Travel Extras

Do flights have to actually go round the world?
Not at all, you can do pretty much anything you want, although prices can vary hugely for the more complicated routes. Some round the world tickets will insist that you actually go round the world but others don't, so it's down to your consultant to find the route that most suits you.

When is the cheapest time to go?

Generally after Easter and before the summer holidays - all airlines have different seasons - ask us and we can get the best deals. Many airfares are based on when you start your trip. The lowest fares occur in low season and the highest fares are in high season - Here is a very general guide:

January - Shoulder / Low Season
February - Low Season
March - Low Season
April - Low Season
May - Low Season
June - Low / High Season
July - High Season
August - High Season
September - Low Season
October - Low Season
November - Low Season
December - Shoulder / High Season

If I don't live in the UK can I still make a booking with you?

Yes you can - but it would be better to organise flights that commence in the UK. Please feel free to ask us.

What does 'Surface' mean?

This means you will fly in and out of a different city or country. In other words you will travel between them by other means, perhaps by train, bus or boat. By choosing the right overland journey you can see and experience more of a country. A round the world trip should be more about seeing things you’ll never see again, rather than rushing through airports and sitting on buses ‘just to get there’. Really “see” the countries you go to rather than just “visit”. These are just a few of the overland choices that are extremely popular and safe!

Bangkok surface Singapore.
Delhi surface Mumbai
Sydney surface Cairns
Auckland surface Christchurch
New York surface San Francisco
Santiago surface Lima

Some overland routes fit perfectly with an overland tour.

Nairobi surface Victoria Falls (see here)
Victoria Falls surface Cape Town (see here)
Moscow surface Beijing (see here)
Beijing surface Hong Kong (see here)

What is the tax that everyone keeps quoting - is it V.A.T?
No it is not V.A.T. The tax is airport tax, money that the airport is charging you to use its facilities. This used to be collected at the airports but is now payable in advance when you purchase your ticket. There are still a few countries in which your taxes are collected at the airport, for example Thailand, New Zealand, Fiji and China. However, most airport taxes are paid up front with your airfare.

As a rule of thumb, on a journey with say 6 or 7 stops, you should expect to pay around £150 in taxes - possibly more if you have a few stops in the USA, Canada or Australia. On a more complicated route with a dozen or even 15 stops, taxes could add up to over £250 per person.

Recently you will have two new extra charges – Security Charges, about £2.50 per flight and secondly Fuel Surcharges. All airlines have different fuel surcharges and these can be as much as £55 per flight. As these taxes and surcharges frequently change we will advise you the exact amount when you make your booking and pay your balance. Yes it’s true, the more flights you have the more tax you pay. But remember less is more. You’re more likely to enjoy a six-month trip seeing four countries properly, than trying to visit ten countries in over six months. The good news, unlike most countries worldwide, the UK has no VAT on flights!

Is roundtheworldflights.com just another Internet start up?
Not at all, roundtheworldflights.com is now in our 8th year and is a Global Village company, trading since 1997 more about us

Why should I book with you?
The list is endless; we hardly even know where to start! In short it's because this is an area that we specialise in. Our consultants spend hour upon hour, day upon day just working on round the world enquiries. During this time they come across new airline routes and unusual schedules and services. This enables them to help you get just that little bit more out of your round the world ticket. All our consultants are well travelled and are in touch with regular travellers every day. We can often give you a good idea of what to expect in most parts of the world. For example overland travel is a magnificent way to see more of a county. The most popular overland journey has to be “Thailand to Singapore” and we would highly recommend this choice. However if you were thinking of travel overland from India to Thailand, we would strongly advise you against this. Travel through Myanmar is extremely difficult due to visa and boarder restrictions. The link to the Foreign Office website is constantly updated and widely accepted as giving excellent information. You should certainly follow any advice given here.

Is my money safe with roundtheworldflights.com?

Absolutely. The company has an Air Travels Organiser’s License (ATOL - 6283) granted by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). ATOL protects you from losing your money or being stranded abroad. It does this by carrying out checks on the tour operators and travel organisers it licenses, and requiring a financial guarantee called a bond, which is lodged with us.If a tour operator goes out of business, the CAA will make a refund to you, or if you're abroad, we'll arrange for you to finish your holiday and fly home. For further information please visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. The company is also a member and is bonded by the International Air Travel Association (IATA - 91257073), which allows us to issue tickets on our premises in Islington. All RTW airline tickets also include Schedule Airline Failure Insurance (SAFI) - which will be added to your invoice if scheduled airline flights are booked. RTW Travel insurance is strongly recommended at all times more

How far ahead can I book?

