travel must be completed within 12 months of your original departure date.

Your trip must start and finish in the same city.

You must cross both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean on your journey.

Your journey can include three to six continents, and anywhere between three and 16 flights.

Review complete one world Explorer fare rules and conditions .

Can I Change Or Update My Round The World Itinerary?

Yes, one world Explorer, Global Explorer and one world Circle Pacific itineraries can be modified to accommodate changes to your Round The World plans.

If you booked your Round The World trip through oneworld.com, contact the ticketing airline (the airline you are flying on the first leg of your journey) to make changes to your itinerary.

If you booked your Round The World tickets through a travel agent, please contact the travel agent to make changes to your itinerary.

Will I Earn Frequent Flyer Points On A Round The World Trip?

Short answer: Yes, you will earn frequent flyer points on your Round the World trip.

Long answer: Yes. one world works in collaboration with all of our partner and member airlines to ensure that you’re rewarded no matter where you travel. On all eligible flights, you will accrue points or miles toward the airline of your choice and toward your one world tier status .

How Can I Pay For A one world Round The World Trip With Frequent Flyer Points?

Currently, it is not possible to use frequent flyer points to pay for a one world Round The World trip.

Does Your one world Explorer ticket include checked-in baggage?

Two free pieces of 23 kilos each shall be permitted. Additional allowances may apply. Refer to individual carrier websites.

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Round the World

Buying a multi-destination ticket has never been simpler.

Do you want to travel the world? Are you excited to discover and experience different countries and cultures? Are you looking for the best value for travelling to the world’s top iconic cities?

Our Star Alliance Book and Fly tool helps you plan and book multi-destination fares online. Certain exceptions apply. Alternatively, contact a member airline or your travel agent.

One Star Alliance ticket. Limitless travel possibilities.

Imagine embarking on a journey that takes you all around the world. Picture all the places you will go, the sights you will see, the people you will meet. Now imagine doing all of that and more, with just a single ticket.

The Star Alliance Round The World ticket offers you a travel experience unlike any other.

Journey across the world and visit up to 15 cities, while enjoying the kind of seamless flexibility and outstanding value for money that only the world’s largest airline network can offer. Where will your Round The World journey take you? Imagine your trip and make it a reality—all in just a few clicks with our Star Alliance Book and Fly tool. Certain exceptions apply. Alternatively, contact a member airline or your travel agent.

• Terms and Conditions

Book and Fly

• Single ticket valid on all Star Alliance members
• Every journey is different
• Follow our tips and reminders while booking

How to Map Your Journey

• Start and end in the same country
• Follow one global direction (East or West)
• Cross both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
• Have a minimum of 2 stops and maximum of 15 stops
• Travel between 10 days to 1 year
• Transits must be less than 24 hours
• Stopovers are more than 24 hours
• Check the terms and conditions for detailed inclusions

Flexibility

• Save your itinerary at any time
• Contact support 24/7
• Accrue frequent flyer points or miles
• Upgrade your flight or entire itinerary at any time, subject to availability

Round The World in Just a Few Clicks

Select your destinations.

Start by entering your Origin City. Then add destinations by entering the city name or by selecting cities on the map.

Choose Your Flights

The system will automatically select the flights for each segment, but you may also pick flights from the Star Alliance network that best cater to your needs.

Enter Your Details

Provide the necessary travel details such as your contact information and identification documents to help us secure your booking.

Pay Seamlessly

Enter your payment details to complete the transaction.

Circle Pacific

The itinerary can be accessed and changed by visiting staralliance.com and entering the Itinerary Code under 'Open Saved Itineraries' in the booking tool. Thank you for using the Star Alliance booking site for your journey.

• Planning: Please save your itinerary and copy the 20-character code for us to better assist you.
• Booking: We kindly ask that you refer to the terms & conditions for further booking details and reservation requirements.
• Availability: Please be reminded that pricing and availability is subject to change at any time without notice.
• Payment: If you experienced a problem with completing your payment, please indicate this when reaching out to our dedicated team of specialists.

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Round the World Tickets: The Ultimate Guide (Updated 2024)

Y ou've probably heard about round the world tickets, a one-stop shop approach to cross-continental flying. But let's be real: it's never been easier to book flight tickets yourself, and round the world tickets are pricey. So why do people book round the world tickets, and are they  actually worth the cost?

The quick answer is, it depends . If you're pressed for time, have a seriously fixed itinerary with many international stops to make, it can be cost-wise. However, if you have a whimsical, budget-conscious trip in mind, or are focusing on just one part of the world, there are cheaper options out there that you should know about  (like finding fares yourself on Skyscanner on Kiwi.com ).

So, here's everything you need to know about round the world tickets, followed by our DIY approach that could save you even more money!

• 1 How do Round The World tickets work?
• 2 How to book a round the world ticket
• 3 What are the restrictions and/or setbacks?
• 4 The alternative: book separate flights yourself
• 5 How to book your own round the world trip
• 6 So, what's the cheapest option?
• 7 A Thrifty Case Study: A Round the World Trip from New York City
• 8 What are the alternatives?
• 9 So, is a round the world ticket worth it?

How do Round The World tickets work?

Round the world (RTW) tickets are flight packages that let you visit a number of destinations around the world for one price. These tickets are offered by airline alliances like SkyTeam, Oneworld, and Star Alliance. All the flights in your itinerary must be served by airlines within the chosen alliance.

RTW tickets require you to select your destinations and departure dates in advance. This means you prepay for the pass and book all of your flights before your trip. Note: you don't have to actually fly “around the world” with these tickets , they're also sold as multi-city flights, continent-based travel, or by miles.

The perk of RTW tickets is the ability to book all flights at once at a discounted price, plus ensures a mass accumulation of frequent flyer miles since you'll only be flying partner airlines. You can even purchase part or all of your RTW ticket with relevant miles, where permitted.

How to book a round the world ticket

Round the world tickets can be purchased directly with airline alliances or via  travel agents .

Airline Alliances

• OneWorld Alliance
• Star Alliance

Each alliance offers an online trip planner that allows you to put in every stop of your itinerary and get a price quote. It also makes it easy to work around the restrictions of round the world tickets, warning you when your planned route doesn't meet the requirements. All alliances offer online booking, or you can call one of the participating alliance airlines directly.

Travel Agents

• AirTreks (U.S. – our top choice & has 32+ years experience in RTW planning)
• Liberty Travel (U.S.)
• Flight Centre ( Australia , U.K. , Canada )
• RoundAbout Travel (Australia)
• Student Flights (Australia)
• A travel agent local to you

Travel agents have exclusive access to flight deals, plus receive discounts accessible only via their IATA code. They also save a great deal of time and money whilst adhering to your budget and needs. Find an agency that specializes in round the world tickets, so they're aware of the restrictions and can secure the best price.

What are the restrictions and/or setbacks?

RTW tickets often more expensive than a DIY approach (covered later), especially given they exclude budget airlines. Furthermore, there are restrictions to follow, so ensure you've read the fine print. Such restrictions typically include:

• A minimum number of flights to book (typically three), as well as a maximum
• Flights usually must be within the same airline alliance. This can sometimes result in obscure stopovers to stay with partner alliances.
• Restrictions on the direction of travel (e.g. East to West only) and/or requiring you to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at least once
• All flights must end in the city you started from and connect from city-to-city (i.e. you can't fly into London, then take a train to fly out of Paris)
• A minimum number of stopovers
• Additional surcharges for itinerary changes and/or flying to certain destinations
• Missing a flight in your itinerary could result in the remaining flights being cancelled, even if days or weeks away

Whew! Though there are many restrictions, most will come up when making your booking . Simply use the round the world ticket planners provided by each alliance, put in your desired destinations, and the options and costs will be presented automatically.

The alternative: book separate flights yourself

The value of a round the world ticket depends on the route you're taking and the flexibility needed. More often than not, you'll find it's cheaper, easier, and more flexible to book your own round the world trip online across several bookings using multi-destination flight search engines like Kiwi.com  and Skyscanner . You also can mix and match airlines, and aren't confined by the restrictions that accompany an actual RTW ticket.

Credit card points programs also allow multi-city flight bookings, effectively allowing you to book your own round the world trip via points or a combination of cash and points. You can readily rack up a significant amount of miles just by hitting the minimum spend within a set time. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is our top pick as a beginner card. On hitting its minimum spend, you can earn up to 60,000 points worth $750 – more than enough for an international flight .

Flight deal subscriptions like Scotts Cheap Flights compile discounted airfare to your inbox, based on the desired departure airports. Whilst this doesn't include RTW flights, this could help you cover some of the legs of your trip, as it has majorly discounted international flights departing the U.S. For those outside America, similar services exist in the U.K. ( Jack's Flight Club ) and Canada ( Next Departure ).

The only major drawbacks with booking a RTW ticket yourself is the time and patience needed to make the booking. Additionally, you may end up with frequent flyer miles spread across a variety of programs, without enough miles in any program to use them. Most likely though, you'll come out ahead financially doing it yourself.

How to book your own round the world trip

Kiwi.com  and Skyscanner are the two flight search engines we recommend for booking your own tickets for a round the world trip. They include budget airlines and let you search multi-destination flights, letting you see prices for your entire itinerary at once.

The key difference between the two is that Skyscanner prefers results from partner airlines , while Kiwi.com will always  mix and match airlines (including budget airlines) for the cheapest price . Either booking site can be beneficial depending on your trip, so to get the best price, be sure to compare results and follow these tips:

• Experiment with  the order of your destinations for the best price. Just because a flight is shorter doesn't mean it will be cheaper.
• Experiment with the  dates of each flight . This can be time consuming, but if you're dedicated, you can shave hundreds of dollars off your total cost by simply finding the cheapest dates for each flight.
• Multi-city and  return flights are often better value than booking many one-way flights when they can all be fulfilled by the same airline/alliance. For example, Virgin Atlantic has routes from New York to London, London to Shanghai, and Shanghai to New York, so making one multi-city booking with this single airline will be cheaper than several individual bookings with different airlines.
• Skyscanner prefers partner airlines that can fulfil the entire itinerary you submit, which doesn't always get you the best price on complex itineraries. So if you have a lot of destinations, split your searches into 3-4 destinations at a time . For example, instead of submitting New York > London  > Paris > Beijing > New York as a single search, try searching New York > London > Paris as one search, and Paris > Prague > Beijing > New York as a second search. You don't have to worry about this on Kiwi.com , which always mixes and matches airlines to get the best results.

So, what's the cheapest option?

In our tests, the DIY approach is always cheaper, but it depends on the kind of trip you're taking. Round the world tickets can cost anywhere from $1,500 USD to $20,000 USD . The price varies greatly, and depends on your departure point, number of flights, distance flown, continents flown to, and flight class.

On the other hand, regular flight ticket prices are all over the map, dependent mostly on supply and demand. Sometimes a flight across continents can be even cheaper than a flight within your own country. Since regular flight tickets include budget airlines , sale and error fares , and you can still take advantage of discounts with partner airlines,  booking your own flight tickets has always been cheaper for us .

The only way to know for sure is to compare. Use the links provided in this guide and see what gives you the best result!

A Thrifty Case Study: A Round the World Trip from New York City

As an example, let's find the best price for the following round the world trip:  New York City > London > Paris > Prague > Beijing > Hong Kong > New York City . We want to go in  April and May , and we are booking now in  January . We'll start on Tuesday, April 10, and schedule each consecutive flight for the following Tuesday.

Option 1: A round the world travel agent

Booking with AirTreks also gives you a team with over 32 years of experience in RTW planning, all your tickets in one spot (instead of many confusing separate bookings), 24/7 support, and better routes (less layover time, more baggage, etc.) If you do find a cheaper fare yourself, let them know – AirTreks tells us they're confident they could beat it!

Option 2: A round the world ticket booked directly with airline alliances

Putting in the same itinerary into each of the airline alliances' round the world trip planner gives us the following totals:

• OneWorld: $3,738.86 USD
• SkyTeam: $3,904.28 USD
• Star Alliance: $4,543.84 USD

Not exactly thrifty, and up to 3x the advertised price of the travel agent! True round the world tickets require strategic planning, so using a travel agent's expertise can save you time and money. But let's take a look at booking regular airline tickets yourself…

Option 3: Book your own tickets using Kiwi.com and Skyscanner

Using the Kiwi.com multicity search feature, we enter our full itinerary, and within minutes, we have a variety of options from $1,390 – $1,434 USD .

As we mentioned, Skyscanner usually just shows results from  partner airlines that can fulfill a ticket for the entire route. This route is pretty complex, and it's unlikely one airline alliance could fulfill it all, so let's  break it up .

After half an hour of trying different combinations of multi-city and one-way searches, the cheapest combination I could find for these dates was

• New York City > London > Paris > Prague: $390 USD
• Prague > Beijing: $283 USD
• Beijing > Hong Kong: $119 USD
• Hong Kong > New York City: $493 USD
• TOTAL TRIP COST: $1,285 USD

This is the cheapest option, beating Kiwi.com by only $105. What's going on here? In short, trial and error. The first batch of airlines aren't partners, but Skyscanner sometimes lets you mix and match airlines by using Kiwi.com for booking. And although there are partner airlines to fulfill the rest of the route, Hong Kong Airlines is an independent budget airline with competitive pricing, so it ended up being cheaper to book the flights separately in order to include their fares.

You can take this even further by testing different dates in your itinerary, as well as the order of your flights. As you can see, the process can be time consuming, but a little time rewards you with hundreds or thousands of dollars saved!

What are the alternatives?

Regional flight passes.

While not a round the world ticket in itself, this type of flight pass might be more sensible for your trip, depending whether you'll be flying a lot in one region versus globally. For instance, if you are planning to take more flights around South America than across continents, then you may be better off investing in one of their regional passes (check our guide here ).

Some examples of regional flight passes include:

• OneWorld single-continent passes: available for Africa, Asia, Japan, Australia & New Zealand, Malaysia, South America, Europe, North America, Middle East, South Asian Sub-Continent
• OneWorld multi-continent passes: rather than flying all the way around the world, these passes let you fly in a circle around one smaller area of the world
• SkyTeam regional passes : available for Asia & Southwest Pacific, Africa, Asia, Europe, Greater China, Russia, and USA & Canada
• Independent airline passes in South America : these work within specific South American countries (check our comprehensive list and guide here )
• Qantas Explorer pass : a flight pass for exploring Australia and New Zealand

Building your own stopover

A stopover – that is, an extended layover where you can actually leave the airport for 1 or more days or weeks – can be added for cheap or free to any trip, all by yourself. Our how-to guide here explains exactly how to do this.

Essentially, you find a flight fare that includes a layover, but instead of rushing to your connecting flight, you spend days or weeks in the layover destination, visiting 2 destinations for the price of 1. Whether you go round the world or not, it's a great way to squeeze more travel value out of your flight costs.

So, is a round the world ticket worth it?

In short, for most travellers, the answer is probably no. There are a certain set of criteria where it could be more cost-effective, and some travellers may prefer the ease of having all of their tickets booked in one pass anyway. However, the fixed timing, many restrictions, and high price are likely to be unappealing to those who are seeking a thriftier approach, especially when it's so easy to book yourself for less with Kiwi.com and Skyscanner .

The Thrifty Gist

• Round the world tickets are usually pricier than self-booking, but offer peace of mind and a pre-set itinerary
• A dedicated RTW agent such as AirTreks can save you a lot of time, with the added benefit of 24/7 support, having all of your flights in one place, established airlines with shorter routes, and over 32 years of experience in RTW planning. AirTreks tells us they're confident they could beat the other prices in this post, so if you find a cheaper fare yourself, let them know!
• Round the world tickets can be booked with airline alliances or travel agents, while self-booking regular flight tickets can be booked using the multi-destination features of Skyscanner and Kiwi.com
• Self-booking is usually the cheapest approach to a round the world trip, but can also be more tedious
• Reasons to self-book include the abundance of available error/sale fares , budget airlines, the ease with which self-booking can be done, and that stopovers can easily be added to any trip

Our website contains some affiliate links in relevant areas. This means we get a small commission, at no extra cost to you, for recommending a product we personally use, trust, and own.

trying to fin d the cheapest country to start a Oneworld 4 continent ticket July 2022, it used to be South Africa or Jordan, any update links?

Please send complete information for my round the world travel for 2 – up to a year.

Skyteam RTW tickets are not available currently, and haven’t been since the start of COVID. The Star Alliance RTW business ticket I just booked was half the price of using the DIY method.

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Here's what you need to know to plan a trip around the world

Dec 29, 2021 • 7 min read

Don't start planning your round-the-world trip without reading this guide © Getty Images

In 1924, a team of aviators from the USA successfully completed the first-ever circumnavigation of the globe by airplane, a feat that took 175 days, 76 stops, a cache of 15 Liberty engines, 14 spare pontoons, four aircraft and two sets of new wings. This achievement ushered in an era of international air travel, and nearly a century later, travelers are still creating their own round-the-world itineraries. 

You might not have the same worries as those early aviators, but planning a round-the-world trip has never been a more complex process. As COVID-19 continues to alter world travel , heading out on a multi-country trip might be more complicated than it has been in decades. While it might not be the right time to hit the road, luckily it's never too early to start figuring out the logistics of a trip around the globe. After all, who doesn't have a lot of pent-up wanderlust at the moment? 

When it comes to booking your trip, there are several options for booking your airfare, as well as flexibility on timing, destinations and budget. But don't let that overwhelm you – start here with our handy guide on how to plan that round-the-world trip you’ve always dreamed of.

Where and how to get a round-the-world plane ticket

The most economical way to circumnavigate the globe is to buy a round-the-world (RTW) plane ticket through a single airline alliance. These are confederations of several different airlines that make it simple to maximize the number of places you can travel and pay for it all in one place or with points. There are three primary airline alliances to choose from: Star Alliance, OneWorld and Skyteam.  Star Alliance is a coalition of 26 airlines that fly to 1300 airports in 98% of the world’s countries.  OneWorld includes 14 airlines traveling to 1100 destinations in 180 territories.  Skyteam is made up of 19 airlines that serve 1000 destinations in 170 countries.  

Read more:   How to save money when you're traveling

Once you pick an airline alliance, whether because of a loyalty program you’re already a member of or because you like its terms, conditions and destination list, you can purchase a single RTW airline ticket made up of several legs fulfilled by that alliance’s partners. The RTW ticket rules vary between each of the airline alliances, with particulars like Star Alliance’s rule that a RTW ticket can include two to 15 stops. But there are some general principles that apply to most RTW tickets, no matter which airline group you go with. 

You typically must follow one global direction (east or west – no backtracking); you must start and finish in the same country; and you must book all your flights before departure, though you can change them later (though this could incur extra charges). Typically you have one year to get from your starting point to the finish line.

How long do I need for a round-the-world trip?

You could whip around the world in a weekend if you flew non-stop, especially with the advent of new ultra-long-haul flights that can clock in at 20 hours of flight time. However, the minimum duration of most RTW tickets is 10 days – still a breathless romp. To get the most out of your round-the-world ticket, consider stock-piling vacation days, tagging on public holidays or even arranging a sabbatical from work to take off at least two months (but ideally six months to one year). Because most airline alliances give you up to a year to use your ticket, you can maximize your purchase if you plan well.

When should I travel on a round-the-world trip?

