Tools
Award Nexus - free website to check rewards & routes (free for FlyerTalk members). A sample resultset for SIN-BKK is shown here (includes both direct and non-direct flights)
ANA Tool - you'll need to sign up for ANA member, and do a manual search on ANA first before you can search on Star Alliance member airlines
Continental Rewards - this helps you to see available rewards routes
RoboForm - Password Manager, Form Filler so I don't have to re-fill ANA form every time
FlyerTalk Aeroplan forum - this helps you decide the "valid" routings and help/tips on which airlines/class are better (e.g. I got tipped about the LX ZRH-YUL to make my Atlantic ocean return segment possible)
- Please list your AP Taxes and SURCHARGES on AP reward tickets
- List of valid and booked mini-RTW itineraries
What's Next?
- Be ready to spend hours and hours to find available permutations on your desired dates (+/- 1 day)
- I spent at least 3~4 hours BEFORE I know my vacation dates to decide my vacation dates :)
Tips
- Going through US saves you fees (especially fuel surcharge YQ) on Air Canada flights, which are ripoff. But US means custom delays and troubles also
- Use AwardNexus Route Explorer to find possible permutations (e.g. YYZ-TPE)
- If you want to book Airbus A380 Business/First class, only available routes now are mostly on LH/Lufthansa) between FRA-JFK/MIA/PEK/SFO/NRT (Frankfurt-New York/Miami/Beijing/San Francisco/Tokyo) as SQ doesn't release their A380 seats. FYI FlyerTalk members aren't big fans of LH J class though, which is why I gave up on flying LH A380 routes
- Book your trips EARLY - award space open up 355 days ahead, so you can book up to May 10, 2012 if you book today (May 11, 2011). More important for popular routes like anything involving Sydney
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