You may book airline seats up to 11 months in advance. As a result the travel dates towards the end of your itinerary may not necessarily be the ones that you intend to travel on - we call these dummy dates. You will normally change these dates at a later date before you go, or at an airport half way through your trip.

Can I pre-book my first night accommodation?

Booking the first 2-3 nights accommodation can make all the difference. Check out our roundtheworldflights.com hotels online - from 3 star to 5 star luxury!

Why do I need travel insurance?

Well if you break your leg in Cambodia on a scooter and you have to be flown home then that can cost £150K plus - 10 times as much in the States - so unless you've got very very rich parents (we're talking Sunday Times Rich list Top 100) then get a decent travel insurance - not one from a chemist or local butchers - use a specialist that offers a policy that provides high medical expenses, repatriation and good legal cover at the very least. You don't have to buy it through us but you'd be a village idiot not to get insurance from somewhere. If you are cost conscious or don't plan on taking much of value with you, we have negotiated rates that include and exclude cover for baggage and money from 1 month up to 12 months. We believe that the rates and cover that we offer are among the best you will find. See details here

How much notice do I have to give to change my dates?

If you do not intend to take a confirmed flight, you must change your dates before the flight departs. Failure to do so may result in the airline cancelling your remaining flights. As a rule of thumb it is important you change your flight dates at least three days before the flight is due to depart.

Can I change destinations whilst I'm away?

In most cases you will be able to re-route your ticket although this will cost a little more (GBP£75-£250 plus any changes in taxes or any increases in fuel surcharges) and involve you going into an airline office or at an airport to have the ticket re-issued. Please note this procedure can take a while as the airline in the country you are in has to contact their office in London to get the ticketing details. Also the tickets we sell are quite complicated and it can take longer to reissue a ticket in Ulan Bataar that it would at Heathrow.

How much luggage can I take?

The most common system used, is the weight system. This allows you to take the following amount of luggage at no extra cost to you.
• Economy Class 20-23kg (depending on the airline)
• Business Class 30kg
• First Class 40kg

If you travel via the North America then you are sometimes allowed to take two pieces of luggage, each piece up to 62 inches (158cm) in total dimensions (length + height + width) and maximum weight 20kg each.

If you have a ticket with several flights, bear in mind that the same baggage allowance may not apply to each flight on your itinerary! If you plan on taking more than your allowance, we recommend that you contact the airline in advance so that you know what excess baggage charges to expect. At the discretion of the airlines, you may be allowed extra baggage allowance for certain items such as sports equipment, including golf clubs, skis or a surfboard. It is essential that you confirm these details with the airlines you will be travelling with. Children (paying 50% or more of the applicable fare) will receive the adult baggage allowance. Infants (paying 10% of the applicable adult fare) will be permitted a free allowance of one checked in bag, not exceeding 20kg.

What is the difference between a paper ticket and an e-ticket and what do I need to carry?

E-tickets are the future of air travel and are issued in approximately 95% of all cases with round the world itineraries – this figure is increasing on a monthly basis and the day is not far off when we will have all tickets issued as e-ticket.
Why not yet? – simply because smaller airlines and airports are not yet ready to issue and accept them due to the necessary technology not being present.
With a paper ticket – you must have this with you whenever you check in for a flight just as you always have had to.
With an e-ticket – you just need your passport and a smile! We will also send you a booking confirmation - this will have all your flight details on it - We recommend that you always keep an itinerary with you or on your hotmail or gmail account to remind yourself of flight dates and times.

When is the best time to start planning and purchasing my trip?

4-8 months before your first planned departure date. This will ensure that you get the best prices and that there is seat availability.

Will I get a better price if I wait until the last minute?

No. Last-minute fares are usually the highest fares for people who have to travel regardless of the price. Seats on the airlines that offer the best value, and seats allocated to the lowest fares, are usually the first to sell out. We can often get discounts even for last-minute travel, but we can almost always get even better prices on the same airlines and routes if you can plan and purchase your tickets further in advance.