The weather will never be ideal in all your stops, so focus on what you want to do most and research the conditions there. In general, city sightseeing can be done year-round (escape extreme heat, cold or rain in museums and cafes), but outdoor adventures are more reliant on – and enjoyable in – the right weather.

Research ahead of time if any must-see destinations or must-do activities will mean facing crowds. For example, if you’re hoping to be in Austria for the famous Salzburg Festival, you’ll want to plan ahead and book your tickets months in advance. If you’re hoping to fit a shorter thru-hike into your round-the-world trip, you’ll want to make sure you’re going in the correct season and starting in the right spot. You won’t get far or have as enjoyable an experience if you’re, say, attempting the Tour du Mont Blanc during the dates of the annual winter marathon or headed northbound on the Pacific Crest Trail in July, missing most of the warmer months. 

Accept youʼll be in some regions at the "wrong" time – though this might offer unexpected benefits. For example, Victoria Falls has a dry season each year , which means a slightly less thunderous cascade, but it does open up rafting opportunities and a chance to swim right up to the lip of the falls in The Devil’s Pool. Going to Venice in the winter might mean grayer skies but fewer crowds. Heading to Kenya and Tanzania in April is likely to mean fewer humans, but not fewer chances to spot wildlife, all while saving money on safari.  Also keep in mind that mom-and-pop locations have their downtime and holiday seasons as well; don't be too surprised if your local bakery in Paris is closed for a holiday week or two in August.

Where should I go on my round-the-world trip?

The classic (and cheapest) RTW tickets flit between a few big cities, for example, London – Bangkok – Singapore – Sydney – LA . If you want to link more offbeat hubs ( Baku – Kinshasa – Paramaribo , anyone?), prices will climb considerably. The cost of the ticket is also based on the total distance covered or the number of countries visited.

Remember, you donʼt have to fly between each point: in Australia you could land in Perth , travel overland and fly out of Cairns . Or fly into Moscow , board the Trans-Siberian railway  and fly onwards from Beijing.  Pick some personal highlights and string the rest of your itinerary around those. For instance, if youʼre a keen hiker, flesh out a Peru ( Inca Trail ) – New Zealand ( Milford Track ) – Nepal ( Everest Base Camp ) itinerary with stops in Yosemite , Menz-Gauassa and the Okavango Delta .

If budgetʼs an issue, spend more time in less expensive countries and plan budget city breaks along the way. You’ll spend more in metros like Paris, Dubai and San Francisco than in Nusa Tenggara , Budapest  and Buffalo . 

Tips, tricks and pitfalls of round-the-world tickets

Talk to an expert before you book a round-the-world ticket: you may have an itinerary in mind, but an experienced RTW flight booker will know which routes work best and cost least. A few tweaks could mean big savings in time and money. Hash out a budget well ahead of time, not only for your RTW ticket, but also for the whole trip. Reach out to friends or travel bloggers who have done a round-the-world trip or are full-time travelers because they can offer tips on how to budget for a trip around the world .

Be flexible: moving your departure date by a few days can save money. Mid-week flights are generally cheaper, as are flights on major holidays such as Christmas Day. Avoid days and times popular with business travelers to escape higher prices and more crowded cabins.

Think about internal travel: it can be cheaper to book internal flights at the same time as booking your RTW ticket, but with the global increase of low-cost airlines, you may find it better (and more flexible) to buy them separately as you go.

Be warned: if you donʼt board one of your booked flights (say, on a whim, you decide to travel overland from Bangkok to Singapore rather than fly it) your airline is likely to cancel all subsequent flights.

You might also like: 10 destinations perfect for solo travel Can visiting lesser-known places offer a better travel experience? 6 things I learned from flying 6 days in a row

This article was first published March 2012 and updated December 2021

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Plan Your Trip

Plan your rtw trip.

Finding the right round the world trip planner can be difficult. This is first and foremost because many such tools on the internet are only for planning (and, in some cases, booking) RTW flights. The truly difficult part of planning a trip around the world is deciding where to go, how long to stay and how to arrange your trip, so the content deficit (let alone how rare it is to find a quality world trip planner) is frustrating for many travelers.

The good news? Whether you want to travel all around the world, or simply want to visit multiple continents during a single trip, this guide covers all the bases you’ll need to hit as you plan your trip.

Of course, I’ll also touch on the particulars of buying a RTW ticket, including a somewhat contentious recommendation on my part. I’m about to share a great deal of information with you, but I promise: Planning a RTW trip is much, much easier than it looks.

Booking Round the World Flights

Many a round the world trip planner (which to say, any airline alliance website create for the purpose of selling flights) will tell you that booking a single RTW ticket is essential for a round the world trip. However, I don’t agree with this. In addition to the fact that having a single travel the world for a year itinerary (even a flexible one) can lock you in on a trip that will be anything but predictable, it’s often more cost effective to book individual segments, particularly if you have some miles or points to play with.

Let’s say, for example, that you live in the United States and want to fly around the world westward. After taking advantage of a rock-bottom one-way flight from the US to Japan or China , you can take advantage of low-cost flights as you explore Southeast Asia and Australia , then gradually make your way to Europe (and from there, Africa ), flying to South America before returning home, often for only a few hundred dollars per segment. A round-the-world ticket, on the other hand, which often only includes long-distance flights, can easily cost between $2,000-3,000. And that’s without the fees you’ll certainly have to pay to change it as your plans evolve.

How Long Does a Round the World Trip Take?

Whether or not you work with an around the world trip planner, you should keep in mind that as you plan a round the world trip, the issue of timing can be surprisingly far in the back of your mind, particularly if you’ll be traveling to regions of the world you’ve never visited. While two weeks traveling through Japan or Western Europe can allow you to cover a lot of ground, it’s woefully insufficient in places like India , Africa or even much of South America. In general, it’s safe to assume you’re probably underestimating how long you’ll need to devote to your trip.

Broadly speaking, I’d say the best round the world holidays last a minimum of six months, though I have personally taken epic trips in a shorter amount of time than that. On the other hand, I’d caution against traveling for longer than a year at a time, as being away from your “real life” for such a period can have other impacts on your well-being, ones you might not be able to anticipate right now.

How Much Does a Round the World Trip Cost?

Another deficiency of many a round the world trip planner (which is once again to say a flight booking tool) is that it provides only a piece of the cost puzzle—your round the world trip isn’t only going to cost a few thousand dollars. Generally speaking, the average cost of traveling anywhere in the world is between 50-150 USD per person, per day, which means that a conservative estimate for the cost of the ultimate around the world itinerary for a six-month trip (without your “big” flights) is between $9,000-27,000. Not cheap!

Of course, there are ways to decrease the cost of a travel around the world itinerary, whether you manage to find the cheapest round the world ticket, take advantage of opportunities for free or discounted stays (whether you couch surf or do some sort of volunteer program) or simply keep your dining out and shopping to a minimum. In general, however, I’d recommend over-estimating your budget than under-estimating it, if only so you don’t end up as a “begpacker.”

When to Take a Round the World Trip

When you travel around the world will depend upon where you want to go. While most of the sample round the world routes I’ll recommend in the next section are fairly evergreen, some destinations are better during certain months than others, and planning according to this can influence the rest of your travel trajectory.

For example, let’s assume you want to see the cherry blossoms in Japan , probably the world’s most famous seasonal spectacle. Whether you choose from my round the world trip ideas below or commission a custom 6 month travel itinerary, you’ll want to arrange the rest of your RTW trip to optimize the weather in all your destinations. You might head to Nepal after Japan, for instance, to trek when the country’s famous rhododendrons are blooming, or visit Australia and New Zealand before Japan to catch the tail end of warm weather Down Under.

Round the World Trip Ideas

The best of six continents.

Most round the world trip planners will want to see the “whole world” on their trips—all six inhabited continents, and potentially even Antarctica. Regardless of where your RTW travel originates, the general path you will follow is North America-Asia (Australia/New Zealand)-(Middle East/India) Europe (Africa)-South America-North America, or maybe in reverse depending upon where you start and what time of year you’re traveling.

In terms of a general flight path, this might look something like the following: Los Angeles-Vancouver- Tokyo – Bangkok – Sydney – Dubai – Paris -Cairo-Cape Town-London-Buenos Aires- Bogota -Houston. Needless to say there are countless variations, from a 6 month round the world trip to ones much longer!

Wonders of the World

Rather than taking a comprehensive approach (which can lead to a year or even longer on the road—again, not an option for the majority of travelers), you can start your world travel planner based on a finite list of world wonders, be it classic ones you find on an Asia trip planner like the Great Wall or ones you designate yourself, such as Barcelona ‘s Sagrada Familia church or Ethiopia’s “Door to Hell.”

Assuming you take a more classic route for your around the world itinerary, you might go about planning a round the world trip between wonders as follows. From Chicago to Beijing (for the Great Wall), then to Delhi (for the Taj Mahal), to Cairo (for the Pyramids ), to Athens (for the Acropolis), to London (for Stonehenge), to Rio de Janeiro (for Christ the Redeemer) to New York (for the Statue of Liberty). Again, this is highly customizable!

The Backpacker’s Trail

I’ve taken great pains within this round the world trip planner to be honest and sober about the cost of traveling around the world, but this is still a sort of trip that people on the backpacking spectrum can take. Specifically if you decide to string together affordable destinations like Southeast Asia, India, Eastern Europe, Andean South America and Central America.

For instance, if you’re seeking a cheap around the world itinerary, you might fly from Denver to Kuala Lumpur (via China, as Chinese airlines are the cheapest), then fly to Mumbai or Delhi for a month or two there. From there, head to Ukraine or Poland to begin a month or so backpacking Eastern Europe (I particularly like the Balkans ), before taking a flight (probably a multi-leg one) to Lima (where Peru and Bolivia await) or Cancun, from which can you head south to affordable Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Five-Star Frolic

On the other end up to the spectrum for a world trip itinerary, travelers without a set budget can enjoy a round the world business class (or even first class) romp that pulls out all the stops. Rather than focusing on a set range of destinations, you can plan your trip based on luxurious hotels and experiences, be it a Tanzania safari from the opulent Four Seasons Serengeti , sampling award-winning in-flight products and services from airlines like Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines or dining in foodie capitals like Tokyo and Paris.

If you’re planning a luxury round the world trip, it makes sense to enlist the help of a professional (me or someone else), since the price of such assistance (usually between $100-200 per week of travel) is minimal compared to the overall cost of such a RTW trip.

Other FAQ About RTW Travel

How many stops do you get on a round the world ticket.

Whether you’re planning a 6 month round the world trip or plan to stay on the road for years, I am a proponent of piecemeal booking of air travel, rather than committing yourself to a RTW ticket. Therefore, I consider the number of “stops” permitted on such a ticket to be superfluous.

How do I plan a trip around the world?

Unless you are a very experienced global traveler, I recommend against trying to plan a trip on your trip. Rather, work with a professional (such as Yours Truly) to arrange a travel the world for a year itinerary. Or for longer than a year, or shorter—you get the idea.

Are round the world tickets worth it?

No! As I’ve expressed many times during this round the world itinerary, I am not a fan of RTW plane tickets. They rarely cost less; booking and changing them requires a pedantic phone call—or rather phone calls, since you’ll have to call in every time you want to make a modification.

Round the World Trip Planning

The best round the world trips are the ones where you get out on the road and go where the wind takes you, but that’s not realistic for most people. Whether because of finite funds or a “real life” you need to get back to, round the world trips require more planning than you’d probably like, even if you’re generally an adventurous and spontaneous traveler.

“So,” you might be asking, “can you plan my round the world trip for me?” The answer is yes, though there are a couple caveats. Because of the length and breadth of most RTW trips, many travelers want a more skeletal version of my typical “Travel Coaching” itinerary, which is typical extremely detailed and includes day-by-day recommendations. As a result, my pricing for planning RTW itineraries differs from what I’ve published on my Travel Coaching page , so I’d advise emailing me directly with any inquiries.

The Bottom Line

No matter how extensive a round the world trip planner you’ve been seeking, I’m confident that mine has met your needs. For most travelers, it’s simply a matter of learning your RTW flight booking options, assessing the cost of your RTW trip and deciding upon destinations and routing. However, others might want to hire a world trip planner (or a least a skeleton of it, which puts in place a broad trajectory) on their behalf.

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Round the World How-To

Inside: the ultimate guide to planning a dream vacation around the world, from rtw tickets to choosing your bucket list itinerary..

Let’s face it, the pandemic was a punch to the gut for travel lovers around the world.

Never did I think I’d see a day when I couldn’t just bebop onto a transatlantic flight. Or just, say, leave my own home. But there we were.

When I (literally) dusted off my passport in early 2021, the thin layer of dust accumulated was borderline soul crushing.

But fear not dear globetrotters, the pandemic era is finally in the rear view mirror and international travel has rebounded with a heart-warming zeal!

So now what?

You’ve got some lost time to make up for, that’s what.

And there’s no better way to do it than with a life-changing, Bucket-List-crushing, dream vacation around the world .

Take my word for it…I’ve done 10 around the world trips, visiting more than 175 countries on all 7 continents along the way. And you can, too.

But I probably don’t need to waste my time selling you on the idea of a trip around the world. You found this site. I suspect you’re on board.

So let’s start with the basics.

What is a Round the World Trip?

Simply put, a Round the World (RTW) trip is a circumnavigation of the globe, either in an eastward or westward direction. Start in one city and continue east or west until you get back to it. That’s all there is to it!

Tip: West is best for combatting jetlag, while east saves time and hotel nights ($$) with overnight flights. (I’m cheap and usually short on time, I fly east. )

Read More: 8 Reasons to Stop Dreaming & Start Planning a Trip “Around the World in 30 Days “

Of course, while the concept of round the world travel is simple, the variables are far more complex.

For example, you may be wondering…

How many days do I need for a RTW trip?

What you’ve probably seen on YouTube and Instagram from round the world travelers is true.

Most quit their jobs, sell their possessions, and hit the road for a year or more with big dramatic flair. Of course, that kind of nomadic commitment is not for everyone.

And I’m living proof that there are other options.

My first 9 RTW trips were approximately 30 days each. The lone exception was RTW #10, my honeymoon , which clocked in at a pretty incredible 3 months.

I’ve also done 30-day trips focused on various regions of the world like Europe , Central America , Oceania , the Balkans , and the Himalayas (a great option if there’s a specific part of the world that interests you or you just hate jetlag).

For me, a month is the ideal amount of time to travel.

Long enough to truly disconnect and explore. Yet short enough that I’m unlikely to throw my carry-on (we’ll get to that) suitcase out the nearest train window because I’m tired of every single thing in it.

There’s no right answer to how long your round the world trip should take. I know someone who went around the world in 5 days (zero stars, do not recommend) and someone else who started 10 years ago and is still going strong.

So, two weeks, a month, or even 6 months to travel around the world? It’s totally up to you.

The bottom line: Take as much time as you can, anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months will do. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that you never know if you’ll have the chance to do it again.

A trip around the world sounds amazing, but how do I get the time off?

When I wrote the first edition of The Grown-Up’s Guide to Globetrotting 11 years ago, this topic was a central focus and the largest hurdle to taking a career-friendly trip around the world. After all, most Americans are stuck with a measly 2 weeks of annual vacation leave (the horror!).

So, how do you travel the world without tanking your career?

Amazingly, on this front, the COVID-19 pandemic gifted us with one gleaming silver lining:

WORK. FROM. HOME.

Yes, even the stuffiest of Fortune 500 corporations have finally come around to the idea that work from home can (and does) work – with the right employee.

This revelation is especially thrilling to me as someone who has been working from home (combined with business travel) for more than 20 years.

In fact, my friends will tell you that my life mantra has always been:

If you can work from home, you can work from Rome. Jenny McIver Brocious

Or Paris. Or Bangkok. Or wherever floats your boat. You get the idea.

There’s a lot more to making this work successfully from exotic locales – time zone challenges, reliable internet, etc. (I go into that in detail in the book) – but I can assure you, it can be done. And it beats the pants off working from your dining room table.

The bottom line: You can use the WFH option to increase your available time for travel. Add days or weeks onto your trip or schedule a trip just to work from somewhere inspiring.

What’s on your Bucket List?

And now we come to the fun part. This is where the magic happens.

Where in the world do you want to go?

I speak from experience when I say that there are few things more thrilling than sitting down in front of a giant foldout map of the world and plotting out your dream vacation .

Maybe you already have a dozen exotic destinations in mind. Or maybe there are places in the world you never considered visiting because they always seemed too far away.

The beauty of going around the world is that the entire world becomes just a short flight away.

How many destinations should I choose?

The answer will directly correlate to how much time you plan to take. My month-long trips have ranged from an uber-ambitious 15 stops on Round the World #1 to a more relaxed pace with 8 stops on Round the World #2 .

Here’s a simple, 3-step plan to crafting your round the world itinerary:

• Make your wish list.
• Compare it to the number of days you have to travel.
• Adjust accordingly.

Critically evaluate how long you actually need to see each place on your wish list.

For some (like me), 2-3 days per destination can be a good rule of thumb. Devote more time to your “ Top 5 ” must-see destinations and maybe just spend one day exploring the city you only added to the itinerary because it was right there and you couldn’t just skip it (you laugh, but I guarantee a few of these stops will sneak their way onto your itinerary!).

Remember that a short-term round the world trip, however incredible, is not going to be an in-depth cultural experience at every stop. Think more Amazing Race and less Under the Tuscan Sun .

It IS, however, a terrific way to get a taste of new and exciting places and start building a new wish list for future trips.

Depending on your interest level, you may not need a week to see the Pyramids , I did it in an afternoon and it was magnificent. A full day at the Taj Mahal and a morning walk along the Great Wall of China were enough to fulfill my dream of seeing those world wonders.

But that’s me. And I’ve been told I can be a little, ah, overly-energetic when I travel. You do you.

Need some destination inspiration? Here are 30 of my favorite travel experiences around the world:

Around the World in 30 Extraordinary Travel Experiences

And here are the Top 50 places I think should be on every Bucket List:

50 Amazing Places for Your Travel Bucket List (2024)

Round the World Flights: The RTW Ticket (your new best friend)

I am fortunate that my years of excessive business travel have one nifty little side benefit, I have a crap ton of airline miles.

So when I discovered the magical world of “ Round the World airline tickets ” years ago, those Delta miles not only afforded me the opportunity to take that first RTW trip but to take it in first class with Delta’s Skyteam Alliance.

Sadly, the days of booking a RTW ticket with miles went the way of the dodo bird in 2015. I won’t lie to you, I wept openly when Delta first announced it (followed quickly by United and American).

But all is not lost if you’ve been hoarding miles like pandemic toilet paper. All major US airlines now allow one-way award booking. Meaning you can still use your miles to route yourself around the world, one one-way flight at a time!

And honestly, the old mileage RTW tickets were a deal but they were a BEAR to book and had zero flexibility. One-way award booking gives you a ton more flexibility plus the option to mix economy and business class legs (for longer flights) on your journey. This is a BIG perk.

Here are a few more tips for you “ Up in the Air ” business travelers out there with miles & points to burn:

How to Use Points & Miles to Redeem Your RTW Dream

No miles, no problem

Two of the three major airline alliances do still offer paid RTW ticket options. Delta’s Skyteam Alliance is the exception, they discontinued the RTW ticket option completely a few years ago. The airline alliance RTW tickets are not cheap and you’ll spend extra time connecting through hub cities but you can earn a ton of miles as you travel.

