FRANKY THE ANORAK’S ROUND THE WORLD FLIGHT ADVICE SITE

The Round The World Anorak

Franky Compares

Star Alliance YRWSPCL3 Ticket Versus Build Your Own Itinerary

What Is The Cheapest Option?

Chosen Itinerary:

1/10/25 – London Heathrow – Frankfurt

15/10/25 – Frankfurt – Johannesburg

1/11/25 – Johannesburg – Addis Ababa

15/11/25 – Addis Ababa – Mumbai

2/12/25 – Mumbai – Tokyo Narita

15/12/25 – Tokyo Narita – Sydney

15/1/26 – Sydney – Vancouver

1/2/26 – Vancouver – Mexico City

15/2/26 – Mexico City – Houston

1/3/26 – Houston – Tampa

15/3/26 – Tampa – Newark

1/4/26 – Newark – Lisbon

15/4/26 – Lisbon – London Heathrow

12 Stopovers – 36,887 Miles – Valid YRWSPCL3 Route.

Rules of The Game:

Franky makes dummy bookings for this itinerary in 3 ways:

a) Star Alliance YRWSPCL3 Fare

b) On Star Alliance Flights on the same day and same route using one way tickets.

c) A Build Your Own itinerary any carrier using one way tickets checked via airline and Online Travel Agency websites.

Build Your Own itinerary rules:

When booking a Build Your Own itinerary using one way tickets flights must:

a) Be within 48 hours either way of the YRWSPCL booking.

b) Be to/from airports serving the same cities as the YRWSPCL3 booking.

c) Be direct or have one transfer/transit of less than six hours.

d) Include checked baggage of at least 23kg.

Itinerary:

1/10/25 – London Heathrow – Frankfurt

15/10/25 – Frankfurt – Johannesburg

1/11/25 – Johannesburg – Addis Ababa

15/11/25 – Addis Ababa – Mumbai

2/12/25 – Mumbai – Tokyo Narita

15/12/25 – Tokyo Narita – Sydney

15/1/26 – Sydney – Vancouver

1/2/26 – Vancouver – Mexico City

15/2/26 – Mexico City – Houston

1/3/26 – Houston – Tampa

15/3/26 – Tampa – Newark

1/4/26 – Newark – Lisbon

15/4/26 – Lisbon – London Heathrow

12 Stopovers – 36,887 Miles – Valid YRWSPCL3 Route.

Rules of The Game:

Franky makes dummy bookings for this itinerary in 3 ways:

a) Star Alliance YRWSPCL3 Fare

b) On Star Alliance Flights on the same day and same route using one way tickets.

c) A Build Your Own itinerary any carrier using one way tickets checked via airline and Online Travel Agency websites.

Build Your Own itinerary rules:

When booking a Build Your Own itinerary using one way tickets flights must:

a) Be within 48 hours either way of the YRWSPCL3 booking.

b) Be to/from airports serving the same cities as the YRWSPCL booking.

c) Be direct or have one transfer/transit of less than six hours.

d) Include checked baggage of at least 23kg.

YRWSPCL3 Ticket

£4239.32

Flight Itinerary:

1 OCT LH907 LHR 1330 – FRA 1605

15 OCT LH572 FRA 2205 – JNB 0835+1

1 NOV ET808 JNB 1430 – ADD 2045

15 NOV ET610 ADD 2305 – BOM 0715+1

2 DEC NH830 BOM 2000 – NRT 0725+1

15 DEC NH879 NRT 2245 – SYD 1030+1

15 JAN AC38 SYD 1600 – YVR 1120

1 FEB AC996 YVR 1645 – MEX 0005+1

15 FEB UA1091 MEX 1225 – IAH 1443

1 MAR UA349 IAH 1435 – TPA 1744

15 MAR UA1321 TPA 0600 – EWR 0840

1 APR UA64 EWR 2035 – LIS 0820+1

15 APR TP1350 LIS 1500 – LHR 1745

 

Fare GBP 3008.00
Taxes GBP 1201.32
Service Fee GBP 30.00
Total GBP 4239.32
Never Travel Uninsured

Travel Insurance

Make sure your travel insurance offers the right cover for you and always disclose any medical conditions

One Way Star Alliance Tickets

£3802.60

Flight Itinerary:

