Toronto → Tokyo → Seoul → Phuket → Istanbul → Toronto

Round-the-World
on Aeroplan

2019 · Round-the-world ✦ Business class · Aeroplan

The trip

Four countries. One Aeroplan redemption.

A true round-the-world redemption: Japan for the temples, the food, and the night trains; Korea for Seoul's buzzing neighborhoods and the Asiana business lounge; Phuket for the beaches and the sunsets; and Istanbul on the way home. Business class throughout, premium lounges at every stop.

Aeroplan's round-the-world awards used to be one of the best-kept secrets in points travel. This trip was built to take full advantage of the routing rules: maximum destinations, minimum cash.

The route

Leg by leg

  • Leg 01 · YYZ → NRT

    Toronto to Tokyo: Business Class

    Air Canada business class direct to Narita: fully flat, aisle seat, the meal service that actually feels like a restaurant. Tokyo: a week of ramen, shrines, Shibuya crossings, and day trips to Kyoto and Nara.

  • Leg 02 · NRT → ICN

    Tokyo to Seoul

    A short hop across to Incheon. Seoul: Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Han River at night, Myeongdong street food. The Asiana CX lounge in Seoul is one of the best in Asia: real food, real service, and plenty of time to enjoy it.

  • Leg 03 · ICN → HKT

    Seoul to Phuket

    South to Thailand on Thai Airways Royal Silk class, a cabin we've redeemed on multiple trips. Phuket: long-tail boats, the Phi Phi Islands, sunsets from Promthep Cape.

  • Leg 04 · HKT → IST

    Phuket to Istanbul

    Westbound into Istanbul: a night in the city, the Grand Bazaar, a dinner in Bebek. Turkish Airlines' CIP lounge is another standout: a full sit-down restaurant inside the airport.

  • Leg 05 · IST → YYZ

    Istanbul home

    Turkish Airlines business class back to Toronto: the signature mezze cart, the flat-bed, and a smooth overnight crossing back to YYZ.

Inside Trek

What the workspace looked like

Round-the-world trips benefit most from Trek's live map and day-by-day plan view: five cities across four time zones is exactly the kind of trip where having everything confirmed and visible matters.

Trek screenshot: coming

We'll add the day-by-day plan and confirmed routing codes for this trip when we rebuild it in Trek.

The points behind it

Programs tapped for this trip

Core award

Aeroplan RTW

Round-the-world business class

Hotels

Marriott Bonvoy

Select nights on Bonvoy points across Tokyo, Seoul, and Phuket

Lounges

Star Alliance

Business class access to Asiana, Turkish CIP, and Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges

Your turn

A round-the-world trip on your points?

Book a free 15-minute audit. We'll map out what your Aeroplan balance can reach and show you the full route in Trek before you commit anything.

Book a free audit