If that option interests you, start here:

• Oneworld – World Travel (American, Alaska)
• Star Alliance – Round the World (United)

The affordable RTW ticket…

If redeeming (or earning) miles isn’t your jam and you truly just want the most affordable way to see the world, skip the airline alliances and head straight to:

• Airtreks – This site is more service oriented, you enter a proposed itinerary and a travel planner will contact you to create the perfect customized itinerary.
• BootsnAll – This one is more DIY. You can create and book an itinerary yourself online.

Unlike the airline alliances, these two round the world airfare specialists utilize all airlines to create your dream itinerary. This will often yield both the best price and the most direct routing for your trip.

WARNING: Once you start playing around with the trip planners on these two sites, you may become addicted to the global possibilities.

Tip: You guessed it, I’ve covered all the ins and outs of booking RTW tickets in the book.

Hotels vs. Airbnb – Where to stay?

Once again business travel rewards can be handy when planning a round the world trip.

My Marriott and Hilton points have been offsetting the costs of my round the world trips for years. Not to mention affording me swank rooms at hotels and resorts that were WAY outside of my round the world budget, like these:

But if you don’t have points, not to worry! I am a firm believer that a quality, affordable hotel can always be found, even in the most expensive destinations. My go-to hotel site (when I’m not using points) is Booking.com .

Tip: If you’re not a member of any hotel frequent guest programs, sign up for all of them before you go. It’s free and you’ll earn points as you travel. Many also offer perks during your stay, just for being a member.

If you’re not a fan of chain hotels or if you’re going to be in one spot for more than 3 or 4 days, I’d highly recommend an apartment rental. They can be considerably cheaper than even the most economical hotel and having a kitchen can be a tremendous cost-saver as well. Not to mention it’s just fun to live more like a local!

One of my favorite apartment rental sites is Airbnb but I’ve also found that more and more apartment rentals are also listed on Booking.com (and the fees there are often cheaper than Airbnb). That said, I’ve booked with Airbnb all over the world (including the Tuscan villa we used for our wedding – below!) and never had a bad experience. If you haven’t yet rented through Airbnb, click here for my discount code. You’ll get $40 off your first rental and, when you book, I’ll get $20 off my next rental…that’s a win-win!

Who should I travel with on an around the world trip?

If you’re married, it would probably be rude to go without your spouse (try it at your own marital peril).

But if you’re single, this is a question that deserves serious consideration. If you’ve never traveled solo, your gut instinct may be to find a friend or family member to travel with.

But before you do that, consider this…

A solo trip around the world is perhaps the best gift you can ever give yourself, especially for women. It’s empowering, it’s safe and it just might be the best travel experience of your life.

Read More: Why Every Woman Should Travel the World Solo (at Least Once) & How to Stay Safe Doing It

No matter what you decide, choose carefully.

How to pack (carry on only!) for an around the world trip

Yes, you read that right. I just casually floated the idea of traveling around the world for a month or longer with nothing but a carry-on bag.

If you’re a guy, you were probably not at all alarmed by the previous paragraph and thought, “ Couple of t-shirts, some shorts, underwear, got it. ” You can scroll down to the next topic, this section is not about you.

Now, for my globetrotting ladies. I’m going to ask you to trust me on this one (we’ve known each other for 10 or 15 minutes now and I feel like you get me).

With so many flights involved in a RTW trip, carry-on is truly the only option.

Reuniting with a lost bag can quickly become a logistical nightmare when you’re changing cities every few days. (And I can assure you that no one at the lost baggage desk understands what “ RTW ticket ” means.)

If you don’t believe me you can read all about the one time I broke my own rule and ended up spending an entire day at baggage claim in Paris on Round the World #4 . (Actually, don’t. It’s mind-numbing reading and definitely not my best work.)

You can do this. You don’t need all the “ stuff ” you think you do!

(For the things you do need, here’s all the Stuff I Love most!)

I have traveled for as long as 3 months out of just a carry-on (and in case I forgot to mention it, I’m a girl!). I do freely admit, however, that I was over just about every item of clothing in that suitcase by the end. I also confess I checked a bag to Antarctica. Because Antarctica .

How do I do it? This excerpt from “ The Grown-Up’s Guide to Globetrotting ” is guaranteed to help you overcome your RTW packing challenges:

How to Travel Around the World with Just a Carry-On: A Girl’s Guide to Traveling Light

What else do I need to know for a RTW trip?

We’ve covered the big-ticket items – how long to travel, how many places to visit, with who, how to find RTW tickets, where to stay, and what to pack. So what’s left?

Well, a LOT actually. But hey, that’s where my book comes in (insert shameless plug here).

I’ll end with a hit list of other tips, tricks and things to consider when planning your once-in-a-lifetime (or maybe more!) round the world trip:

• Apps : For currency conversion, I like Oanda. And Google translate is also incredibly handy to have around.
• Thoroughly research entry requirements for ALL countries you plan to visit well in advance. Almost all visa applications can now be completed online.
• A good universal power adapter & converter is a must. More than one is a plus if you have lots of devices (and don’t we all these days?).
• Check with your doctor for any immunizations you may need for your destinations. I got the works before my first trip and haven’t had to worry about it since (other than the occasional prescription for malaria pills).
• Consider purchasing travel insurance, for a trip of this magnitude, it’s a must! Especially in the post-pandemic era. Here’s a good independent review of the benefits of travel insurance and the options available: 10 Best Travel Insurance Companies
• Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your planned date of return because all countries have different requirements on this.

And finally…

Get the Book!

For more comprehensive advice on planning your route, booking RTW tickets and everything else you ever wanted to know about traveling around the world, get the ultimate resource guide to planning a RTW trip (without quitting your job!):

Round the World in 30 Days: The Grown-Up’s Guide to Globetrotting

Now get out there and start planning the around the world trip of your dreams!

As Phil Keoghan says at the start of every season of the Amazing Race,

“The world is waiting for you!”

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How to plan a trip around the world

 Making the fantasy of a global odyssey an achievable reality is not as impossible as it might seem.

Combining a series of once-in-a-lifetime experiences into a single around-the-world trip can feel like the ultimate expression of luxury travel. It can be a daunting prospect though, with many contending factors to consider. Here's how to start planning the ultimate round-the-world trip.

1. Take to the sky

Air travel is, predictably, the simplest way to traverse the globe. Start by purchasing an around-the-world plane ticket through an airline alliance — coalitions of different airlines which let you pay for all of your flights in a single transaction. The alliance offers regional passes which might work better should you want to devote the bulk of your time to one or two continents.

There are three main players: Star Alliance, OneWorld and Skyteam; the latter, however, has suspended sales of RTW tickets. Star Alliance is a confederation of 26 airlines covering 1,200 airports in 98% of the world’s nations, while OneWorld’s 13 airlines serve 1,000 destinations across almost as many countries.

The small print varies, but fliers must always keep to one global direction, east or west (the latter better suits your circadian rhythm), with no backtracking; must only cross the Atlantic and Pacific oceans once each; must start and finish in the same country; and must travel for a period between 10 days and one year.

Convenience is a benefit here, allowing you to minimise paperwork. It’s worth noting that some countries, such as China, also require proof of an outbound air ticket before issuing visas.  

How to do it:   Star Alliance offers a 133-day itinerary from London via Istanbul, Dubai, Bangkok, Sydney, Los Angeles and New York from £2,580 per person.  

2. Ride the rails

A century ago, taking extended rail journeys was one of the only means of long-distance travel. Today, trains are a great option for travellers looking to minimise their carbon footprint and take a slower, more measured route.

Recapturing the romance of the past, around-the-world specialists Travel Nation can tailor-make odysseys involving   separate train journeys. Vietnam’s Reunification Express, an Outback crossing aboard the Australian Ghan and a ride on the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada can all feature.

How to do it:   Travel Nation ’s 74-night, rail-focused global tour costs from £17,760 per person, including flights, trains, accommodation, most meals and some excursions.  

3. Go Private

For those who truly want to travel in style, it’s possible to circumnavigate the globe by private jet through National Geographic Expeditions. These trips are based around epic itineraries whose remarkable destinations are brought to life by a experts and groundbreaking researchers in various fields, who most travellers never get to meet.

On the 24-day Around the World by Private Jet expedition, you can visit 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Among the trip’s standouts are Easter Island’s Moai statues, Angkor’s jungle-flanked temple complexes, rock-carved Petra and a Serengeti safari. Departing from Washington, DC, up to 75 passengers will travel VIP-style in a customised Boeing 757, bedding down throughout the adventure in five-star hotels or lodges.

How to do it: National Geographic Expeditions ’ 23-night Around the World by Private Jet trip starts from £77,100 per person, all-inclusive, including medical evacuation insurance. Departures on 10 March, 29 October and 28 December 2024.  

4. Head overland

Travellers who don’t mind hitting the open road can try Oasis Overland, a tour company specialising in overland travel. Its longest offering is a 293-day trip from the UK to Cairo via an anticlockwise loop along much of the African coast, plus Victoria Falls and Zanzibar. The slew of highlights include the Sahara desert, the Giza Pyramids and East Africa’s wildlife-rich plains.  

The 16 (or fewer) group members will ride in one of Oasis Overland’s bright yellow trucks, built for traversing bumpy roads while offering as much comfort as possible. Nights are almost exclusively spent camping, and everyone is expected to contribute by pitching tents or cooking dinners.

You could also combine trips by flying from Cairo to Istanbul and then joining another overland tour all the way to Singapore, for example.

How to do it: Oasis Overland ’s 292-night UK to Cairo expedition starts from £9,495 per person, including all transport (except flights from the UK to Gibraltar or Malaga) and a selection of excursions.

5. Do it yourself

Arranging everything yourself is an option — most easily accomplished by purchasing multi-destination flights through a comparison website such as kiwi.com or Skyscanner.

A big upside to this is that you can work out something closely aligned to your specific needs; it’ll require a fair bit of time, though, and you’ll lose out in terms of flexibility — changing dates can be tricky — and cancellation cover.

It’s usually more convenient to aim for large airport hubs — the likes of Bangkok, Dallas, Dubai, Heathrow, Paris and Singapore — as the many competing services provide more options. A typical around-the-world ticket will involve something along the lines of London — Istanbul — Bangkok — Singapore — Sydney — Los Angeles — New York — London. From these hubs, you’ll be well placed to add in more obscure destinations in between.  

It’s also worth bearing in mind that you don’t have to fly between each stage. For instance, it’s possible to travel from London to Istanbul by train, lowering your carbon footprint in the process. Or, rather than flying from Bangkok to Singapore, you could get a boat from the Thai capital to Koh Samui and continue from there instead. A reliable tool for establishing train, bus, boat or taxi costs is the website Rome2Rio, and it’s worth investigating the likes of Amtrak rail passes in the US, Eurail Passes for European trains or Greyhound coach tickets covering Australia’s east coast.

Accommodation is something to decide on in advance. Be sure to have all hotel bookings locked in place well ahead of time. Hostels are a good bet, especially if you’re travelling solo or planning an ad-hoc approach during each stage of the trip, but can be lacking in privacy and comforts. House or apartment rentals can be much more comfortable and convenient, particularly for longer stays.  

How to do it: A sample 147-day itinerary from London via Istanbul, Dubai, Bangkok, Sydney, Los Angeles and New York from kiwi.com starts at £2,189 per person, including checked luggage.

6. Enlist a pro

One of the best ways to arrange an air-based around-the-world itinerary is by booking with a specialist agent or operator such as Trailfinders, Travel Nation or AirTreks. This can cut out a lot of organisational stress, while also enabling you to take advantage of these companies’ many years of experience. These firms often have access to special deals and aren’t constrained to particular airlines or alliances, allowing them to further improve the offerings to their clients.

The AirTreks website even has a trip planner tool listing a series of suggested activities, interests and attractions such as hiking, beaches, meditation or family travel, providing an extra level of choice at the planning stage.

If you’re interested in earning air miles, specify this to the agent so that they can concentrate on finding flights that qualify. Agents will also be able to suggest tempting additional stops — Taiwan, maybe, or a pause in Oman — which can be a great way of adding an extra bit of excitement to burgeoning itineraries.  

Finally, a specialist company can also take care of — or advise on — vaccinations (such as malaria), and certification and visas you’ll need, saving you plenty of legwork.

How to do it: AirTrek s’ nine-stop ticket from London via Paris, Florence, Venice, Athens, Singapore, Sydney, Auckland and Los Angeles costs from £1,325 to £1,770.

7. Learn to sail

Land ahoy! You might just get to utter those words by signing up for a unique sailing adventure with London-based operator Another World Adventures, which can arrange for you to join a classic, square-rigged tall ship for 90 days as it makes its way around the world on a 455-day voyage. Once on board, you’ll learn how to trim the sails, haul mizzen spinnakers and lean on trade winds to cross the tropics. No experience is required, and participants will become part of a tight-knit crew and make friends for life.

It doesn’t matter at which point on its itinerary the ship happens to be, as it’s entirely possible to join subsequent legs. Setting sail from Bali on 6 November 2023, leg three sees the ship call at the Indian Ocean islands of Rodrigues and Reunion before arriving in Cape Town on 6 February. Beginning one day later, the fourth and final stage is via Namibia, the British overseas territory of St Helena, several Caribbean islands and, on 13 July, Nova Scotia in Canada.

If you’d prefer to wait and tackle the whole trip — the other two legs are Nova Scotia to Tahiti, and Tahiti to Bali — then Another World Adventures (which also offers other, similar experiences) expects it to start in 2025.

How to do it:   Another World Adventures offers 90 nights, full board, from £13,600 per person, including transport, port fees and instruction.  

8. Cruise along

Ever more around-the-world voyages are being offered by cruise lines. To join one, you’ll need one important thing: lots of spare time. The circular itineraries are mostly more than 100 days in length, with Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise maxing out at 274 nights via seven continents and around 150 stops. These kinds of journeys really fit the ‘trip of a lifetime’ tag, running up to £100,000 per person.

Notably, 2023 marks a century since the world’s first continuous passenger cruise ship completed its pioneering journey. Chartered by the American Express Company, Cunard’s SS Laconia arrived back in New York City after completing a monumental six-month sailing via Japan, Singapore, India and Egypt.  

They also sell out quicker than almost any other cruise, partly due to having a limited number of departures. Holland America Line, for example, opened bookings this summer on its new 2025 Grand World Voyage. Departing from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, this is a six-continent, 124-day round-trip which transits the Panama Canal before visiting Callao (for excursions to Machu Picchu), Easter Island, Tahiti, the Great Barrier Reef, the Seychelles, Cape Town, Kenya, Jordan and Barcelona among 46 stops.  

How to do it:   Holland America Line’s 123-night Grand World Voyage starts from £19,900 per person, full board, including complimentary airport transfers, a $500 (£400) air credit and up to £6,700 per person in onboard spending credits if booked by 3 June 2024.  

9. Hop aboard a cargo ship

A rather more adventurous way of sailing the seas is aboard a cargo ship or freighter cruise. Carrying large containers of clothes, electrical equipment, foods and most other things between the world’s major ports, some of these allot space for four to 12 passengers.

Single, twin or double cabins are the norm, usually with sea-facing windows as well as a sitting area, a desk, a shower and a toilet. A few boats come with a pool, but most are very simple — they’re built for work, not pleasure, after all — and you certainly won’t find a spa or casino (though playing cards with the crew members isn't unheard of). All meals are provided in the on-board canteen.

The major appeal is the sense of serenity — watching the ocean drift by and having time to gather your thoughts or write that novel you’ve always planned.  

This can also be an amazing way to tick off some hard-to-reach places. Take freighters travelling to Singapore from New Zealand; be it for fuel and supplies or to make a drop-off, these stop at numerous Pacific islands en route, occasionally for a couple of days. That said, some port calls are too quick for guests to go ashore.

Note that good health and unaided mobility — due to steep gangways and lots of stairs — are mandatory, and it’s not suited for children or elderly travellers.

How to do it:   Cargo Ship Voyages offers a cargo ship crossing from Rotterdam to Cuba (estimated at 16 nights) from £1,880 per person, which includes all meals.  

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6 Sensible (and Not-So-Sensible) Round-the-World Travel Itineraries

Recently I shared five planning tips for creating your ideal round-the-world travel itinerary. A reader suggested that a few sample itineraries might make useful reading, and the opportunity to play around with RTW routes for a better reason than purely my own amusement was too good to pass up.

Vagabondish is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read our disclosure .

For the sake of simplicity, I’m going to start every route in New York. I don’t live there, but I bet more readers do than in my current hometown in Western Australia, and wherever you are, you’re more likely to be able to adapt a route going through the US to suit your own situation. I’m using my favorite RTW site TripPlanner for the price estimates.

So to start off, and following my own advice, let’s look at some routes that include what I would call “sensible” destinations.

A Varied Route: Not Just Beaches, But Not Too Much Cash

New York — Barcelona — Athens — Cairo — Dubai — Bangkok — Sydney — Auckland — San Francisco — New York

For just over $3,000, it’s possible to get a RTW ticket stopping at places as varied as Gaudi-haven Barcelona, historically soaked Cairo (I hadn’t thought of Athens, but it got thrown in by TripPlanner as a free stopover), the modern architectural marvel of Dubai, and a stop in Bangkok which you could turn into a beach sojourn in a quiet part of Thailand. Getting home again could see you explore parts of east coast Australia and New Zealand before soaking up the San Francisco Bay atmosphere.

If you’re looking for variety, think big. Nobody says you have to stop at the biggest or most well-known cities. Many standard routes would head to London or Frankfurt rather than Barcelona, but why not head straight to the cities that really interest you most?

A Not-Overdoing-It Route: Don’t Squeeze the Whole World In

New York — Moscow — Singapore — Tokyo — Honolulu — Vancouver — Seattle — New York

Too much variety can be too much of a good thing. This route’s cheapest variant comes out at around $2,500, and I picked it using a handful of cities that have really interested me of late. Singapore and Seattle were free extras thrown in by the system — places where these routes would make stopovers anyway — but Moscow, Tokyo, Honolulu and Vancouver make to me a fascinating and relaxing vacation which also doesn’t need to last more than a few weeks.

A Cheap Route: Cheap Fare, Cheap Living Costs

New York — Shanghai — Bangkok — Delhi — Amsterdam — New York

For just over $2,000, you can get around the world with a few stops in the cheaper parts of Asia and one of the slightly less expensive cities of Europe. If you spend most of your trip in China, Thailand and India, or other areas of south-east Asia where living and traveling expenses are relatively low, you’ll have enough cash to enjoy a European stopover like Amsterdam on your way home.

A Summer Route: Don’t Pack A Coat

New York — London — Vienna — Hong Kong — Bangkok — Singapore — Perth — Melbourne — Christchurch (NZ) — Auckland (NZ) — Los Angeles — New York

This gets trickier, and we’re talking about a longer trip, nine months or a year. Say we start in New York in April — that’s spring in the northern hemisphere. Head to Europe for the northern summer. As the seasons change, enjoy the eternal warmth of tropical Asia, then when the southern hemisphere summer begins in December, head to Australia and New Zealand for a few months. Summer all the way, and you’ll have really cut back on your clothes packing by avoiding cold weather. But for a relatively reasonable $3,500, you’ve really seen a lot of the world in your shorts and T-shirt.

