To plan a round-the-world trip, first fix a duration and a budget, then a direction (east or west) and a handful of stops timed to the seasons. Then choose between a round-the-world ticket from an airline alliance and flights bought as you go.
A round-the-world trip lasts from a few weeks to a year or more. It means settling in advance what you cannot manage from abroad: long-term insurance, banking, housing and health.
Round the world at a glance
- Duration alliance round-the-world tickets run from a minimum of 10 days to a maximum of one year.
- Route follow each region’s dry season rather than a purely geographic line.
- Tickets Star Alliance and oneworld sell round-the-world tickets; flights bought as you go give more flexibility.
- Insurance a long-stay policy covering the whole period; a credit card’s cover is generally not enough.
- Entry requirements a passport valid well beyond your return, and visas spread across countries.
Round-the-world tickets
Two airline alliances sell a single ticket to circle the planet. The rules below were read on their websites on 5 October 2026; fares are calculated by itinerary, so we do not quote them.
| Rule | Star Alliance Round the World | oneworld Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | One direction only, east or west | Continuous progression east or west between three zones |
| Start and finish | In the same country | In the same city |
| Oceans | Cross the Atlantic and the Pacific | Cross the Atlantic and the Pacific |
| Stops / flights | 2 to 15 stopovers (stays of more than 24 hours) | 3 to 16 flights, 3 to 6 continents |
| Duration | 10 days to 1 year | 10 days to 1 year |
oneworld also says the itinerary can be changed after purchase through the airline of the first flight, and that this ticket cannot be paid for with miles. With a round-the-world ticket the order of continents is fixed; if you want to improvise, flights bought as you go, combined with buses, trains or boats, leave more freedom.
Building the route around the seasons
A successful round-the-world trip links regions at the right time. A few markers, detailed in our « when to go » pages:
- Southeast Asia (Thailand, Cambodia): dry season generally November to April.
- Oceania (Australia, French Polynesia): Southern Hemisphere seasons are the reverse of the north, and they vary a lot with latitude.
- Latin America (Peru, Mexico): Andean dry season in mid-year, to combine with the coast.
- North America (United States, Canada): spring to autumn for the big national parks.
Our Where to go section has destination ideas for each month, useful for placing your stops.
Budget
The cost of a round-the-world trip depends mainly on three things: how many low-cost countries (Southeast Asia, Latin America) you include compared with expensive ones (Oceania, North America, Japan), your accommodation level and the number of flights. Rather than a global figure, build your budget step by step:
- Cost of the long-haul transport (round-the-world ticket or flights).
- Daily budget for each country, multiplied by the number of days (our country pages give ranges).
- Visas, vaccinations and long-stay insurance.
- Equipment and a reserve for the unexpected.
Our currency converter helps you track spending in foreign currencies.
Preparing to leave
Entry requirements and health
Check that your passport stays valid throughout the trip and beyond, with enough blank pages for visas and stamps. Visas are obtained before departure, online along the way or on arrival, depending on the country: check each country’s entry requirements in the UK government’s foreign travel advice (GOV.UK) and on travel.state.gov for US citizens. Some governments also set passport-validity rules that apply when you pass through a country. A medical check-up, the recommended vaccinations and a suitable first-aid kit need to be organised several weeks in advance.
Long-stay insurance
Credit-card cover is generally limited in time per trip: for several months you need a long-stay policy covering medical costs and repatriation for the whole period. Our travel insurance guide explains the criteria. Also keep in mind countries that require insurance on entry: according to the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 30 October 2026), most visitors to mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar must have the Tanzanian government-provided inbound travel insurance, even if they already have their own policy.
Bank, phone and documents
- Two bank cards, limits raised, foreign fees compared.
- Access to banking apps from abroad (payment approvals).
- Digital copies of your documents, available offline.
- Phone solution: eSIM or local SIM cards depending on the country.
Living well on a long trip
Plan longer stops to catch your breath, days with no sightseeing and a few comfortable nights. A pace of two to four nights per stop, as on a road trip, becomes exhausting over several months. If you are travelling alone, see also our solo travel guide. « Round-the-world » cruises are another way to make the trip: see our cruise section.
Three sample itineraries
These outlines respect the rules of round-the-world tickets (one direction, Atlantic and Pacific crossed) and rely on the seasons described in our « when to go » pages. Adapt them to your departure date.
Westbound in 4 months (autumn departure)
- Mexico at year end (when to go to Mexico).
- Peru (when to go to Peru), checking the rainy season in the Andes.
- Crossing the Pacific to Australia (when to go to Australia).
- Southeast Asia in late winter: Thailand, Cambodia or Vietnam (when to go, when to go, when to go).
- Return home.
Eastbound in 6 months (early-year departure)
- Sri Lanka early in the year (when to go to Sri Lanka).
- Southeast Asia: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia (when to go to Malaysia).
- Japan in spring (when to go to Japan).
- Crossing the Pacific to North America, then Latin America depending on the season.
- Return across the Atlantic.
