There’s been a lot of debate, some rather vehement on various forums, over the last few years, about whether it’s cheaper to book a round the world (RTW) before you go or just buy Low Cost Carriers (LCC) as you go. Well we sell both types of tickets and this is what we know from our experience….
- A lot of LCC carriers have gone bust recently. We’re being polite, this can affect your plans. This article from 4 years ago from The Times should really act as a warning. Two of those big long haul LCC carriers have since gone under: Oasis and Zoom
- There’s been a lot of natural and unnatural disasters over the last two years(SARS, Ash Clouds, Strikes, Tsunamis, Riots, Earthquakes, and Floods). This is when a decent travel agent can be worth their weight in gold. Remember in the UK, a good RTW carrier, is responsible for getting you on your flight ASAP after a disaster. A LCC has no such responsibilities and usually the limit of their liability is to refund you. This can leave you up the creek without the proverbial paddle.
- A lot of countries need a ticket out before you can get in. Don’t try to enter the US on a one way ticket. Unless you’re a US citizen you will not be boarded. The same can go for Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Peru, Mexico…. etc
- Oh I’ll buy a ticket when I’m out there. Okay flights from South America to Australia or North America can cost the same as a basic RTW. It could end up being the most expensive travel mistake you will ever make….
- Okay so where would I use low cost carriers? Well I use them all the time within Europe (expect basic service, good prices and a lot of extras) and there are a few great carriers within Asia (which we can book for a small admin fee) that give some great options at great prices.
- Are Low Cost carriers safe?Safety-wise yes. It’s just sometimes the economics of the routes don’t make sense, so they do sometimes go under. Again I will refer you to this article in The Times
- Okay but I need flexibility? Well all our RTWs allow date changes. The more expensive ones are usually FOC, and the cheaper ones £30-£120. Most also allow re-routing. So if you do break your leg in Australia, the airline will allow you to re-route your ticket (for a fee) to fly straight home. You also have our free Travel Concierge service, which is rather popular.
- I want cheaper! Well look at some of our RTWs under £999. They will give a lot of the same options as the more expensive RTWs, with the security benefits of date changes, re-routing, a Travel Concierge, a UK ATOL bonded agent, decent carriers, and the most experienced RTW travel agent out there roundtheworldairfares.com
- I’ve done a RTW before but I want to go back to Australiato visit some mates, with maybe a stop in Vietnam. Well talk to us – we’ve got some great point to point multi-stop deals that you won’t find online.
- I want to go for more than 12 months, Chat to us – we have one way tickets and sector fares you won’t find online. Plus sometimes a RTW can be cheaper than a one way…