A Quick Route: Around the World in Much Less Than 80 Days

New York — Paris — Dubai — Hong Kong — Los Angeles — New York

While this is not really my style of traveling, I still think that giving someone the chance to see some very different corners of the globe, even if it’s only for a short time, is better than staying at home. You get the romance of Europe typified in Paris, a stopover in Dubai and an easy Asian thrill in Hong Kong, starting from around $2,200. This is the kind of route you could fit into a two-week vacation. I’m not recommending it, but if you can’t get any more time off, then it’s a viable alternative.

An Eccentric Route: Writer’s Choice

New York — Miami — Lima — Mexico City — Los Angeles — Tahiti — Auckland — Sydney — Ho Chi Minh City — Singapore — Mumbai — Delhi — Moscow — Frankfurt — Madrid — Casablanca — London — New York

Like I said: go wild. This is the ultimate RTW route I’d take if money was no object (it comes in at around $5,000). I’ve still chosen it with relative care about which connections are sensible, so that I don’t spend half of a year away sitting at airports.

Lessons From Itinerary Planning

If you sit down to plan your own round the world itinerary, be prepared to spend a reasonable amount of time at it. Over the years, I’ve looked at so many different routes — and thank goodness that the marvels of the internet makes this easy to do without the help of travel agents, who would never be patient with all my questions and ideas — that I have a good idea of the various routes that exist the world over. As you practice, you’ll get the hang of it too, and soon work out that getting in and out of South America is tricky and usually expensive, whereas hopping around Asia is usually relatively cheap.

Of all the possible travel planning you can do, designing a round-the-world itinerary of flights is probably one of the most enjoyable. Open yourself up to the millions of possibilities that exist. Take your time to play and adjust your route to see what else you can squeeze out of it — a few dollars saved, or an exciting stopover added. Enjoy your RTW planning, and then make sure you tell us about it so we can share the excitement a bit too.

Love those suggestions! I spend many-a-bored moment at work working and reworking RTW itineraries on AirTreks.com. LOL. Good day dream tool, to be sure.

cool article. Because of the nature of RTW flights you can also fit in some really great destination that would otherwise cost a lot of money on single trips, like Svalbard and Easter Island.

Definitely agree with you there, Mark. And hopefully now and again we can turn some of those daydreams into reality. Which of course leads to a whole host of other places we want to visit and more dream itineraries and …

After visiting Southeast Asia, I would definitely recommend replacing Singapore with Bangkok for anyone looking for a cultural experience. Not to mention it is way cheaper. Also, you briefly mentioned that South America can be expensive. How much more should you plan on spending to get there? Technically you are going AROUND the world in those scenarios, but you’re skipping an entire continent. I’ve never been there, but it seems worth seeing. Was there any more motive behind skipping SA, or is it simply just the cost?

Hi Dave, That’s true, I only headed to South America in that very last itinerary (the “dream” one at around $5,000) and the only reason it didn’t feature in other itineraries is the cost. For me it’s more practical as a destination where you head there and back, rather than try to include it on a RTW, unless it’s a really long trip and time/money aren’t so much of an object. Don’t get me wrong, there are a million reasons to get to South America!

I have enjoyed reading your articles and postings about RTW travel. My wife and I, cafe owners on the east coast of the US are in our 40’s-50’s are are hoping to take a long (2-3 year) trip around the world which would take us to a large number of destinations. What we are trying to understand and figure out is this: if, for instance you wanted to go to Europe and see England, Ireland, Scotland and then Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Croatia, Greece and on to Turkey what do you do regarding flights? Do you fly from country to country and use trains/buses/cars to get around to places within the country? Do you fly into one place, rent a car or use trains, and travel to many spots before flying out of another country? How do you think of those issues? Do you establish a base or travel from place to place?

You best and cheapest travel method in Europe is over land, via train. I’d recommend flying into a major city and branching out from there…Ireland and England can be visited via boat. It’s really a matter of time vs money. Perhaps you have both?

I like the “eclectic” itenerary with a few exceptions/additions. Can you give me some advice regarding adding Tanzania/Serengeti, Bhutan, Turkey? How much time would you allow for the trip as a whole, or for your trip? What would be a reasonable expectation of total cost?

Great ideas! How does this route sound:

Boston – Rio de Janeiro – Marrakesh – Paris – London – Edinburgh – Amalfi Coast (or Cinque Terre) – Dubai – Varanasi – Hong Kong – Los Angeles – Boston

It comes in at around $4000, so I’d be saving up for a while. I’m planning on doing this sort of thing my whole life, where I save 15% of my salary each year for travel. So, is there anything on this list that I should save for later, rather than stay for 2-3 weeks (which I plan to do for the RTW)?

Changed: (Parentheses are for the number of days I’d spend there.) This one isn’t definite, yet.

Boston – Edinburgh(5) – London(3) – Paris(5) – Malta(10) – Marrakesh(7) – Dubai(10) – Hong Kong(10) – Los Angeles(5) – Rio de Janeiro(12) – Boston

This route comes in at $3796 to $5200 an it’ll take a little over 2 months to travel. It might be just me, but I don’t think there’s enough variety, since Marrakesh and Dubai are together; LA and Rio are together; and so are Edinburgh and London. Anything I should add/subtract? I travel for any purpose. It can be exciting and adventurous or relaxing.

I’m not really definite on Malta, because I wanna add some Italy, but Malta is the cheapest for travel and a lot of people say they prefer it to the Amalfi Coast and Capri. And then for Edinburgh, I’m not really into haunted castles, but it seems like a cool place other than that.

i don’t know about this – but i for one wanted to do – SA (5) – Brazil (4) – lima (6) – Rio (5) – and after that i get lost because i want to fit in Spain (5) – Greece (6) – Turkey (6) – Jordan (4) – Russia (8) – trans siberian train (5) – and then even worse is i want to do cambodia (5) and vietnam (5) about 65 days – you think its too far fetched or is it possible within these many days – i am also wondering how these RTW flights be possible.

About to retire at age 72, still workout every day, am planning on a one year vacation as follows: September -mid December: NYC-Panama City-Guayaquil- Galapagos-Lima-(Have already spent two years in South Pacific-Aus-NZ) South Africa (3 weeks including Safari)- Morrocco-Brussels. THEN RT Brussels-Florida for the winter and to see family. Mid- March back to Brussels- 2 months rail Europe- Turkey-Dubai-Mumbai-Chiang Mai-Myanmar- Seoul- Tokyo- Vancouver and home in July for rest of summer (Have already visited China 4 times and Indian Golden Triangle, Thailand, and Vietnam/Cambodia) Would appreciate thoughts from anyone who has bothered to read thru all this.

Peter, I noticed in reading your post that you wrote December, 2013, yet mentioned getting ready to travel September so my thoughts are that should be preparing to go in the next couple of months or so. Is that right.

Then you mention stopping in Florida for family. I was interested because I too am just sort of retiring (run a small sole agent travel business) and would like to keep my hand in travel through a web blog while moving around the world.

Will you be traveling alone and have you researched that or have you done much of solo traveling before. If you are expecting to stop by Florida sometime in the future, and will have started a RTW, I would love to chat with you more.

Possibly you could return and email to me at [email protected] and we could chat. Thanks, Saundra

Thanks for a comprehensive list of itineraries, my wife and I did a RTW trip 10 years ago with Russia and Egypt NYC Canada and so much more. We need do it again but with 2 little ladies from Perth WA! Need to include NZ, Disney land, LA? London, ooh maybe India and China? Better still we could pop over for a cuppa and discuss?

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Inspire Your Trip

How to Plan a Round the World Trip

Dreaming of exploring the world? A round the world trip is an amazing opportunity to see new places, meet new people, do fun things and change your outlook on life.

But with so many places you could go, where is best to include on your itinerary and what are some of the most popular activities to do?

View our ultimate guide to taking a round the world trip with ideas and recommendations for where to go, what to do and some important tips so you enjoy a really incredible experience.

Best Places to Visit on a Round the World Trip

Are you wondering where to go on a round the world trip? This is a really difficult decision and What countries you visit on a round the world adventure really depends on where you are departing from, your personal interests, budget and how much time you have available.

A popular route can include Europe, Africa, Thailand, Oceania, South America, North America, then returning to Europe (if you live in Europe).

Below we have put together a list of suggested things to do on a round the world trip with popular destinations. This might be able to give you ideas of where to include on the flight ticket.

Popular Round the World Flight Itinerary

This is a popular and affordable round the world itinerary with stops that allow you to explore more of the regions you visit:

London > Bangkok > Sydney > Los Angeles > London

This itinerary includes four stops and be aware the more flights you add the more expensive the price of the ticket is. Also remember if you choose a flexible ticket which allows changes to be made to the schedule this will usually increase the price.

Usually if you want add Africa or South America to your itinerary, this can put the price much higher, but if you dream of visiting these destinations just pay the higher price.

You can also mix your trip up with flights and also travelling overland. For example, if you want an epic adventure you could include a stop off in an amazing city like Rio de Janiero, then travel discovering the highlights of South America, and working your way overland all the way up through Central America and then have your next flight booked out of somewhere like Mexico City, Los Angeles or New York.

One slightly extended round the world flight ticket we recommend includes this itinerary:

London > Bangkok > Sydney > Auckland > Fiji > Hawaii > Los Angeles > London

Best Things to Do on a Round the World Trip

There are so many amazing places to go on a round the world trip, and below we have included some activities we recommend. We have probably missed some incredible countries and activities, but we think you won’t regret doing these things.

Island Hopping in Thailand Thailand is a beautiful country with so many adventures for travellers. There are so many beautiful islands in Thailand and spending a few weeks discovering the southern region of the country will stay with your forever. Popular islands to visit include Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Tao and Koh Phanan.

Volunteer with Elephants in Thailand Volunteering abroad is a really popular activity to do and there are thousands of opportunities around the world. But not many compare to help out at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand . These creatures are intelligent and special, and you will learn so much about them when volunteering in Thailand.

See Sunrise Angkor Wat in Cambodia Angkor Wat is a really special temple complex located close to the popular city of Siem Reap. Angor Wat has been a essential place to visit in south east Asia and was brought to the worlds attention in the Hollywood blockbuster film Tomb Raider. There are so many temples located here you can easily spend a day or longer see them all. Watching sunrise or sunset over Angor Wat is highly recommended.

Sail Ha Long Bay in Vietnam Vietnam is a really popular destination with a stunning coastline. There are so many highlights of Vietnam and Ha Long Bay is one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the world, and somewhere you need to see. Located in the north of the country close to the city of Hanoi, you can book cruises of Ha Long Bay to see huge limestone rocks formations jutting out from the ocean.

Relax in Bali Bali has long been a popular island with foreigners, both budget backpackers and luxury holidaymakers alike. Bali has everything, temples, beaches, bars, clubs, spas and more. There are so many amazing things to do in Bali , if you have never tried yoga, scuba diving or surfing, then this is a great place to try.

Travel the East Coast of Australia Is there a better travel destination in Oceania than the east coast of Australia? We struggle to name one. There are lots of places to visit in Australia, this country is huge and very spread out, but you have to stop off not the east coast. Sydney is a great city to fly into and then travel north up the coastline to Cairns. Highlights along the way include seeing the Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, Whitsunday Islands, Brisbane, Surfers Paradise and Byron Bay. Whether you travel by car, bus, camper van or overland tour, you will be sure to have the trip of your life.

Go in Search of Adventure in New Zealand New Zealand is a tiny country when you look on a map, but this is the adventure capital of the world with so many different options for thrill seekers. Popular options include skiing, snowboarding, bungee jumping, canyon swings, sky diving, white water rafting, mountain biking and more. There are options all over the country but Queenstown on the South Island is a our top rated places to go. This city is specatacular.

Beaches in Fiji Fiji is one of the most laid back countries in the world with some of the most welcoming and hospitable people you can meet on the planet. If you are planning to visit Australia or New Zealand, then a stop off in Fiji is almost essential thing to do. This country has so many beautiful islands and beaches, you will fall in love with the pace of life and never want to leave.

Safari in South Africa A safari really is a bucket list adventure and one of the most special experiences when you see exotic animals in their natural habitat, rather than on tv or YouTube. Although there are lots of amazing safari destinations in Africa, not many compare to South Africa. There are lots of incredible places in South Africa, and for wildlife the Kruger National Park is one of the most popular tourism attractions. Here you can see elephants, rhinos, tigers, lions and giraffes – and lots of animals!

Explore Rio de Janeiro If South America is calling your name then you have to put Brazil on your itinerary. This country is huge, and is home to Rio de Janeiro which is one of the most spectacular cities in the world. Rio is everything you might of thought about and more, beaches, beautiful people, football, sun, parties and more.

Climb Machu Picchu in Peru Machu Picchu is undoubtedly one of the highlights of South America, an alluring and iconic travel destination which really needs to be visited once in your life. There are lots of tours to Machu Picchu, you can choose to travel by train, or do a hiking trip which takes in some stunning locations on route.

Celeb Spotting in Los Angeles The USA is one of the most popular gap year destinations , and a great stop off for any round the world itinerary. Los Angeles is one of the most connected cities in the world and this is usually a perfect stop off if you are coming from South America or Oceania. California has so many highlights from Venice beach, San Francisco to trying to see your favourite celebrities in Hollywood. From LA you could explore other amazing places in the United States like the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas or go on an epic road trip of Route 66.

Round the World Trip Advice

Here are some top tips if you are thinking about taking a round the world trip.

• If you are in full time work and are considering a career break to see the world, get a clear idea of dates as far ahead as possible so you can work out when to depart and how long you can be away for. • Try to put together a rough itinerary with a list of places you really want to visit. This can really help to shape an itinerary. • If you are worried about travelling solo, consider going for an organised tour. There are lots of tour companies offering trips for 18 – 35 year olds and older travellers to destinations all over the world. Some last a few days, whilst others you can join for months. • Be flexible, something having a flexible schedule allows you to travel without rushing and then spending time at places you like for longer • Try to save as much money as possible before departing, the more money you have the longer your trip can last. You will also be able to afford a much better quality of accommodation and transport comfort. • If you don’t have much money saved, you could consider different options like working abroad. There are lots of short term jobs and working holidays available all around the world, some of which include accommodation which can help keep costs down. • If you are going to be visiting places where English isn’t the first language, then be sure to download a language learning app or take classes to pick up at least the very basic of the destination language. This is not only polite, it will really help make travelling abroad easier.

Hopefully our suggestions have given you some ideas and inspiration for where to go and what to do. If you are lucky enough to have the time, money and flexibility to do a round the world trip, go for it. You won’t regret it.

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How To Plan A Round The World Trip

Jan 2, 2020 · Leave a Comment

How do you plan a round the world trip? With lots of planning, budgeting, and a desire for adventure!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure page for more information. Thanks!

On January 2, 2019, Dylan and I began our six-month round the world trip.

Dylan and I said goodbye to our families, jobs, belongings, and life as we knew it to become The Nomadic Fitzpatricks. We arrived in Cusco, Peru to explore and begin our new life as backpackers.

Dylan and I feel so grateful to have made this dream a reality. We realize that not everyone has the financial means or opportunity to do something like this and are so grateful and fortunate we were able to make this happen.

I also want you to know that you can do this with celiac disease (like me). There is gluten-free food to be found around the world, and you can eat safely when traveling with celiac disease (that's why I made a whole online course about it!)

Read on to learn all the details of our round the world trip and how to plan your own round the world trip or long-term travel adventure. Be sure to check out our favorite resources for flights, lodging, travel hacks, and more.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.” -Saint Augustine

Final Itinerary

Round the world trip expenses charts, individual questions, round the world trip: take a sabbatical.

If you are trying to plan a round the world trip, it will take some time to prepare.

The idea started back in January of 2017 on a winter hike. It was the first time thinking about a gap year truly took hold. By June of 2017, we were ready to take a step toward making this a reality.

First, we asked for sabbaticals from our employers. I asked a year in advance, in order to give my school district ample notice to find a substitute for my year-long absence. Once the time off was officially approved, Dylan went about asking his boss and employer for time off as well.

Dylan was given six months off, so we planned to use every possible day of his sabbatical. We left our apartment in mid-December, spent the holidays with family, and then flew to South America in January. Leaving in January helped coordinate our plans for staying in warmer temperatures the entire time.

Storing Your Belongings For A Round The World Trip

One of the biggest tasks we had to deal with when planning our round the world trip was storing our belongings and leaving our apartment.

We had lived comfortably in our two-bedroom apartment rental for six years. Saying goodbye to the place was hard, but we knew it had to be done. It took a full two weeks to move everything from our apartment into our 10x10 storage unit. 

By canceling our apartment rental, that also meant we no longer had to pay renter’s insurance, electricity, gas, or cable. The money we would spend on groceries just became our allocated food budget for each country we visited. 

If you are planning a round the world trip and are also renting an apartment, breaking your lease and storing your belongings can be big cost savings. If you own your home, consider renting it out!

Cars, Phones & Insurance For Round The World Trips

Something to consider when planning your round the world trip is what to do with your cars and how to pay for insurance.

Dylan and I both own our (old) cars and did not have car payments. Therefore, we were able to put our car insurance on hold for six months. I have a rental car insurance policy through my credit card for the two times we rented a car - in Patagonia and New Zealand . 

We purchased travel insurance from World Nomads for emergency evacuations, flight cancellations, hiking injuries, stolen property, etc. for a total of $1,137. Travel insurance was one of the best investments we made for our travels, and I can’t recommend it enough. You can find out the details of why ours came in handy while hiking in Nepal .

We kept our phones in Airplane Mode and utilized WiFi while traveling. Once I reached Europe, I was able to use my phone normally thanks to an international plan. Dylan purchased a SIM card in Thailand since we would be there for 3+ weeks. It worked well and allowed us to use his phone for transportation purposes & research when we didn’t have a WiFi connection!

Round The World Trip Packing List

How do you plan a round the world trip successfully? By not overpacking!

I can tell you we carried WAY too much stuff initially. As time went on, we sent stuff home with family, then sent it to family again. And again!

Embracing a minimalist, backpacker mindset took some time to get used to, at least for me. By the end of our trip, I was finally okay with only having 2-3 outfits to my name. And when we were finished hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain, our bags were so much lighter than they were when we started!

Here’s our official round the world trip packing list!

Many of the items we packed with us were items we found almost everywhere - from hiking poles, warm socks, toiletries, basic medicine, even gluten-free snacks. Other items were important and necessary to bring from home - our emergency antibiotics from the doctor, our own clothes, and a small pillow all came in handy.

Planning a round the world trip will require you to have a sturdy backpack. It will become a part of you and hold a special place in your heart!

For more travel packing essentials, check out my Amazon page where I link everything we brought on our trip.

Round The World Trip Transportation

There are a lot of ways to plan your transportation for a round the world trip - believe me, I spent months researching it.

You can book all of your flights upfront.  Some companies will even organize this for you, such as AirTreks. They will book a round the world ticket for you to all the destinations you plan to visit with the best prices and date estimates you give. You can also choose to book through an airline group, such as StarAlliance or SkyTeam . 

We found it was more cost-effective (and allowed more freedom) if we did it on our own. We did price comparisons, checked flight prices, and saved hundreds of dollars by booking flights ourselves.  It was a lot of work to compare the two, but we wanted to save the most amount of money.