Short version: 6 to 8 weeks
Only three or four big stops, for example Asia (Japan or Thailand), Oceania or the US West Coast, then Latin America. The round-the-world ticket allows a minimum of 10 days; in practice, few stops and longer stays make the trip less tiring.
Budget by item
The ranges below come from our country pages (per day and per person, excluding international flights), converted to US dollars at the European Central Bank rate of 23 October 2026 (1 euro = 1.1193 US dollars) and rounded. They show the gap between regions: a month in Southeast Asia and a month in Australia or the United States do not cost the same.
| Country | Budget (per day, per person) | Comfort |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | roughly US$40 to 55 | roughly US$90 to 170 |
| Cambodia | roughly US$35 to 55 | roughly US$100 to 200 |
| Thailand | roughly US$40 to 65 | roughly US$110 to 225 |
| Peru | roughly US$40 to 65 | roughly US$110 to 200 |
| Mexico | roughly US$45 to 80 | roughly US$135 to 280 |
| Japan | roughly US$80 to 125 | roughly US$200 to 335 |
| Australia | roughly US$90 to 135 | roughly US$225 to 390 |
| United States | roughly US$130 to 245 | roughly US$300 to 615 |
| Item | How to estimate it | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Long-haul transport | Quote for a round-the-world ticket or the sum of separate flights | Alliance and airline websites |
| Living costs | Daily budget of each country x number of days | Our country pages |
| Visas and authorisations | Sum of fees, country by country | Official government websites |
| Health | Consultation, vaccines, kit | Doctor or travel clinic |
| Long-stay insurance | Quote for the exact duration and regions visited | Insurers, your card’s policy booklet |
| Reserve | Margin for the unexpected and ticket changes | Your budget |
Safety and entry requirements, country by country
On a round-the-world trip, conditions change between planning and passing through each country. Check the UK government’s foreign travel advice (GOV.UK) and, for US citizens, the U.S. Department of State country pages when you book, then a few days before each leg. Some electronic authorisations must be requested online before the flight: for example, according to the FCDO (GOV.UK, USA advice updated 18 August 2026), British citizens need an ESTA or a visa to enter or transit the United States, and the FCDO (Canada advice updated 2 June 2026) says most people need a visa or an eTA for Canada, with no eTA needed if arriving by land or sea. Allow for internet access and a bank card. Proof of onward travel may be requested on entry to some countries: check the entry requirements of each country.
Round-the-world checklist
- Passport valid well beyond your return, with blank pages.
- List of visas and authorisations per country, with their lead times.
- Medical appointment and vaccines several weeks before departure.
- Long-stay insurance covering all regions and the whole period.
- Two bank cards, limits raised, banking apps usable from abroad.
- Digital copies of all documents, available offline.
- Phone solution by region (eSIM or local SIMs).
- Official travel advice checked for each country before each leg.
- Home matters settled: mail, housing, subscriptions, taxes.
Before you go: matters at home
For an absence of several months, check the arrangements tied to your situation (employment, housing, health cover) with the relevant authorities and providers in your home country. Keep access to your email and online tax account, and if possible name a relative to collect important mail.
Planning timeline: what to do when
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 9 to 12 months before | Fix duration, budget and direction; start saving; check passport validity |
| 6 months before | Choose between a round-the-world ticket and separate flights; see a travel clinic |
| 3 months before | Take out long-stay insurance; apply for visas to be obtained before departure; tell employer and landlord as needed |
| 1 month before | Tell your bank, set up remote access to accounts, scan documents, pack |
| Departure week | Re-read the official travel advice for each country, share your itinerary with a relative |
Also read: choosing travel insurance, planning a road trip, travelling solo and the departure checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a round-the-world ticket last?
With both Star Alliance and oneworld, the trip must last at least 10 days and at most one year, according to the rules published on their websites.
What are the rules of a round-the-world ticket?
Travel in one direction (east or west), cross the Atlantic and the Pacific, start and finish in the same country (Star Alliance) or the same city (oneworld Explorer), with a limited number of stopovers or flights.
How much does a round-the-world trip cost?
It depends on the duration, the regions and the comfort level. Calculate it step by step: long-haul transport, daily budget per country, visas, health and insurance.
Do I need special insurance for a round-the-world trip?
In practice yes: credit-card cover is limited in time. A long-stay policy covering medical costs and repatriation for the whole period is recommended.
How do I plan a round-the-world trip?
Start nine to twelve months ahead: duration, budget and direction, then tickets, vaccines, long-stay insurance, banking and documents. The timeline above details each step.
Our sources
- Budgets: practical fact sheets on our country pages (see our methodology); converted at the European Central Bank rate of 23 October 2026.
- Star Alliance, Round the World page (staralliance.com), checked 5 October 2026.
- oneworld, Round the World page and oneworld Explorer rules (oneworld.com), checked 5 October 2026.
- UK FCDO, USA entry requirements (GOV.UK, updated 18 August 2026) and Canada entry requirements (updated 2 June 2026); Tanzania entry requirements (updated 30 October 2026).
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.