1 OCT LH907 LHR 1330 – FRA 1605

15 OCT LH572 FRA 2205 – JNB 0835+1

1 NOV ET858 JNB 2250 – ADD 0525+1

15 NOV ET610 ADD 2305 – BOM 0715+1

2 DEC NH830 BOM 2000 – NRT 0725+1

15 DEC NH879 NRT 2245 – SYD 1030+1

15 JAN AC38 SYD 1600 – YVR 1120

1 FEB AC996 YVR 1645 – MEX 0005+1

15 FEB UA1091 MEX 1225 – IAH 1443

1 MAR UA349 IAH 1435 – TPA 1744

15 MAR UA1321 TPA 0600 – EWR 0840

1 APR UA64 EWR 2035 – LIS 0820+1

15 APR TP1350 LIS 1500 – LHR 1745

LHR-FRA-JNB GBP  458.20
Taxes GBP 256.90
JNB-ADD-BOM GBP 237.20
Taxes GBP 35.50
BOM-NRT/HND-SYD GBP 601.10
Taxes GBP 299.60
SYD-YVR-MEX GBP 714.10
Taxes GBP 175.00
MEX-IAH-TPA-EWR GBP 408.80
Taxes GBP 138.70
Bag Fees GBP 88.00
EWR-LIS-LHR GBP 210.60
Taxes GBP 178.90
Total GBP 3802.60

The baggage fees for the Mexico City – Houston, Houston – Tampa, and Tampa – Newark sectors cannot be included in the ticket price and must be paid online during online check-in or at the airport at airport check-in.

Build Your Own Ticket

£2753.02

Flight Itinerary:

1 OCT BA914 LHR 1710 – FRA 1950

15 OCT QR68 FRA 1710 – DOH 0010+1

15 OCT QR1363 DOH 0210 – JNB 0935

1 NOV ET610 JNB 2305 – ADD 0525+1

15 NOV ET610 ADD 2305 – BOM 0715+1

2 DEC VN972 BOM 2310 – HAN 0525+1

3 DEC VN384 HAN 0840 – HND 1505

15 DEC CZ386 HND 1505 – CAN 1930

15 DEC CZ325 CAN 2105 – SYD 0925+1

15 JAN DL42 SYD 1415 – LAX 0915

15 JAN  WS1103 LAX 1145 YVR 1448

1 FEB WS116 YVR 1345 – YYC 1619

1 FEB WS2228 YYC 1845 – MEX 0055+1

15 FEB UA428 MEX 0750 – IAH 1009

1 MAR DL1319 IAH 0715 – ATL 1019

1 MAR DL1720 ATL 1320 – TPA 1445

15 MAR UA1321 TPA 0600 – EWR 0840

1 APR S4246 JFK 2055 – PDL 0645+1

2 APR S4120 PDL 0825 – LIS 1140

15 APR TP1350 LIS 1500 – LHR 1745

15 APR UX1152 LIS 0740 – MAD 0955

15 APR UX1015 MAD 1500 – LGW 1625

 

LHR-FRA-xDOH-JNB GBP 262.20
Taxes GBP 329.82
JNB-ADD-BOM GBP 237.20
Taxes GBP 35.50
BOM-xHAN-HND GBP 73.50
Taxes GBP 92.80
HND-xCAN-SYD GBP 154.60
Taxes GBP 93.20
SYD-xLAX-YVR GBP 344.20
Taxes GBP 144.50
YVR-xYYC-MEX GBP 73.30
Taxes GBP 111.40
MEX-IAH GBP 23.80
Taxes GBP 88.00
IAH-xATL-TPA GBP 124.80
Taxes GBP 27.80
TPA-EWR GBP 69.80
Taxes GBP 16.80
Bag Fees GBP 88.00
JFK-xPDL-LIS GBP 105.90
Taxes GBP 163.40
LIS-xMAD-LGW GBP 62.60
Taxes GBP 29.90
Total GBP 2753.02

The baggage fees for the Mexico City – Houston, Houston – via Atlanta – Tampa, and Tampa – Newark sectors cannot be included in the ticket price and must be paid online during online check-in or at the airport at airport check-in.

“In this instance booking Star Alliance flights individually offers a saving of GBP 436.02 over the YRWSPCL3 fare and a Build Your Own itinerary saves GBP 1486.30 against the Star Alliance YRWSPCL3 fare. However this does involve flying on an extra nine flights and flying an extra 4,843 miles.

It should be pointed out that most of the tickets quoted to make up the individually priced Star Alliance and the Build Your Own itinerary are non-changeable and non-refundable and you may not wish to commit to dates before departure from London. If you book these tickets as you go along there is no guarantee that prices will remain stable.”

These fares were checked and available on 7th July 2025 and fares in foreign currencies were converted into GBP at the applicable exchange rates on that date.

Because a Build Your Own itinerary worked out cheaper than a YRWSPCL3 ticket for this route on these dates does not imply it would be cheaper on all dates or for a different route.

The Round The World Anorak