Prior to leaving in January, Dylan and I planned everything out for the first two months of our trip, down to the specifics of flights, lodging, and basic plans.  On March 1st, we had a flight from Bali, Indonesia to Bangkok, Thailand , and that was the last official planning we had done. After that, we started to embrace the idea of slow travel - staying in one place for a longer period of time, to understand it more deeply, rather than staying 2-3 days in a place before moving on.  

Besides flying for larger distances, we mostly relied on public transportation and walking - a lot. We walked a minimum of five miles per day! Public Transportation systems in other countries are fairly simple to figure out, and everyone speaks English. Thankfully, Google Maps is super helpful, and you can download maps to be available offline too.

Here’s a fun chart that shows how much we walked during our travels. Make sure to look for the barrier!

Travel Hacking For Your Trip

Some of the best travel hacks we used on our trip included getting a solid travel credit card with perks like the Priority Pass. Airport lounges are a great way to spend time waiting for flights - especially when there's free food, Wifi, and comfortable seating.

I also used travel hacking to redeem credit card points for three different flights, saving us $1,800 USD! For more information about travel hacking , check out this blog post to help you save hundreds of dollars on your next trip.

Saving money while traveling was easy to do. We ate cheaply, cooked most of our own food, did a lot of free activities like walking tours and hiking. We primarily stayed in hostels/guesthouses, and just enjoyed being together. We balanced expensive countries with cheap countries and adjusted our spending accordingly.

If you are trying to plan a round-the-world trip and are nervous about the cost, consider saving for a good six months beforehand. You can even allocate a separate bank account for this!

Lodging While Traveling The World

You have a lot of options for lodging on a round the world trip. We stayed primarily in hostels, guesthouses, and Airbnb's . We did stay in a few hotels and used the Hilton Honors points for one hotel stay in Italy.

Hostels and Couchsurfing are great ways to meet other travelers. Everyone in hostels has something in common - you’re traveling because you love it and you want to see the world. You tell stories, share tips and suggestions on the best hike, sightseeing spot, or restaurant, and connect. 

While hostels were our primary form of lodging, they can become frustrating . Staying in a shared room can present problems! Snoring, people not respecting your space, dirty clothes, and other factors can definitely get on your nerves. When Dylan and I grew a little impatient with shared rooms, and tired of wearing earplugs, we’d pay a little more money to stay in a private room for a few nights. The balance is what kept us within budget and kept us happy.

We had no real problems or issues with hostels, Airbnbs , guesthouses, hotels, teahouses, tents, albergues, or even the few hotels we stayed in. Only 1-2 places come to mind that may have been lacking in certain areas. We always read the reviews extensively before booking - checking things like cleanliness, location, the responsiveness of the host, and hostels - the party aspect. Remember to do what makes you feel comfortable and will make you the happiest traveler!

Round The World Trip Itinerary

We planned our itinerary to try and stay in summer the entire time. Since we would be traveling in multiple hemispheres, this was relatively easy to work out. The only climates we packed extra warm clothes for were our treks in Peru , Patagonia , and Nepal . Once we arrived in Europe, our first day was spent sorting through all that trekking gear and sending home a box of items we no longer needed.

Planning our itinerary before we left meant our first two months were a bit different from the ones that followed. Countries that we wanted to see, such as South Korea, Morocco, and even Tanzania - looked wonderful, but we were unable to make them happen due to costs and running out of time. We hope to go back and visit these countries one day.

Here’s how our itinerary ended up looking month by month:

January 2019 1/2/19 - 1/12/19 Cusco, Peru & Inca Trail 1/12/19- 1/17/18 Buenos Aires, Argentina 1/17/19 - 1/30/19 Patagonia, Chile & Argentina

February 2019 2/1/19 - 2/10/19 South Island, New Zealand 2/11/19 - 2/18/19 Sydney, Australia & Blue Mountains, Australia 2/18/19 - 2/28/19 Bali, Indonesia (Ubud & Nusa Islands)

March 2019 3/1/19 - 3/21/19 Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Lanta) 3/22/19 - 3/27/19 Hong Kong

April 2019 3/28/19 - 4/20/19 Nepal (Kathmandu, Pokhara, ABC Trek ) 4/21/19 - 5/4/19 Croatia (Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Zagreb) May/June 2019 5/5/19 - 5/27/19 Italy (Venice, Rome, Capri, Milan, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Genoa) 5/28/19 - 6/20/19 Spain (Bilbao, Camino de Santiago , Madrid ) 6/20/19 - 6/30/19 USA Road Trip with State High Points & Canada back to Boston

Countries and destinations in bold will take you to my travel guides & information about these places. 

Total Trip Expenses

How much does a round the world trip cost?

We again want to acknowledge that we are fortunate to have made this trip happen, as not everyone has the financial means or ability to do so. We did save for months and months leading up to this trip, sold our belongings, and gave up a path of "normal" life to be able to do this.

First, we saved money before we left - months in advance. We cut back on expenses before our trip as much as possible.  Read this post for more ideas on how to save money for travel.

We also stayed in hostels/guesthouses rather than hotels, villas, or fancy lodging. We travel hacked flights using credit card points and airline miles. We gave up our apartment & minimized our belongings to just two backpacks each. All of these efforts helped us save money.

Keep in mind that Dylan and I also were on sabbaticals from our jobs - unpaid sabbaticals. We had to keep costs low because there was no cash flow from our employers. Our savings account was our only source of income, and we did not want it to be depleted by the end of our trip.

But here’s the bottom line:

We knew that if we stayed home for six months, we’d spend money. It stands to reason that if we traveled for six months, we’d also spend money. We were going to spend money either way. It’s called a cost of living for a reason .

What the difference is, (and what many people don’t realize) , is that how you allocate your spending will differ depending on how you choose to live. If you live in a rented apartment as we did, you’ll have rent, bills, cable, groceries, gas, etc. to pay for every month. But if you are traveling full time , you’ll have lodging costs, groceries, travel insurance, transportation, and excursions to pay for every month. Money is going to be spent . HOW you spend just requires a few shifts.

We determined that to live at home in Peabody, Massachusetts, for six months, would cost us $15K. We shifted our mindset and realized $15K would be spent on our trip in different ways. Using a tool called BudgetYourTrip helped us with cost estimates and a budget. Based on the countries we were visiting (lots of cheap/mid-range, a few pricey ones) and for how long, Dylan and I estimated this trip would run us about $20K for six months, plus another $10K for flights. And that's exactly how it ended up!

Do you have to spend as much as we did? No. Absolutely not.

This is just one example of how much a round the world trip for two people can look on a mid-range budget. I'm sharing with this you to be transparent and let you know what to expect if you are planning a trip of this size.

Comparison of Budgets

Six Month Travel Budget Normalized

Travel Expenses By Country

TOTAL TRAVEL EXPENSES

Our total costs for travel were exactly in the range we thought. Our total travel expenses ran $28,206. Additional costs were our travel insurance and storage unit payments, which brought our total to just over $30,000.

The most expensive countries we visited, such as New Zealand , Australia, and Hong Kong - meant we had to find ways to keep to our budget. The cheapest countries we visited, such as Bali and Nepal , were easy to keep costs low.  I'm very proud that Dylan and I were able to stay within the budget range we hoped for during our round the world trip. Certain countries didn't make the cut because they would have put us way beyond our budget. We'll save them for a future adventure! Keep in mind that half of that total expense number would have been spent regardless.

If we had stayed in one or two continents, rather than go to five continents, our flight costs would have been much lower, bringing our total costs down a lot. If we were to travel again long term, we’d do it a bit differently and focus on slower, more sustainable travel.

Questions For Jen & Dylan About Our Trip

These are some of the most common questions we’ve been asked since returning back to the United States after traveling the world.  I’ve included our answers below to help & shed some insight!

General Questions

How long was your round the world trip?

Our trip was approximately six months.  We left January 2nd, 2019 for Peru and returned back to the US on June 20th, 2019.  We didn’t come back to the Boston area until July 1st.

What was your most common method of travel?

We flew from country to country for the most part but also traveled heavily by buses and trains.  We rented a car in three countries. Walking was the most common method of travel - 5 miles a day, minimum!

How many countries did you visit?

Technically, twenty.  We really spent time in about twelve countries.

Where did you go?

Peru, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Nepal, Croatia, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain.

What was your favorite country?

Jen I enjoyed each country we visited but really loved Indonesia, Thailand, and Croatia.

Dylan I don’t have an un-favorite country.  

What was your favorite city?

Jen Madrid, Spain, or Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Dylan Chiang Mai, Thailand. 

What was the best part about your round the world trip?

Jen The total freedom and time spent together! It was such an experience in letting go and every day was something new, different, and exciting.  We learned so much about ourselves, the world, and each other.

Dylan In the beginning - we were sitting and waiting for the room at the hostel in Peru, I began wondering what the hell I got myself into. We had traveled for a day, didn't sleep well, and we get there to the hostel in Cusco, waiting for a spot and just kind of like “holy shit”. I looked at my phone that said “It’s January 3rd” and realized I don’t have any connection with the outside world. 

What was the worst part of your round the world trip?

Jen Having to come home!

Dylan Ending.

Funniest travel memory?

Jen This is a tough question. Some things may not have been funny at the time, but they are really funny looking back. We have so many new inside jokes!  

Two of my favorites include trying Vegemite in Australia and realizing it was a serious mistake, and discovering the mysterious chirping noise that we heard for 2 months in all of SE Asia was in fact, a gecko. Or all of Dylan's funny accents and silly songs.

Dylan Carol & Larry on the ferry in Capri - what I aspire to be one day!

Backstory: Carol & Larry were an older couple we overheard arguing on the ferry when traveling to Capri, Italy. They were fantastic and hilarious.

Best travel tip or hack?

Jen Reusable water bottles, and the Priority Pass Membership.

Dylan   Priority Pass Membership!

What was the longest travel day?

Jen Nepal to Croatia.

Dylan Nepal to Croatia.

To clarify : In April, We had a flight from Kathmandu to Doha, Qatar, another flight from Doha, Qatar to Rome, Italy, which included a 12-hour layover, and then a flight from Rome, Italy to Dubrovnik, Croatia.  We got to our apartment rental and passed out around noon and didn’t wake up until 9 PM. Then we continued to sleep until 6 AM and woke up starving!

The best travel fail story?

Jen Driving to the wrong airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina , or the time our hostel in Madrid didn’t replace the toilet paper for more than 24 hours. Ahh!

Dylan I mean, Calafate because of the car and because of gas - I would say just time spent in Calafate because we were planning on going to El Chalten but really the factors of Calafate got in the way of us going at all. We had to wait in line for gas from 11:30 PM - 3:00 AM.  Read more about the craziness of our Patagonia adventure !

Best hiking family experience or hiker bonding experience?

Jen Hiking along the Camino de Santiago in Spain and our group from the Inca Trail in Peru.

Dylan There are 2 of them: the Camino Family, and the Inca Family.

A favorite moment while hiking ?

Jen Arriving at Machu Picchu and seeing everything covered in clouds, and being severely disappointed - until the clouds cleared later that morning and the sun peeked out and highlighted everything I had dreamt about. I remember looking at Dylan and thinking “this is incredible” . 

Dylan When Jen was miserable in Spain along the Camino de Santiago -  it was raining and I put on the song “Lovely Day” in Spain and danced and made her laugh and I was happy.

Here's a quick video of that moment!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13OgxRZk6HY

What was your favorite trek?

Jen I loved the Inca Trail Trek in Peru .  It was the rainy season and we had sunny weather the entire time!

Dylan Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal - it was very beautiful, and we went through so many different climates.

What was your favorite day hike?

Jen I really liked the Hooker Valley Track in New Zealand where we got to see Aoraki/Mount Cook.  We also saw 3 enormous full rainbows that day!

Dylan Well, The Torres in Patagonia would have been, but it wasn’t because Lindsay hurt her leg and we had bad weather, so I’d have to say Blue Mountains day hike in Australia when I hiked by myself to Castle Rock.  

What was the best food you ate?

Jen Pad Thai from Pink House (100% GF Restaurant) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Gromo Gelato in Italy .

Dylan Momos in Nepal, with the dipping sauce, but the lamb sandwiches we had in a tree in Patagonia were a second.

Where was the best food?

Jen Italy, Spain, Thailand, and Argentina !

Dylan Chiang Mai, Thailand, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, Madrid, Spain, Italy, Nepal, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Patagonia… ( literally everywhere )

Where was the best gluten-free food?

Jen Italy , Spain, and Chiang Mai, Thailand! In Italy, there were so many delicious gluten-free staples like pizza, pasta, gelato, and bread. Spain I knew had options because I had previously lived there during study abroad but coming back almost ten years later I got to have so much more! And Chiang Mai was just an absolute gem. 

Dylan In Asia, Jen had a lot of options, but I would say it was Asia because of their normal diet - not because of them advertising gluten-free or willing to go out of their way, if you told them it was a problem they would help but the overall diet is a lot of gluten-free food (rice, vegetables, curries, spices), provided you can find the right stuff.

Did you experience culture shock?

Jen Absolutely - in Nepal. I struggled with it a lot and wrote strategies to overcome it.

Dylan Yes, in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was just a lot of sensory overload.  I loved it there because it was so different. 

Did you get homesick, and if so, what for?

Jen Not really - I think I missed my pillow and bed a few times, though!

Dylan Nope. I didn’t get homesick. I got sick when I had to come home! So you could say yes, I did get homesick, I got sick when I had to come home!

What was the best part of backpacking as nomads?

Jen Everything was so simple and easy - granted, traveling can always be complicated, but our lifestyle was just so straightforward and full of freedom. 

Dylan No strings attached  - we could do anything we wanted whenever we wanted.  It was freeing.

What was the worst part of backpacking as nomads?

Jen Having to do laundry so often (or just wearing dirty clothes), and sleeping in hostels or community-like settings where people snore really loud!

Dylan There was nothing truly terrible, but it would be nice to sleep in nice beds more often than we did, but we learned to get used to it. It wasn’t even that bad. I didn’t realize I wasn’t sleeping in comfy beds until we got back here!

Would you do this trip again?

Jen In a heartbeat. I’d go even longer this time - or make this our permanent lifestyle to see where else we could explore and live. It was the best thing we’ve ever done. 

Dylan: Yeah. Right now. I could do it right now without any planning. I would not stress about it at all.  We spent so much time planning, months, effort, everything - if you told me to pack for a trip starting tomorrow, I could do it and I would do it. I’m there.

That last question really sums up how we feel about our round the world trip.  We’d happily go live as nomads once more - without question!

Round The World Trip: Final Thoughts

Traveling the world is a privilege. I'm so grateful we had the opportunity to do this, to save, plan, and make our bucket list dream a reality.

“Travel is not a reward for working, it is education for living.”

Have you ever taken a round the world trip?

Tell me about it in the comments!

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How to Plan an Around the World Itinerary in 8 Steps

Last updated on January 5, 2024 by Shannon

You’re planning an around the world trip . Congrats! My one-year trip turned into a decade of wandering and it transformed my life . My own one-year trip itinerary took me through 15 countries and countless experiences—but narrowing down my dream countries to just 15 was hard.

After so many years on the road—and after several round the world trips since that first one—I have some hard learned advice for anyone planning their own route and building their own trip around the world. If you’re planning a world trip, it’s usually a long-term route of at least a few months and up to a year around the world, or more.

These are eight ideas—eight steps really—to help narrow your travel itinerary down to those stops along your route that will fit your budget, highlight the most memorable places to you, and make sense for the trip you’ve always dreamed of taking.

Table of Contents

1. Make an itinerary bucket list for the entire world.

The inspiration phase of planning your round the world trip itinerary is one of the most fun. Maybe you already have a laundry list of places you hope to cram into your world trip itinerary. Or perhaps you’ve nailed down a few key experiences but you’re open to more inspiration. You should absolutely start with a long bucket list of locations all over the world, because weather and route might automatically strike a few off the list for you.

If you’re curious for more travel ideas, browse the  best travel books sorted by destination , or search for long-reads and podcast recommendations on my Destination Travel Guides . Use these books and resources for inspiration on not only places to add to your round the world route, but activities, too.

Perhaps you read The Devil’s Picnic and subsequently add Paris to your list for that stinky but toothsome Époisses de Bourgogne cheese, or you add Bhutan because of its intriguing portrayal in The Geography of Bliss (that’s what has it on the itinerary for my next around the world trip!).

Books and podcasts are a phenomenal way to expand your idea of what is possible on your trip.

Once you have a list of dream destinations for your travel itinerary, highlight up to five that are your absolute priorities—these will become the bedrock of your around the world trip. The rest of the places on your list will slot in around those stops based on timing, weather, and more.

How granularly you plan is personal—some travelers leave with a precise list of destinations and timelines, while others plan the first couple of months of their round the world trop.

My three key travel destinations:

For my first year, I had three key activities on my list. The first was diving the Great Barrier Reef —that’s why my trip started in Australia . The second was meeting my cousin in India and backpacking north from Mumbai together for two months before ending our time together at a volunteer placement in Nepal . The third was time-sensitive as I had always dreamed of attending the Edinburgh Fringe Festival , which takes place every August in Scotland.

Later, when I traveled with my 11-year-old niece for six months in Southeast Asia , I led her through some basic Google searches so that she could see what was on offer. We planned our joint world trip itinerary together centered around her three biggies: an ethical elephant encounter , ziplining somewhere, and visiting Angkor Wat .

2. Pick a direction around the world.

From your home country, your travel itinerary will take you either east to west, or west to east around the world. Backtracking is not ideal—it’s expensive, causes more jet lag, and is bad for the environment. Use this strategy whether you use a round the world ticket (which requires this stipulation) or if you book flights as you travel.

Pros and cons of traveling east:

• Science says this direction is harder on your body and produces more jet lag . The short of it is because you are losing time when you fly through time several zones, but your body actually prefers cycles slightly longer than 24 hours, not shorter.
• You’ll need to become a pro at minimizing jet lag so you don’t lose several days to it in each new location.
• If you’re planning a very long RTW trip, perhaps 18 months or more, and your itinerary creeps around the world, then you will likely not notice the difference much.

Pros and cons of traveling west:

• As noted, your body actually prefers days that run longer than 24 hours, so your internal clock has a much easier time adding hours into your day. This means fewer nights adjusting and staring at the hotel ceiling at 3am.
• Your body can do at least two hours of time zone jumping in this direction without having a noticeable effect on you, so it’s ideal to slowly hop west around the world. And if you’re crossing the Pacific from the U.S., your largest time zone change will likely occur at the beginning of your trip, so you can then enjoy more relaxing travel for the many months afterwards.

How I decided my world trip direction:

I was lucky that two of my key experiences could bookend my trip. Scotland and Australia are not close, so it was easy to plan many of my other dream destinations to fill the space between these countries.

Since I planned to leave the U.S. in November, it was easy to surmise that starting my trip in Australia, which was entering summer, made the most sense. Then I would make my way west toward Scotland for Edinburgh Fringe, handily skirting both winter in Europe and summer in Asia.

3. Find creative overland routes.

Whew, you now have a list of dream destinations for your world trip and a direction of travel. Now it’s time to fill in the space in your itinerary. And you’ll do that by using local transportation, which is a lot more fun than flying—you’ll see more of the country and culture, and you’ll have richer travel experiences .

