How to Buy a Round-the-World Ticket

We may not all live the life of world travelers, nomads whose home is the entire globe and who spend more time looking out the window of an airplane than at the computer screen. But those who do are a fantastic source of travel tips. Chris Guillebeau shares his amazing guide to purchasing round-the-world tickets on on Tim Ferriss’s blog, Experiments in Lifestyle Design.

Guillebeau has visited over 150 countries, including Burma, Jordan and Macedonia, and his goal is to visit each of the world’s 193 countries by April 7, 2013, his 35th birthday. “Any good goal has a deadline,” he writes on his website, The Art of Non-Conformity.

If you dream of a round-the-world trip, Guillebeau’s guide is indispensable. His plan includes careful planning and optimization, good reasons to buy round-the-world tickets (including freedom and the fact that your skymiles will skyrocket). He recommends using tools like Star Alliance Mileage Calculator or OneWorld Timetable and Itinerary Planner to plan the trip, with one caveat: these programs can be highly addictive!

Travelers should expect to pay anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 for a round-the-world ticket, Guillebeau explains. Choosing countries and airports carefully can be a great way to save money.

Visit Experiments in Lifestyle Design for the full post, complete with tips and advice to help you book a round-the-world ticket.