Can I make up my own itinerary?

Yes, absolutely. The sample routes and prices on our Web site are only examples of the endless number of possibilities for your RTW- rarely do any of our clients follow the same route. Please visit “Build your own flights” and you can create your own customised route and get an instant online price estimate.

What Gear will I need?

Essentials

Backpack (About 65 litres capacity should do)
Day pack
Passport - don't forget it - by the end of your trip you will know your passport number off by heart

Insurance
Flight tickets or e ticket receipts - you will always get a booking confirmation from roundtheworldflights.com
Bus pass, Visas - double check which ones you need Immunisation record, Travel Insurance documents, Diary, Address Book, All emergency numbers,

Passport photos (8 minimum), Pens, A pencil, Glasses/contact lenses, Prescriptions Medications, Photocopies of documents, Sunglasses, Identity cards (student or Under 26 card), Discount cards (VIP backpacker card)

Medical

First Aid Kit

Extras for your first aid kit

Anti malarial tablets, Inoculation certificates, Immodium, Paracetemol, Rennies, Nurofen (Ibuprofen), Savlon, Small plasters, Athletes foot powder, Talc, Moisturiser, Throat lozenges, Multi Vitamins, Tweezers, Pointed scissors (or a Swiss Army knife), Water purification tablets, Thermometer

Bedtime

Sleeping bag
Inner sheet Sleeping bag (Save cash and make your own!)
Thermarest

Travel Gear
iPod, Camera (Digital), Mobile phone (Enabled for abroad), batteries, Charging units, Travel adapter, Waterbottle, A good money belt, Combination padlocks

Money - make sure you've saved enough!
Visa Credit card (get your PIN!)
Mastercard Credit Card (get your PIN!)
ATM "hole in the wall" card like a cirrus or maestro (Check the back of your normal ATM card - remember your PIN!)
Pre-paid card (get from the post office)

AMEX US Dollar Travellers Schedules

Washbag - stay clean - stay well - smell better

Travel toothbrush, Toothpaste, Suncream (waterproof and factor 25 at least), Shampoo, Conditioner
Shaving stuff, Sewing Kit, Ear plugs, Contraception, Tissues (big box), Lip balm, Safety pins
Flannel, Female sanitary towels, Brush or comb, Deodorant, Condoms, Toilet paper, Wet wipes
Dental floss, Moisturiser, Nail clippers, Travel towel, Tooth brush guard

Essential Gear
Universal sink plug , Peg free clothes line, Travel wash (for clothes)
Lighter or waterproof matches, DEET repellent , Electronic repellent
Swiss Army Knife (with corkscrew...), Small Maglite torch , Head torch
Knife, fork & spoon set , Compass , Tea spoon, mug (try making a cup of tea on the Trans Siberian with a swiss army knife...)

Clothes and Footwear and if you forget anything you will curse
Long sleeved shirt, Jeans, Smart combat trousers, Sun hat, Travel sandals, Trekking shoes
Shower proof jacket, 4 pairs of pants and socks, Shorts, Belt, Cotton T Shirts, Swimming gear
Cotton shirts, Long sleeved T Shirts, Sweater, Sarong (for your Beckham moments), Fleece
Woolly hat, Scarf and gloves, Thermal underwear

Handy Gear that makes travelling more enjoyable

Books (Dostoyevsky soon gets a little dull on the beach), Guidebooks (We like the maps in Lonely Planet), Phrase book, Address book, Telephone card, Job reference letter, Family photos, Diary, Re-sealable plastic bag, Large black bin bag, A toilet roll (Super Essential!)

Make a list of the following and give photocopies to your family or good friend.
Ask them to put them in a safe place in case you need to contact them.

Also take a set with you. Also email them to your hotmail or gmail account.

Drivers licence
Embassy Addresses
Serial number of tickets
Glasses/contact lens prescription
Passport number and date issued
Serial numbers of travellers cheques
Serial numbers on valuables e.g. cameras Youth Hostel card / other membership

All insurance details & emergency contacts

Credit card numbers (Do not take copies with you)

Emergency numbers to cancel your card (Do take copies with you)

Emergency Numbers of family and friends