Go back now to those handful of key destinations from your bucket list that. These are the foundational bedrocks of your world trip itinerary. These dots on the map should lend a rough overview of a route. If they don’t, if one is just an outlier that makes it hard to see logical jumps, narrow your list down to four, and see if that helps—if you truly love the idea of an experience, but it doesn’t fit this trip it might make a great trip on its own in a couple years time.

Now, your world trip itinerary needs the details, and those usually come from visiting clusters of bordering countries—you’ll be crossing overland among many of these destinations. (For that to work, however, check visa restrictions for your nationality as some countries require visas in advance, or don’t allow crossings at certain borders).

Popular routes ( backpacking Southeast Asia , for example), have only a few restrictions and those are easily handled online, or in the days before your border crossing.

Start dotting the map with the countries that are very close to your bedrock destinations. That looks like this: If trekking in Nepal is a bedrock item, and India’s Golden Triangle and Sri Lanka were both on your dream list, then it makes sense to add them into your route, since you’ll definitely be in the region.

My creative overland routes:

As I planned my itinerary, a dear friend announced she wanted to meet me in Florence, Italy in June. That became another bedrock item with a firm date, so I now had a time I had to leave South Asia and head to Eastern Europe.

Nearby Croatia was on my tentative list, and I had a friend in Bosnia , so both of those became stops on my itinerary that helped give it shape. Prague hadn’t been on my list, but I decided to move north through Eastern Europe after leaving Bosnia.

I filled in adventurous stops that would take me from my friend in Italy in June to Scotland in August—plenty of time for rafting in Slovenia , finding charming towns in Czech Republic , biking Amsterdam like a local, and walking through the Lake District of England first!

Research activities in countries you’re considering.

If there are countries nearby your “must-visit” locations, use a site like GetYourGuide to research the types of activities you could see and do if you visited these adjacent destinations as well. I like checking out the day tour sites more than a guidebook at this stage because it’s a very quick overview of the must-dos in each location.

4. Research festivals in your favored locations.

Local festivals around the world are amazingly full of life, culture, and fun. It’s a huge letdown when you learn too late that you missed a major religious and celebratory festival by just a few days. And it’s also a shock if you arrive thinking it’s shoulder season but you really arrived during Brazil’s carnival.

Plan your route to coincide with the dates of festivals that seem most fun for you (this is especially important for trips with kids, because they love the excitement, colors, and foods at these types of events. You’ll need to book accommodation early depending on the event, so that may take some flexibility from your world travel route, but it’s worth it.

Here are a few favorite annual festivals that many travelers plan around: La Tomatina in Spain in late August; Holi the Festival of Colors  in India around early March; Thailand’s Songkran Water Festival often falls within April and its Loy Krathong Lantern Festival falls in late October or early November.

Festivals around the world I sought out:

When my cousin told me should could only meet in India in February, and I knew we’d be there for two months, I went into planning mode to decide where we should celebrate Holi the Festival of Colors . It was a real highlight of my trip and I am so glad our world travel itinerary allowed us to experience this incredible Indian festival.

Then, of course, was the Fringe Festival —that was one of my bedrock destinations so it was definitely on the planned route.

5. Play Tetris with locations to fit your travel budget.

I stuck to an amazing year-long world travel budget that came in under $20,000. The only way I could do that was by carefully planning my time to favor budget-friendly countries, and then add in high-cost countries in smaller supply.

Research each of your dream destinations ahead of time because some places you might assume are budget actually cost more than you imagine (a safari in Africa is not cheap, nor is accommodation in much of Africa, but visiting a dream destination on the continent is worth it). Japan may be in Asia, but it’s pricey, too. Central America and Mexico are easy on your budget, as are parts of South America.

How I made my RTW travel budget work:

Australia , England, Scotland, and Ireland were mega expensive and represented three of my eleven months on the road. India and Nepal were, by far, the cheapest places (even cheaper than backpacking Southeast Asia ), and it was actually difficult to go over budget during the three-and-a-half months that I backpacked South Asia.

I spent the other months in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, two regions that are in the discount to mid-range. All told, I was able to easily average $50 a day, even though some days in Europe topped $100.

6. Plan around weather trends.

On your trip, research destinations ahead of time and plan according to your own weather preferences. While it’s not likely you will hit every destination in your preferred season, you should know when monsoon season makes a paradise island unenjoyable, or when blizzards will thwart a planned ski trip.

Research using this great rundown of shoulder season locations around the world, and this European shoulder season list , and this very cool map of a a sample round the itinerary featuring perfect weather in every location.

Why I chased summer around the world:

I planned my trip itinerary to chase summer around the world. As a native Floridian, my tolerance for heat is higher than most others, and I deeply enjoy warmth. A year of summer was lovely.

Whether your around the world trip chases summer or snow—and note it’s way easier to pack for long-term travel when you can leave behind thick jackets and boots—you’ll want to pack effectively using packing cubes .

I have probably 20 packing cubes after 15+ years of travel—cubes of all shapes, sizes, and uses to fit every trip. This eight-pack starter set is well-priced, durable, and will give you a worthy introduction into the sheer magic of packing cubes.

7. Consider how you will fly.

When planning your itinerary, you have to consider more than just major long-haul flights. On my travels, I research local budget airlines too, and I always have a good idea of which regions of the world offer affordable puddle-jumper flights. If you’re considering buying round the world tickets , read my insider tips and advice first!

Southeast Asia has AirAsia and Vietjet, among others. Europe has many budget carriers: Vueling, Ryan Air, and EasyJet. And JetStar has good flight deals in South Asia. By checking for budget airline routes, I know that I can easily visit more countries in a region if there are sub $100 flights around the area. (Tip: this is an amazing interactive map of low-cost airline routes ).

My transportation choices:

I priced out my year on the road and found it was cheaper to combine overland travel with local carriers than it would have been to buy a RTW ticket up front. I also have a guide to how I find good flight deals , since I never buy round the world airfare.

Generally, flights are likely necessary unless you plan an entirely overland route around the world , but flights are harmful if you solely rely on this form of transportation, so truly consider how you can incorporate other options, such as buying a Eurail ticket in Europe, or a Greyhound bus ticket to travel down the east coast of Australia.

Don’t forget to  book travel insurance for your trip —a great policy provides coverage in case of medical emergencies, lost or stolen gear, adventure sports riders, and more. I’ve used  IMG Global  for more than a decade  highly recommend it !

8. Remove some destinations from your world trip itinerary.

There is no wrong way to plan your route around the world, and there is no perfect number of places that you can visit in a year—it all depends on what you’re looking for on your trip. And no matter how carefully you plan, you will love some places, feel mediocre toward others, and perhaps even leave early from a few. You won’t know until you set out which type of places and experiences best fit your long-term travel style.

But please keep in mind that the pace of short-term travels is very different from a multi-month trip. Create a route that travels slowly, avoids the dreaded travel-fatigue , and includes destinations you have long dreamed of visiting. To do that, you now need to take a critical eye to your trip and trim the fat.

Is there something you added it because it seemed fun and was moderately close, but it wasn’t a bedrock item? Or perhaps it’s a location you love the idea of so much that you know you will plan a trip there in the future if you skip it now. Snip those from your world travel itinerary right now and you will be shooting me an email of thanks once you’re on the road.

The countries I cut from my around the world trip:

The best advice other travelers gave me when I asked for itinerary advice in a travel forum was to remove an entire leg of the trip. I had hoped to backpack Scandinavia between my time in the Czech Republic and Amsterdam, but long-term travelers assured me that I would be grateful for wiggle room in my itinerary by that stage of my trip (nine months into it).

Plus, they accurately pointed out that I just couldn’t swing these very expensive countries on my limited travel budget.

Turns out that I burned out a month before reaching Czech Republic and camped out in Slovenia for an extra two weeks—if I had been dead-set on Scandinavia, I would have never had time to do that while still making it to Edinburgh Fringe in time! (And let’s not even think about what Scandinavia would have done to my travel budget!).

If you’re overwhelmed about planning the nitty-gritty details on a months-long trip around the world, know that a rough route suffices. All you truly need before you leave home is logistics for the first couple of weeks—you can easily sort out the rest on the road. I promise.

Really, I promise. It seems scary but I swear to you that you will be grateful for flexibility once you land, and that it’s completely possible to plan the smaller details as you go. Moving between countries and regions was infinitely easier than I had anticipated before my first round the world.

Your Next Steps for Planning an Around the World Itinerary

Research places around the world and assemble a dream list of locations. That’s really the first step and should be a lot of fun.

While my travel books selections are a starting point, you can also peruse guidebooks for inspiration. I always buy a Lonely Planet or Rough Guide for my first planned destination (and then I swap it along the way for each new country), and before my first round the world trip I checked out a stack of 25 guidebooks from my library. Do your research and dream big before you even begin selecting an itinerary and paring down your list of destinations.

This is my core page compiling resources on How to Travel the World and here are a few other pages sharing advice specifically for long-term travel planning.

• How Much Does it Cost to Travel the World
• How to Save for Travel
• Free Destination Travel Guides
• Best Credit and Debit Cards for Travel
• How to Pack for Long-Term Travel
• How to Pick the Right Travel Insurance

How to Travel the World

Free resources and first-hand advice on how to plan long-term and round the world travels.

Essential Travel Planning Resources

❗ Yes, you need travel insurance . IMG Global is the travel insurance I’ve used for well over a decade of traveling solo, and with kids. Here’s why .

🧳 Smart packing can save your trip. Shop my favorite travel gear , including all of the packing essentials for world travel , gear to keep you safe on the road, my favorite travel books , and more.

🛏️ Find great accommodation . Booking.com is essentially the only hotel booking site that I use. It has a wide and affordable selection of traditional hotels, but also hostels and vacation rentals, too. Use these pro tips to find the best travel accommodation .

📍 Navigate more effectively. Rome2Rio is super handy to assess the full range of transport options between two cities—shows everything from flights to trains, buses, minibuses, and more. If you’re booking a rental car, I’ve always found the best deals on RentalCars.com .

✈️ Book affordable flights. Expedia is one of the first places I look for low-cost flights .

☕ Peruse all of my tips for round the world travel , or learn how to move and live abroad .

Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

The In-Depth Guide to Buying an RTW Ticket

Last Updated: February 7, 2023

When it comes to planning an entire trip around the world , travelers have essentially two options: buy flights as you go or plan your route in advance.

Buying as you go gives you flexibility but risks you losing out if a flight is sold out (or overpriced).

Planning in advance requires more work upfront but makes for a more relaxing trip since all your planning is done before you go.

Both options have a place in your travel toolkit, but today, I want to focus on the latter.

Simply put, round-the-world (RTW) tickets are one of the most convenient ways to travel around the world. They make planning your trip simple and straightforward, allowing you to visit the destinations you want to see without having to worry about booking flights along the way.

You just plan your route, book your RTW ticket, and that’s it! They really take the hassle out of planning a complex trip over multiple continents and are a great choice for novice travelers who might not be comfortable improvising a trip on the fly.

And to top it all off, by purchasing your ticket in one bulk RTW package, you can usually save yourself some money too — which is always a plus in my book!

That said, knowing if a RTW ticket is the best way to get around the world really depends on the kind of trip you are taking. Round the world tickets come with many rules and conditions that might not work for you.

In this post, I’ll go over everything you need to know to help you decide if a RTW ticket is the right choice for you and your next globetrotting adventure.

Table of Contents

How Do Round the World Tickets (RTW) Work?

Star alliance round the world tickets, oneworld round the world tickets, skyteam round the world tickets, how much do round-the-world rickets cost.

• Where Can You Book an Around the World Ticket?

Are RTW Tickets Worth Buying?

• Book Your RTW Ticket

Before we begin, what exactly is an RTW ticket? RTW tickets are actually airline alliance flight passes. An airline alliance is a partnership in which airlines share seats on planes, passengers, and elite status benefits. You buy a ticket from one airline that can be used with them and their partners for one price that lets you travel around the world on that one ticket.

For example, if you book with United Airlines (Star Alliance), your ticket is only good for airlines that United partners within that alliance.

And if you book with American Airlines (which is part of the Oneworld airline alliance), you can only use their partners.

Since American Airlines doesn’t fly everywhere in the world, you’ll need to rely on its partners. Say you need to get from New York City to Nairobi, Kenya (a destination American doesn’t serve). You may technically book your flight with American Airlines for that route, however, you will actually fly one of its airline partners on the sections of the journey that American Airlines doesn’t fly.

It’s important to remember that none of these alliances include the world’s budget airlines such as Ryanair (Europe), Southwest (US), Air Asia (Asia), or Tiger (Asia/Australia). These airlines offer fewer amenities and cheaper fares than the “major” airlines of the world (i.e. large, international carriers that are part of an alliance).

But they also are less comfortable too, which is the trade-off.

RTW tickets can be purchased for seats in economy, business, and first-class. They also come with a number of terms and conditions. Generally speaking, a RTW ticket is valid for one year from the start date and requires you to end in the same country you start in. You don’t need to end in the same city but you need to end in the same country.

Here is a breakdown of the rules for each major airline alliance’s round the world ticket:  

Journeys need to start and end in the same country and go one direction: east or west. You’ll need to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and can only do so once (so no doubling back).

You’ll get up to 16 flights on your ticket and the ability to cover up to 39,000 miles (which is enough to get you to almost every continent). They also provide free rebooking should you need to make any changes once you’re on the road (there are some caveats to that, which you can read int heir terms here .

Using their booking map, you’ll be able to create a 100% unique itinerary based on where you want to go. They also provide several thematic suggestions based on world history, romantic getaways, world wonders, food and wine, and more. Be sure to check them out for ideas and inspiration to get the ball rolling.

You can also have up to 5 “surface” sections in your itinerary. This just means you can travel from one destination to another 5 times outside of your RTW itinerary.

For example, you can fly to London as part of your RTW ticket and then have your onward flight depart from Paris . That will allow you to get to Paris from London via a cheaper flight or train ticket, allowing you to save money.

The distance between “surface” sections is still counted toward your overall 39,000 miles but surface sections can save you money when cheaper budget options are available (or if you’d just prefer to travel overland in certain regions/countries.)

They also have a second RTW ticket option, though it’s not a traditional RTW plan. It’s called Circle Pacific and it lets you travel in a circle around all of the countries that border the Pacific Ocean. So, instead of going around the globe you’ll be looping around the Pacific Ocean, starting and ending in the same destination.

The journey is good for up to 6 months (compared to the 1 year offered by their standard RTW ticket). Some of the most popular countries and regions included in this plan are Australia , New Zealand , Fiji , China , Japan , Southeast Asia , Vanuatu , Hawaii (and the rest of the US), and Canada .  

Oneworld Explorer is their segment-based pass, which focuses on continents. You can choose plans that offer access to 3, 4, and 6 continents. The more continents you plan to visit, the more expensive your ticket.

The plan also includes up to 16 segments (same as Star Alliance), however, there are no overland penalties. And since it’s continent-based, there’s no maximum mileage limit either. One of the benefits of this option is that every segment is counted the same — whether it’s a two-hour flight or a ten-hour flight — so you can really maximize long-haul flights and cover a lot of ground.

Their Global Explorer plan is the mileage-based pass (similar to the Star Alliance option). It has four options for milage: 26,000, 29,000, 34,000, and 39,000. Those (very roughly) translate to 3, 4, 5, and 6 continents.

The third option is Oneworld’s version of the Circle Pacific, which is effectively the same as the Star Alliance option.

Overall, Oneworld has access to slightly fewer destinations than Star Alliance (1,100 compared to 1,250) but all of the major regions are within reach. Unless you’re looking to get far from the tourist trail and visit obscure destinations, Oneworld will be able to get you to wherever you want to go.  

SkyTeam is the third option for RTW tickets. They have a plan similar to Star Alliance’s RTW ticket, however, they offer a rather limited version of it. The carriers and destinations are not nearly as comprehensive as either Star Alliance or Oneworld.

Personally, I wouldn’t even bother looking at their options. Both Star Alliance and Oneworld have much better products.  

On most RTW tickets, you can change the dates and times your ticket at no extra charge — as long as you don’t change the destinations.

For example, if you have a Tokyo to Los Angeles flight that you want to change, you can change the date and time without a fee. However, if you decide to fly from Tokyo to San Francisco instead then you have to pay a fee (usually around $125 USD).  

Where Can You Book a Round the World Ticket?

While you can book RTW tickets directly with the airlines above, you can usually find a better deal by booking through a third party.

Third-party bookers don’t just deal with one alliance — they mix and match from all available airlines (excluding budget airlines) to find the lowest price, which saves you money. Moreover, the overland mileage doesn’t count against your flight because there is no mileage limit.

In short, you’ll want to compare booking direct with booking via a third-party company, though it’s most likely that the third party site will have the better price.  

That depends.

RTW tickets are great for people with a set schedule. If you know your travel dates and destinations and don’t plan on changing your trip very much, an RTW ticket will save you a lot of time and a bit of money.

RTW tickets cost a lot, but if you pick one of the popular travel routes, you will find that you will save money in the end. Buying a ticket on a route like this will most likely cost less than if you were to book all your flights separately. You’ll also get more peace of mind since you have a company to help you with any changes you need to make, not to mention the fact that you’ll have everything planned before you leave home so that, once out in the world, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy yourself.

You should buy a RTW ticket if…

• You’re happy to fly on a set schedule
• You don’t plan to change your dates a lot
• You’re buying tickets for a big group like a family
• You don’t like budget airlines
• You’re visiting a lot of far-flung destinations and taking lots of long-haul flights
• You’re already a frequent flier and are looking to gain perks

If you are any of the above, a round the world ticket will probably save you at least 15-25% off the price of point-to-point tickets.

You should NOT buy a RTW ticket if…

• You want to fly a lot of budget airlines
• You don’t care about points or miles
• You have not set plan
• You’ll be gone longer than a year

If your trip matches any of these points, booking on your own, using budget carriers, and waiting for deals is going to work out a lot cheaper than buying a RTW ticket.

However, there is no definitive answer as to whether or not you should buy one of these tickets. It really depends a lot on your specific trip. A lot of people swear by around-the-world tickets and I believe that for the right trip, these tickets can be PERFECT.

You just have to figure out if your trip is the right trip for this kind of ticket.

To do that, use the interactive booking tools on the booking sites above. They all have websites where you can plan your route and get price estimates. That’s going to be the best way to compare prices and figure out which option is best for you.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

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• Guide to Round The World (RTW) Tickets

If you live in New York City and you want to visit Paris, booking an airline ticket is pretty straight forward. You can go on your airfare booking site of choice and compare the cost and convenience of various options. You would consider questions like when the flights leave, how many stops they make and what how long any layovers might be.

But, let’s say you want to do a longer trip and you want to visit Paris, Istanbul, Delhi, Tokyo, and Honolulu all on one trip. You can of course just book 6 airline tickets separately but you could potentially save a lot of money by buying a Round The World (RTW) ticket. This is a special class of ticket with different benefits and different restrictions.

Restrictions of a Round The World Ticket

Star alliance, what about other airlines, pros of a round the world ticket, cons of a round the world ticket, option 1 – get help, oneworld rtw ticket planner.

• Star Alliance RTW ticket planner
• SkyTeam RTW ticket planner

How do Round The World Tickets Work?

The simplest explanation for a round the world tick is that you can get a discount ticket from one airline for booking all those flights together, but… you have to book that ticket through that airline and its partners and, as a rule, you need to travel around the world in one direction, east to west or west to east to use a Round The World ticket .

• You must end up in the same city ( or country on SkyTeam and Star Alliance) you start
• All three airline alliances will let you make some number of segments via alternate transpiration (for example you fly to London and take the train to Paris) but will still count that as one of your segments and will count the miles towards your maximum.
• You must fly east to west or west to east the whole route (except Sky team)
• You must cross the Pacific Ocean once and only once
• You must cross the Atlantic Ocean once and only once
• You must book your ticket from one Airline Alliance and fly only on airlines that are part of that alliance.
• There may be a minimum and a maximum on the number of flights and stopovers
• There may be an extra charge to stop in particular destinations.
• There will be a limit on the total number of miles for the flights in the ticket.

Airline Alliances  (What Airlines are in What Alliances)

There are 3 major alliances of airlines, when you book a round the world ticket you will be using carriers (airlines) from only one of these airlines.

• Adria Airways (Slovenia)
• Aegean Airlines (Greece)
• Air Canada (Canada)
• Air China (China)
• Air India (India)
• Air New Zealand (New Zealand)
• ANA (Japan)
• Asiana Airlines (South Korea)
• Austrian Airlines (Austria)
• Avianca (Colombia)
• Avianca Brasil (Brazil)
• Brussels Airlines (Belgium)
• Copa Airlines (Panama)
• Croatia Airlines (Croatia)
• EgyptAir (Egypt)
• Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopia)
• EVA Air (Taiwan)
• LOT Polish Airlines (Poland)
• Lufthansa (Germany)
• SAS (Sweden)
• Shenzen Airlines (China)
• Singapore Airlines (Singapore )
• South African Airways (South Africa)
• Swiss International (Switzerland)
• TAP Portugal (Portugal)
• Thai Airways International (Thailand)
• Turkish Airlines (Turkey)
• United (USA)
• American Airlines (USA)
• British Airways (UK)
• Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong)
• Finnair (Finland)
• Iberia (Spain)
• Japan Airlines (Japan)
• LATAM Airlines (South America)
• Malaysia Airlines (Malaysia)
• Qantas (Australia)
• Qatar Airways (Qatar)
• Royal Jordanian (Jordan)
• S7 Airlines (Russia)
• SriLankan Airlines (Sri Lanka)
• Aeroflot (Russia)
• Aerolíneas Argentinas (Argentina)
• Aeroméxico (Mexico)
• Air Europa (Spain)
• Air France (France)
• Alitalia (Italy)
• China Airlines (Taiwan)
• China Eastern Airlines (China)
• Czech Airlines (Czech Republic)
• Delta Air Lines (United States )
• Delta Shuttle (United States)
• Garuda Indonesia (Indonesia)
• Kenya Airways (Kenya )
• KLM (Netherlands)
• Korean Air (South Korea)
• Middle East Airlines (Lebanon)
• Saudia (Saudi Arabia)
• TAROM (Romania)
• Vietnam Airlines (Vietnam)
• XiamenAir (China)

As you can see some alliances will have advantages if you plan to get to specific countries. Certainly, not all flights to Turkey will need to be on Turkish airlines, for example, but… Turkish airlines is going to have better connections to Turkey than any other airline.

Not every airline in the world is in an alliance. Specifically missing are budget carriers like Ryanair, easyJet, Norwegian, WOW, Germanwings, Frontier, or even some larger airlines in the USA like Southwest and Alaska.

As a rule then, you cannot fly an airline as part of your round the world ticket . But, they might still make up part of your itinerary. For example, you could fly to London on a round the world ticket and then do a round trip flight to Spain on a low-cost European airline like Ryanair from there, but it would not be considered part of your round the world ticket. That is one of the things that makes booking a round the world ticket a bit more tricky.

• Because you book all your flights at the same time you don’t have to worry about what happens if you can’t get one of the flights
• Because you book all your flights at the same time a round the world ticket may save you money
• Because you are booking through an airline alliance (Star Alliance, oneworld,  Sky Team) you can earn or spend your frequent flier miles in that program.
• Restrictions on directions of travel: go east or go west
• Like any ticket, if you miss a flight then the rest of your itinerary could be canceled. When this happens with a round trip ticket, you are probably still at home. When this happens on the 3rd flight of 6… things can get very complicated very fast.
• There will be charges to change your itinerary.
• Because you are restricted to one airline alliance, you may not be able to take some flights on other airlines that would simplify your routing.
• Low-cost airlines are not included, so you need to be careful that the round the world ticket is the best option as far as price.

How Do I get Started?

As you can see below the rules for booking can get complicated. If you want help booking I recommend AirTreks which has been in the business for years. I have known their CEO personally for over a decade. They have an easy trip builder . Add in where you want to go and they will give you a quick estimate of the price.

AirTreks also has example itineraries which has the advantage that some of them they have already figured out are relatively inexpensive. Click through one of these to get an idea of prices. Don’t worry, clicking won’t buy one 🙂

Option 2 – Book Your Own Round The World Ticket

Each of the airline alliances have a starting point and their own set of specific rules:

• Europe/Middle East/North Africa/Greenland
• Australia, New Zealand, and the South West Pacific
• North America including the Caribbean, Central America, and Panama
• South America
• Up to 26,000 miles
• economy class only
• You can visit from 2-5 regions above
• maximum of 2 stops in the same region
• Up to 29,000 miles
• You must visit at least 2 regions
• A maximum of 4 stops in the same region
• A maximum of 2 stopovers are permitted in the region of origin
• Up to 34,000 miles
• economy, business or first class
• maximum of 4 stops in the same region
• Up to 39,000 miles
• Up to 16 flight segments, you can travel between two airports (like London/Paris above) via surface transportation but they will count that as a flight segment as if you flew.
• Minimum trip duration 10 days
• Total trip duration less than 1 year
• Following your first flight between Continental Zones, all subsequent flights can be left open-dated, allowing you to schedule your trip as you go

Star Alliance rtw ticket planner

• Up to 16 flight segments
• At least 2 stopovers
• Up to 15 stopovers
• A stopover is a stay of more than 24 hours
• If your journey starts in Australia or New Zealand, minimum trip duration of 7 days
• If your journey starts in Europe, minimum trip duration of 10 days
• You travel needs to end in the same country, although not the same city
• Your itinerary may reflect travel greater than Round the World provided it is not via the point of origin and still terminates in the country of origin.
• In the entire journey not more than one crossing is permitted between Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia, Pacific.
• Specific flights must be booked 24 hours in advance
• Children (2-11years) are charged 75% of the available adult fare plus applicable fees, taxes and surcharges.
• Up to 5 segments can be made via surface transportation, but will still count towards miles and number of segments

SkyTeam rtw ticket planner

• – Go Round The World Fare 1 up to 38,000 miles
• – Go Round The World Fare 2 up to 33,000 miles
• – Go Round The World Fare 3 up to 29,000 miles
• – Go Round The World Fare 4 up to 26,000 miles
• At least 3 stopovers
• You can switch directions east to west and west to east
• You can only pass through a specific city twice
• A lap infant without a seat will be charged 10% of the fare
• A child 11 years old or less will be charged 75% of the fare

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by Chris Christensen

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25 Beautiful Cities Around the World to Add to Your Travel Bucket List

Posted: April 17, 2024 | Last updated: April 17, 2024

Forested national parks, idyllic seaside towns, and remote country roads all have their charm s, but when it comes to global travel , there's just something especially magical and inspiring about a beautiful and bustling city. But with so many pretty metropolises around the world, where to begin? Offering endless cultural adventures of the historical, culinary, and entertainment varieties and beyond, as well as spectacular sights and skylines, these cities are must-adds to your travel bucket lists. Admittedly, the list of breathtaking cities goes on and on, and it's impossible to capture their spirits in just one image, but we went ahead and highlighted 25 of the most beautiful cities in the world to give you a starting place as you plan your globe-trotting tour (or, just to satisfy your wanderlust virtually—for now). Fairytale vibes await you.

Lisbon, Portugal

This pastel-colored city on the Iberian sea is full of visual wonders. Set against the backdrop of hills with sweeping ocean views and colorful tiled buildings on every street, Lisbon is one of those places that fill you with hope and inspiration on even a simple neighborhood walk.

Shop Now The Independente Suites

New York City

The New York City skyline never fails to stun, no matter how many times you see it. Skyscrapers, rivers, bridges, parks, brownstones, it really has all the making for unforgettable views everywhere you look. And it goes without the saying, but looks aside, New York City has literally anything and everything a city could ever offer!

Shop Now Gramercy Park Hotel

Muscat, Oman

Bordered by Saudi Arabia, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, and the Arabian Peninsula, the coastal country of Oman is full of beautiful places to see and visit. As far as cities go, start in the capital, Muscat. Just one look at the gorgeous skyline gives you a glimpse into the fascinating history and unique geography, as it's marked by Portuguese forts, a bustling harbor, and a backdrop of dramatic mountains.

Shop Now The Chedi Muscat

Venice, Italy

Whether it feels like you have the place to yourself or it's cramped with tourists, Venice is undeniably one of the most beautiful places in the world. It's also one of the most romantic places imaginable—you'll get lulled to sleep by the water lapping against the buildings. Wander around the canals, go to Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) and the many art museums, and ride a water taxi or bus.

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Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is the perfect city destination for anyone who also loves the outdoors. You can hike to sweeping views and go wine tasting, and so much more!

Shop Now Labotessa

Budapest, Hungary

This Eastern European gem is full of romantic cafés, scenic views, and endless cultural opportunities. Take a stroll along the Danube (which splits the two cities, Buda and Pest), soak in geothermal baths, and visit Fisherman's Bastion, a beautiful neo-Gothic building and lookout point.

Shop Now Corinthia Hotel Budapest

Jaipur, India

From this mesmerizing coral structure known as Hawa Mahal (it's constructed of red sandstone, and its name, Hawa Mahal, translates to "palace of winds) to the Chad Baori (an ancient stepwell), there is so much to see and do in Jaipur, Rajasthan, especially for the color-loving maximalist.

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San Miguel de Allende

With colorfully painted buildings lining into the hilly landscape and some of the best food, art festivals, and artisanal shopping in the world, San Miguel de Allende is easily one of the most cities on the globe. You'll especially love it if you're a fan of baroque Spanish architecture, colorful blooms, and warm weather.

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Edinburgh, Scotland

Between all the medieval architecture, charming (and often foggy!) cobblestone streets, and lively traditional pubs, it's impossible not to fall in love with Edinburgh. Get lost wandering through the windy roads in Scotland for a nostalgic adventure.

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Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik is situated on the Adriatic Sea and boasts both vacation vibes and city adventure. From crystal clear waters and secluded beaches to incredible local wine and an endlessly rich cultural history, there's so much to experience in this bustling city.

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Bagan, Myanmar

Dating back to the 9th century, Bagan is a world heritage site and one of the oldest cities on the planet. While you're there, take a hot air balloon tour—floating high above the well-preserved ancient Buddhist temples and pagodas is truly magical.

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Paris, France

From the Seine to the pastel sunsets behind the Eiffel Tower to the Champs-Élysées all lit up at night. Paris truly has something for everyone, whether you love literature, art, architecture, food, nightlife, shopping, or simply walking around and exploring new cities.

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Marrakech, Morocco

If you're looking for an adventure, add the Red City to your list. The bustling North African mecca includes over a dozen souks plus palaces, world-class gardens , design-centric raids, and the Atlas mountain range.

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Quebec, City

For a taste of European splendor without crossing the pond, head to French-peaking Quebec City. You can feel the history while exploring the narrow streets dotted with stone buildings in the city center, which dates back to 1608. Though it's quite cold, it's particularly cold in the winter when blanketed in snow.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Spectacular ocean views, countless cultural events and experiences, and a lush tropical landscape set this Brazilian metropolis apart. If you love the outdoors, bumming on the beach, exploring local design landmarks, and eating, then you'll definitely want to add Rio to your bucket list.

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Sydney, Australia

If you're planning an adventure down under, you can't miss Sydney, Australia. The dramatic views of Sydney's harbor, made even more stunning by the single arch steel bridge up against the famous Opera House, showcase the city's sleek architecture but did you know it's also a surfer's paradise as well as a hub for design and style?

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San Francisco, California

Hike up and down the many steep hills of this beautiful California locale and you'll find yourself wondering how anyone ever managed to build a city here. But then you'll reach sweeping views of the bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, and twinkling lights all around you and you'll be thankful that someone managed to do so. Plus, the food scene is unbeatable!

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Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, has more than one hundred kilometers of canals winding through it, which is just one of the things that makes it a majestic place. It's also a mecca for art, culture, and fun.

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Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Cambodia's bustling capital city since the French protectorate, Phnom Penh is right along the Mekong River and the Tonlé Sap River. Aside from being a breathtaking destination with endless activities and historical sites to learn about, it's also fun to explore the many diverse neighborhoods and try all three delicious foods.

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Cartegena, Colombia

Cartagena is on the Caribbean coast, so you can expect breathtaking sights and panoramas everywhere you go. Well-preserved colonial gems line the streets of the Old Town, and bougainvillea drapes all the charming balconies.

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Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is full of architectural delight thanks to the city's Gothic quarter as well as the many Antoni Gaudí landmarks, including La Sagrada Familia, Parque Guell, and Casa Battló. And then there's the surrounding backdrop of palm trees and white sand beaches that make it all the more beautiful. Not to mention, the world-renowned nightlife! So, basically, this Catalan city is like a playground for grown-ups.

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Kyoto, Japan

The Daigo-Ji Temple in Kyoto attracts crowds during the cherry blossom season, but it's a striking city to visit all year round. Tour all the historic buildings (one pagoda dates all the way back to 951) and then venture into the striking bamboo forest.

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London, England

London is a fun city to visit any time of year, but also one of the most liveable cities in the world. IT has so much more to offer than just beautiful sights. Aside from being super liveable thanks to an incredibly efficient public transportation system, there's also street style and design inspiration on tap, some of the coolest museums, and most delicious restaurants in the world.

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Havana, Cuba

With history and visual delights everywhere you look, Cuba's capital city is endlessly inspiring, especially for anyone with a soft spot for nostalgia.

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Prague, Czech Republic

If you like visiting cities that make you feel like you're traveling to a more magical realm and time, then you must plan a trip to Prague. As one of the most iconic and oldest cities in Europe, there are countless scenic views to admire.

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What caused the storm that brought Dubai to a standstill?

Overwater bungalows started as a bottom-tier accommodation. Today, they're a status symbol in the luxury travel world.

• Overwater bungalows originated nearly 60 years ago in Tahiti.
• The first rooms cost $240 a night. Today, experts say they're a staple in the luxury travel market.
• The accommodations have since expanded in region, size, and amenities.

The first overwater bungalow had a thatched roof, a window peering into the ocean, and a ladder leading into the water.

Fast-forward 60 years, and overwater villas can now feature multi-story water slides, infinity pools, and personal butlers. They can also cost upwards of $8,000 a night at some of the world's ritziest resorts.

There's no doubt the accommodation style has expanded since its start in Tahiti in 1967, and travel experts agree they aren't going away anytime soon. Instead, the overwater villa has become a status symbol of luxury travel.

The start of the overwater bungalows

In 1959, three Americans left California for Tahiti's lush landscapes and crystal waters.

The men — Jay Carlisle, Hugh Kelley, and Donald McCallum — relocated with plans to start vanilla farming. When they learned the land they purchased wasn't suitable for vanilla, they turned to hospitality, Vaihiria Kelley, the daughter of Hugh Kelley, told Business Insider.

They purchased a four-room, run-down property on the island of Moorea and named it Bali Hai. The trio became known as the Bali Hai Boys.

Their timing was ideal, Kelley said. Shortly after renovating the hotel, a new airport connected international travelers to Tahiti, which had previously only been accessible by boat. In 1962, Life Magazine wrote a seven-page feature on Tahiti and the Bali Hai Boys. Tourism boomed.

After that, the men purchased two more hotels on two other islands.

As the hotels grew in popularity, they needed to grow in size. Two of the properties had the land to expand, but the third hotel on the island of Raiatea didn't, Kelley said. Instead, it was surrounded by roads, neighboring resorts, and the ocean.

"The overwater bungalow didn't start out of, 'Oh, let's think of something really innovative,'" Kelley said. "It really came out of a need."

Without land to expand, the ocean was their only option. Nearby, on the island of Huahine, traditional Tahitian fishing huts lined the coast.

That's where the trio found their inspiration, Kelley said. The basic fishing huts sat on coconut trunk pillars and had thatched roofs. Mimicking the style, they built three overwater bungalows to join the garden and pool bungalows that also filled the Raiatea property in 1967.

Kelley said the men assumed the overwater bungalows were the least desirable at the time and priced them at just $240 a day , including meals.

"They didn't expect that it would be so popular," Kelley said.

Vacationers were enchanted by falling asleep to the sound of the ocean and waking up to dive straight into the water. After realizing they had a successful concept, Kelley said the Bali Hai Boys began adding overwater bungalows to their two other properties. It wasn't long before other resorts on islands across French Polynesia started copying the design.

Kelley, who grew up in Moorea, remembers watching her dad welcome guests to the hotel. Celebrities and actors traveled across the world to sleep in the overwater bungalows.

"When you see the pictures now, you think, 'Oh my God, it's very '70s," Kelley said. "But for that time, it was very luxurious."

Nearly 60 years later, it remains a luxurious vacation, Ronan McLoughlin, the owner of Dream Overwater Bungalows , a website that compiles resorts around the world, told BI.

Today, there are about 250 resorts that offer accommodations over the water, with many being four or five-star resorts.

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The original resort on Raiatea has since closed, but Kelley said she sees a bit of her dad's vision each time she sees an overwater bungalow.

While the concept has existed for decades, experts say it remains a luxury staple

Jason Toms has spent the last four years helping travelers build tailor-made vacations in the Maldives at the luxury travel company Audley Travel .

And if someone is traveling to the Maldives, chances are they're looking to sleep in an overwater villa.

"It's the signature way to stay in the Maldives," Toms told BI. "My clients, who are typically traveling from the US, 95% are asking for overwater villas."

Lucy Rudgard, the senior oceans and islands expert at the luxury tour operator Scott Dunn , agreed, adding that the appeal of overwater stays goes beyond just the Maldives.

"It's always No. 1 on people's list," she said, noting that travelers are also willing to pay a lot for the experience of sleeping above water. In destinations like the Maldives and Bora Bora, overwater villas can cost twice as much as a beachside resort.

For Rudgard's clients, the entry cost for a week in an overwater villa might be around $30,000, but she estimates some clients have spent more than $250,000 for overwater vacations.

McLoughlin said these high costs are also partly why the accommodations have remained a luxury staple.

"There's a status to it as well because they're automatically expensive in most places," McLoughlin said since it can be expensive to build the bungalows.

On top of that, it's no easy feat for many US travelers to get to some of these faraway destinations, which adds another layer of luxury to the accommodation.

"If you were to be seen in an overwater bungalow, it meant that either you're in the Maldives or in Bora Bora or somewhere fancy," McLoughlin said.

Overwater resorts continue to pop up around the world

For decades, overwater bungalows were largely limited to the Maldives and French Polynesia. But within the last eight years, the concept has expanded to the Caribbean , a destination much closer to most Americans.

But building an overwater bungalow in the Caribbean can be a hard task to accomplish, Danny Kalenov, the developer behind Six Senses Belize , an overwater bungalow resort that's set to open in 2026, told BI.

Places like the Maldives and Bora Bora are ideal for overwater bungalows because they are dotted with lagoons, atolls, and calm waters. Plus, hurricanes are few and far between.

As the vacation style became one that everyone dreamed of, builders were determined to offer the experience of sleeping above water in the Caribbean.

In 2016, the Sandals Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, became the first overwater bungalow resort in the area .

"Now, they've started to pop up everywhere in the last seven or six years," McLoughlin said.

Today, Dream Overwater has cataloged nine Caribbean locations home to more than a dozen overwater bungalow resorts.

According to Kalenov, the demand for the experience is still high, with Americans wanting to travel closer to home. That's why the luxury hotel brand Six Senses is building a private island resort with 40 overwater villas off Belize's Ambergris Caye.

The company is using a custom-built barge made specifically for shallow water and specialized equipment. Kalenov compared the process to "filling a swimming pool with a teaspoon."

And while the construction might be more challenging than a traditional resort, he said the end product — and experience he's creating — will be worth it.

It's not just Six Senses that's betting on overwater villas. Royalton Chic Antigua is set to open this spring with 12 overwater suites, and Sandals in St. Vincent and the Grenadines opened at the end of March with 10 two-story villas starting at $1,570-a-person per night.

"We believe that this type of experience is the future of luxury travel and the future of hospitality in general," Kalenov said.

Watch: Inside the most expensive neighborhoods of Singapore, home to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew

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How to make your own bespoke wine with the best vintners in the world.

With an initiation fee starting at $20k, private wine and travel club The Vines takes members around the globe to sip rare vintages, learn the art of blending and even create a personal barrel complete with 25 cases and bespoke labels.

By Elycia Rubin

Elycia Rubin

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Pulling a prized bottle of, say, a 2018 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon out of the cellar to relish with friends can be thrilling. But think about the bragging rights of pouring your own blend, which you personally crafted at a famed winery in the heart of Tuscany or in the hills of Argentina.

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Over three or four days you’ll stroll vineyards, gain inside knowledge about the craft, inhale the enchanting aromas inside renowned barrel rooms and sip treasured wines. Members also have the option of creating their own personal barrel (25 cases, priced from $6,000-$40,000), which will be bottled, adorned with a bespoke label and shipped to your home after maturation. Intimate and masterfully executed, these “Blending Escapes” are the pinnacle of wine-tasting bliss for any oenophile.

“Through The Vines, we share winemaking experiences with others who are passionate about wine and the cultural and travel experiences that accompany it,” founder and CEO Michael Evans tells THR . “Drinking wines from a region, with the people who make them, and enjoying the unique foods of each locale is an unparalleled experience.”

Studded with culturally rich activities designed to deeply connect members with each region thanks to the meaningful relationships Evans and his team have cultivated, excursions are carefully curated. In addition to the deep dive with winemakers, expect dinners at off-the-beaten path cafés and trattorias, bountiful lunches set on sprawling vineyards, cooking classes with revered chefs, and gatherings with resident authors and artists.

Current destinations where members can globetrot and vine hop include: Priorat, Spain; Mosel, Germany; the Champagne and Burgundy regions of France; Mendoza, Argentina; Oregon’s Willamette Valley; Duoro Valley, Portugal; Napa Valley; Sicily; and Piemonte, Italy.

South Africa, Bordeaux and Georgia in Eastern Europe are currently being plotted for 2025. Plenty of scintillating activities are forthcoming as well, to include truffle hunting in Tuscany, clamming on the Oregon coast, and making one’s own perfume in Spain.

Those who are yearning to delve further into the terroir and grow their own grapes, literally, have the option to purchase an acre of mature vineyards in Argentina at The Vines of Mendoza for $120,000, plus additional farming fees. “Winemaking is a la carte and starts at $4 per bottle,” says Evans, who also owns The Vines Resort & Spa , the private vineyard’s sleek retreat delivering majestic views of the Andes Mountains and surrounding vines.

A version of this story first appeared in the April 10 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe .

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World Heritage Day 2024: India’s 5 remarkable sites that draw millions every year

TRAVEL TRENDS , INDIA Updated : Apr 18, 2024, 13:31 IST

India, a land steeped in history and culture, is home to a wealth of heritage sites that capture the imagination of travellers from around the globe. Not only ancient temples, there are majestic forts to marvel at, wherein each site tells a story of India's rich past and diverse heritage. Here are some of India's most visited and remarkable heritage sites that you can plan to visit to explore their significance and the reasons behind their enduring allure.

Taj Mahal, Agra

Undoubtedly, the Taj Mahal stands as India's most iconic symbol of love and architectural splendour. Commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, this breathtaking white marble mausoleum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that you try visiting at least once in your lifetime. Its intricate craftsmanship, symmetrical design, and ethereal beauty draw millions of visitors each year, and offers a glimpse into the opulence of Mughal architecture and the enduring power of love.

Jaipur City Palace, Rajasthan

Nestled in the heart of Rajasthan's capital, Jaipur, lies the majestic City Palace, a magnificent blend of Rajput, Mughal, and European architectural styles. Built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the palace complex encompasses courtyards, gardens, and palatial structures adorned with exquisite artwork and historical artefacts. Visitors are captivated by the grandeur of the palace, which proudly showcases Rajasthan's royal legacy and vibrant cultural heritage.

Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Maharashtra

Steeped in antiquity and spiritual significance, the Ajanta and Ellora Caves are proof of India's rich religious traditions and artistic prowess. Carved into the rock cliffs of Maharashtra, these ancient cave complexes showcase remarkable Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain temples, monasteries, and sculptures dating back to the 2nd century BCE. The intricate carvings and mural paintings depict scenes from Indian mythology and offer insight into the spiritual practices of bygone eras, attracting history enthusiasts and pilgrims alike.

Khajuraho Group of Monuments, Madhya Pradesh

Renowned for its stunning depiction of human emotions and sensuality, the Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that showcases India's architectural brilliance and cultural diversity. Built by the Chandela dynasty between the 9th and 11th centuries, these intricately carved temples feature elaborate sculptures depicting various aspects of life, love, and spirituality. Despite the passage of centuries, the Khajuraho temples continue to mesmerise visitors with their exquisite craftsmanship and timeless appeal.

Hampi, Karnataka

Nestled amid the rugged terrain of Karnataka lies the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi, a sprawling complex of ruins that was once the glorious capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Steeped in history and architectural splendour, Hampi's ancient temples, royal enclosures, and boulder-strewn landscape offer a captivating glimpse into India's mediaeval past. Visitors can wander through the labyrinthine streets, marvel at the towering gopurams, and soak in the serene ambiance of this living heritage site.

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India, a land steeped in history and culture, is home to a wealth of heritage sites that capture the imagination of travellers from around the globe. Not only ancient temples, there are majestic forts...

House Republicans release aid bills for Israel and Ukraine, eyeing weekend House votes

WASHINGTON — Facing a divided party and pressure to act, House Speaker Mike Johnson rolled out three bills Wednesday to provide assistance to Israel , Ukraine and Taiwan , with the hope of holding final votes on Saturday.

The bills represent a major test of Johnson’s ability to navigate a thicket of political and global challenges with a wafer-thin majority. And it comes as Johnson, R-La., faces a serious threat to his gavel from Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene , R-Ga., and Thomas Massie , R-Ky.

Johnson's biggest challenge is Ukraine funding , an issue that has bitterly divided the GOP. He has been squeezed by conservative security hawks who want to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s aggression and by an empowered isolationist wing that is feeding off former President Donald Trump’s criticism of NATO and prior Ukraine aid measures.

Multiple Republicans say they oppose any funding for Ukraine, meaning that a significant share of Democrats will be required to carry that measure over the finish line. Many of the provisions in the bills resemble the package passed by the Senate in one bundle, which Johnson rejected and refused to put to a House vote.

In a message to members before releasing the legislation, Johnson said there would be "three bills that will fund America’s national security interests and allies in Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and Ukraine, including a loan structure for aid , and enhanced strategy and accountability."

He said Republican leadership will come forward with an amendment process "alongside a fourth bill that includes the REPO Act ," which is aimed at seizing Russian assets to benefit Ukraine; the House-passed bill to ban TikTok in the U.S. unless it divests from its China-based owner; as well as "sanctions and other measures to confront Russia, China, and Iran."

“We expect the vote on final passage on these bills to be on Saturday evening,” Johnson said in a text message obtained by NBC News.

He said there will also be a "border security bill that includes the core components of H.R.2" — a conservative, House-passed immigration bill — moving under a separate process. That measure serves as a sweetener for reticent conservatives who are unhappy that the aid bills don't include domestic immigration provisions.

Swift conservative pushback

Multiple House conservatives pushed back immediately on social media Wednesday after Johnson's message went out, complaining that the border measures weren't directly tied to Ukraine funding.

"The Republican Speaker of the House is seeking a rule to pass almost $100 billion in foreign aid — while unquestionably, dangerous criminals, terrorists, & fentanyl pour across our border. The border 'vote' in this package is a watered-down dangerous cover vote. I will oppose," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, wrote on X .

Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the most recent chair of the hard-right Freedom Caucus, said: "Anything less than tying Ukraine aid to real border security fails to live up to @SpeakerJohnson's own words just several weeks ago. Our constituents demand — and deserve — more from us."

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, earlier called aid to Ukraine unnecessary, saying: “I’m not giving them a nickel today, tomorrow or next week."

“Putin is not going into Poland. I don’t care what you say. Besides, anyway, it doesn’t really matter because ... when Donald Trump wins, Putin’s leavin’. Putin’s leavin’ Ukraine,” Nehls said ahead of the bill’s release, without explaining his logic.

House Democrats have repeatedly called on Johnson to bring up a Senate-passed foreign aid package instead, calling it the best — if not only — path to getting a bill on Biden's desk. They have posted a "discharge petition" with 195 signatories to end-run Johnson and force a vote on that bill. It needs 218 votes to come up, meaning it will need the backing of some Republicans in addition to Democrats.

At a Wednesday meeting with Democrats, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., told members that they need to use their “personal relationships” with Republicans to garner support for the discharge petition, according to two people familiar with her comments.

Treasury Secretary Yellen dials up pressure

At a bilateral meeting later Wednesday with Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen plans to dial up the pressure on House Republicans to act.

“The failure of House Republicans to act to support Ukraine in this pivotal moment of the war for so long has been inexcusable—and detrimental to our national security,” Yellen will say, according to a Treasury source. “Every moment of delay by House Republicans strengthens Putin and emboldens America’s adversaries around the world who are closely watching to see if we, the United States, maintains its resolve to support a democratic Ukraine as it fends off an autocratic Russia.”

Meanwhile, Greene has not said when she might force a vote on her "motion to vacate" the speaker's chair, which would take a simple majority to remove Johnson from his job. Her effort gained a cosponsor in Massie on Tuesday, who predicted Johnson would be voted out.

It's not clear the votes are there to oust Johnson. Many conservatives, including some who voted to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have not joined the effort to oust Johnson. Some Democrats have also said they'll vote to protect Johnson from a motion to depose him.

But Massie said that would only hurt his standing with the GOP in the long term.

“Then he goes further in the hole with Republicans. He becomes toxic to the conference. For every Democrat who comes to his aid he’ll lose 2 to 3 more Republicans,” Massie said. “He doesn’t have much shelf life after that.”

Johnson struck a defiant tone Tuesday when asked about the threat to his gavel, calling it “absurd” while saying he’s “not concerned” about the motion and will continue to do his job.

Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

Rebecca is a producer and off-air reporter covering Congress for NBC News, managing coverage of the House.

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Democrats Hammer a Simple Attack on Abortion: Donald Trump Did This

The party is unifying around a blunt message that Vice President Kamala Harris pushed for privately ahead of her Friday trip to Arizona, where Democrats hope to keep Republicans reeling.

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By Lisa Lerer ,  Reid J. Epstein and Nicholas Nehamas

In a meeting with her staff last week, Vice President Kamala Harris offered a prediction: Former President Donald J. Trump would not support a national abortion ban. Instead, she said, he would take a position that would muddy the waters on an issue that she believed could be deeply damaging for his campaign.

We need to make him own this, she told her aides.

Days later, as rumors circulated that a court ruling was coming on Arizona’s abortion ban, Ms. Harris instructed that an event in Tucson about student loans should instead focus on abortion rights, according to three Democratic officials familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the internal deliberations.

On Tuesday, Arizona’s top court upheld an 1864 law that bans nearly all abortions . And on Friday, before more than 100 abortion rights activists and supporters, Ms. Harris plans to deliver a simple message: Blame Donald Trump.

From campaigns for state legislatures to the race for the White House, Democrats have unified around a central message of protecting what remains of abortion access in the United States, along with the availability of long-established reproductive health measures like contraception and fertility treatments.

The Democratic effort underscores how the 2022 Supreme Court decision ending federal abortion rights remade American politics. Four years ago, Joseph R. Biden Jr. rarely mentioned abortion rights in his general-election campaign, fearing the issue could alienate moderate voters and would not sufficiently energize his base. Now, after the fall of Roe v. Wade, abortion rights are a centerpiece of his re-election bid, the first time that an American presidential campaign has focused so intensely on women’s reproductive health.

After largely abandoning an effort to brand economic progress under the banner of Bidenomics , the president’s team has found a simpler, easier-to-understand slogan to use wherever states are restricting abortion.

“Donald Trump did this,” reads the closing shot of one of the campaign’s new advertisements about abortion.

That message, Democrats say, has been supercharged by the Arizona abortion decision. The state is only the most prominent of dozens where abortion is likely to remain front and center in November, between continued bans on the procedure, a steady drumbeat of legal rulings and painful personal stories of women affected by the restrictions, and ballot measures asking voters whether to expand rights and access.

“The more and more we see these examples, the more and more people are like: ‘Oh God, that could happen to my family. That could happen to someone I love,’” said Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, the chairwoman of Mr. Biden’s campaign. “We believe now when fundamental rights are taken away, it is not an issue people are going to forget.”

This week, Democrats have rallied around abortion rights in races from coast to coast. In Florida, former Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who is running for the Senate, began a “ Florida Freedom Tour ” after a decision by the Florida Supreme Court last week allowing a six-week abortion ban. In North Carolina, two women who experienced life-threatening complications after being denied abortions in their home states appeared at Biden campaign events.

Spanish-language signs erected in Phoenix and Tempe blamed Mr. Trump for the Arizona ban, and billboards in swing House districts from California to Texas accused Republicans of voting against treatments like in vitro fertilization. And in Arizona, the Biden campaign announced a “seven-figure investment” in ads focused on reproductive rights.

Much more is scheduled for the coming weeks. The Biden campaign is sketching out plans to campaign around notable — and some far less known — anniversaries over the next two months.

In May, it plans to mark the leak of a draft of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe and the anniversary of a Nebraska ban on abortion at 12 weeks . June will bring the anniversaries of the 1965 Supreme Court decision in Griswold v. Connecticut, which legalized contraception for married couples, and of the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that ended a constitutional right to abortion.

Biden campaign aides believe the issue could sway the presidential race in their favor not only in Arizona but also in North Carolina, which a Democrat last won in 2008. Even Florida could possibly be in play, they suggest, despite its recent shift to the right.

Abortion bans in places like Florida could have national ramifications, Biden campaign aides say. Florida and Arizona are not perceived to be as socially conservative as some of the Southern states that enacted bans on the procedure before the Supreme Court ruling, these aides argue, and their tightening restrictions will help illustrate the widespread impact of the court’s decision.

“Folks are keenly aware that it may be Arizona today, but in an election or two, it could come to your neighborhood,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis of Pennsylvania, a Democrat. “It is very much something that I hear on the road and that people come up and talk about.”

Not everyone agrees: Some within the Biden campaign worry that focusing on abortion could lead it to neglect other issues on which the president is struggling more for approval, including inflation, immigration and — this week — student loan debt .

Molly Murphy, a Biden pollster, said abortion rights were particularly motivating for younger voters, whom Mr. Biden has struggled to energize. But she said the issue resonated far beyond them, reaching much of the party’s voting base, including white women without college degrees, Latino women and suburban swing voters.

“I think we actually can’t talk about it enough,” she said. “I’ve actually not seen any group where it just falls flat.”

Polls have shown that a broad majority of voters believe abortion should be entirely or mostly legal and that more voters trust Mr. Biden than Mr. Trump on the issue. Twelve percent of voters in a recent survey by KFF , a nonprofit group focused on health policy, said abortion was the “most important issue” in their 2024 vote. That is a significant shift from 2020 , when a larger share of self-described “pro-life” voters were more likely to say the issue was important to their vote than self-described “pro-choice” voters.

On Wednesday, Mr. Trump distanced himself from the Arizona law and speculated that Florida’s six-week ban was “ probably, maybe going to change .” He continued to defend the position he had taken in a video statement on Monday, when he said that abortion laws should be left to the states .

Yet Democrats believe Mr. Trump will not be able to outrun blame for appointing the three Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe — a ruling he often highlights as a major accomplishment of his presidency. Democrats are also leveraging this strategy against other Republican candidates by pointing to their past support for legislation that would curtail or even eradicate abortion rights.

“It’s gone from an abstract concern that women might lose their right to make their own health care decisions to reality” that they have already lost it, said Josh Stein, the Democratic nominee for governor in North Carolina, which enacted a 12-week abortion ban last year . “When you compound it with the fact that we are now the southernmost state in which abortion remains lawful, it becomes all the more concerning.”

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has identified 18 competitive races in states where measures expanding abortion rights are likely to appear on the ballot in November. There also are at least five competitive Senate races in states where advocates are working to place abortion questions on the November ballot — including Florida, where Mr. Trump lives. On Wednesday, he dodged a question about how he would vote on the issue.

“Democrats can run on a unifying message from state legislative races to the Senate to the presidential campaign,” said Ben Wikler, the chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, who helped liberals win a critical State Supreme Court election last year. “It creates the possibility of a surround-sound campaign.”

Many Democrats believe their most powerful message comes from the women directly affected by the state bans. Democratic strategists from the Biden campaign and for congressional candidates anticipate featuring more accounts of women delivering heart-rending accounts of losing their pregnancies and facing dire medical consequences when they were denied abortion care.

Even some Democratic candidates have begun sharing stories about their own abortions that would have been considered too politically charged even just two years ago. On Thursday, Lucia Báez-Geller, a Democrat running for Congress in a South Florida district held by a Republican, wrote about her decision to end a nonviable pregnancy at 12 weeks in an opinion essay published in The Miami Herald . Under the six-week ban, which is expected to go into effect by May 1, such a procedure would become harder, if not impossible, to receive.

“There is definitely heightened attention around this, and I just feel that my story is one of many,” Ms. Báez-Geller said in an interview. “And I think my story is going to pale in comparison to the stories that we’re going to hear when this ban goes into effect.”

Michael Gold contributed reporting.

Lisa Lerer is a national political reporter for The Times, based in New York. She has covered American politics for nearly two decades. More about Lisa Lerer

Reid J. Epstein covers campaigns and elections from Washington. Before joining The Times in 2019, he worked at The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Newsday and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. More about Reid J. Epstein

Nicholas Nehamas is a Times political reporter covering the re-election campaign of President Biden. More about Nicholas Nehamas