Fly Business Class Around the World on Points 2026: The 5-stop, 280k-mile itinerary
- Up to 8 stops (in addition to the origin/destination)
- Must travel in one direction (east or west) consistently — backtracking is not allowed
- One free open-jaw allowed (i.e., depart Madrid, return from Barcelona)
- Stopovers must be at least 24 hours; layovers can be shorter
Around-the-world business class travel on cash typically runs $20,000-$30,000+ per traveler. On points, the same itinerary can be booked for as low as 280,000 airline miles + $500 in cash co-pays. The cheapest path is ANA's Round-the-World Award via Star Alliance — but it requires planning, advance bookings, and acceptance of routing constraints. Here is the 2026 framework.
The cheapest path: ANA Round-the-World Award
ANA Mileage Club publishes a Round-the-World award chart based on total flown distance:
| Total flown miles | ANA miles required (Business Class) |
|---|---|
| 20,001-22,000 miles | 132,000 ANA miles |
| 22,001-25,000 miles | 165,000 ANA miles |
| 25,001-29,000 miles | 200,000 ANA miles |
| 29,001-34,000 miles | 240,000 ANA miles |
| 34,001-50,000 miles | 280,000 ANA miles |
For a 5-stop itinerary covering ~25,000 miles total flown distance, the cost is 200,000 ANA miles + ~$500 in YQ surcharges. Cheapest known business-class RTW redemption in points travel.
The ANA RTW rules
- Up to 8 stops (in addition to the origin/destination)
- Maximum 12 segments
- Must travel in one direction (east or west) consistently — backtracking is not allowed
- One free open-jaw allowed (i.e., depart Madrid, return from Barcelona)
- Stopovers must be at least 24 hours; layovers can be shorter
- Must use Star Alliance carriers exclusively
- Tickets are valid for 1 year from departure
How to earn 200,000 ANA miles
ANA miles are not a typical transfer partner of major US bank-points programs. The paths to ANA miles:
- Amex Membership Rewards (1:1, occasional 25-30% transfer bonus): Most accessible from a US points stack. With a 30% bonus, 154,000 Amex points = 200,000 ANA miles.
- Capital One Miles (1:1): Direct transfer to ANA. No regular bonuses.
- Citi ThankYou Points (1:1): Direct transfer to ANA. No regular bonuses.
- Buy ANA miles directly: ANA periodically sells miles at ~2¢/mile. 200,000 miles = ~$4,000 in cash. Combined with the YQ, total trip cost ~$4,500. Still meaningfully cheaper than $25,000 cash.
- ANA Mileage Mall promotions: Earn ANA miles via flights, shopping portal, or co-brand cards. Slow accumulation; not the fastest path.
The 5-stop sample itinerary
An example 25,000-mile RTW routing:
- NYC (JFK) → Frankfurt (FRA) on Lufthansa business — ~3,800 miles
- Frankfurt → Tokyo (HND) on Lufthansa business — ~5,800 miles
- Tokyo → Bangkok (BKK) on ANA business — ~3,000 miles
- Bangkok → Cape Town (CPT) on Singapore Airlines business — ~5,500 miles
- Cape Town → São Paulo (GRU) on multi-leg connections — ~5,200 miles
- São Paulo → New York (JFK) on Latam-codeshared partner — ~4,800 miles
Total flown: ~25,000 miles. ANA RTW cost: 200,000 ANA miles + ~$600 YQ.
Other RTW paths in 2026
| Program | Miles for 5-stop business class RTW | YQ + taxes |
|---|---|---|
| ANA Mileage Club RTW | 200,000-240,000 | ~$500-$700 |
| Avianca LifeMiles (multi-segment) | ~280,000-320,000 | ~$200 (LifeMiles waives YQ) |
| Aeroplan multi-segment | ~350,000-450,000 (depending on routing rules) | ~$1,200 (Aeroplan passes YQ) |
| Star Alliance booked separately on each segment | ~280,000-380,000 across various programs | ~$300-$1,000 |
ANA Mileage Club's RTW chart is the cheapest published rate. LifeMiles' multi-segment booking is the cheapest with no-YQ savings, but typically requires more total miles.
The booking process
- Plan the itinerary 6+ months in advance
- Verify Star Alliance partner saver inventory on each segment
- Earn the required ANA miles (transfer Amex/Capital One/Citi or buy)
- Book by phone with ANA Mileage Club (RTW awards typically can't be booked online)
- Confirm all segments before paying YQ
The phone-booking requirement is the most-cited friction point. Plan for a 1-2 hour call with the ANA Mileage Club agent.
Bottom line
An around-the-world business class trip on points is achievable for 200,000-280,000 miles + $500-$1,000 in cash co-pays — saving $20,000+ vs cash retail. ANA Mileage Club's published RTW chart is the cheapest path; LifeMiles multi-segment is the cleanest alternative with no YQ. Plan 6+ months in advance, transfer Amex/Capital One/Citi to ANA at 1:1, and book by phone. For travelers with the time and flexibility, this is one of the most-aspirational redemptions in points travel.
How does this redemption fit a typical points stack?
For most points travelers, the optimal approach is to identify a target redemption first, then wait for the relevant transfer bonus before moving points. Most flexible-points programs (Amex MR, Chase UR, Citi ThankYou, Capital One Miles, Bilt) run periodic transfer bonuses to specific partners — 20-40% typical for Amex, 1-2 per month. Pointify's transfer-bonus tracker monitors active promotions across all major issuers and alerts when relevant bonuses go live. The strategic move: don't transfer speculatively; wait for confirmed award space + active transfer bonus.
How to plan this trip on points
The optimal planning sequence for points-funded trips:
- Identify target redemption first. Don't transfer points speculatively. Verify award space exists for your dates + routes before committing miles.
- Open relevant credit cards 9-12 months ahead. Sign-up bonuses provide the bulk of points needed for major trips. Plan card opens around major recurring expenses to hit minimum spend naturally.
- Stay under 5/24 for Chase eligibility. Apply for personal Chase cards FIRST while under 5/24, then move to Amex / Capital One / Citi / Bilt (no equivalent restriction).
- Watch transfer bonuses. Amex MR runs 2-3 active per month at 20-40%. Don't transfer until a relevant bonus is live.
- Hold both Amex + Chase + Citi. The 3-issuer stack covers maximum partner depth — Hyatt + United (Chase exclusive), Delta + Hilton 1:2 (Amex exclusive), AAdvantage (Citi exclusive).
The cents-per-point decision rule
For every potential redemption, calculate cents-per-point: (cash value / points used) × 100. Aspirational premium-cabin redemptions (Lufthansa First via LifeMiles 17¢/mile, Cathay First via Alaska 21¢/mile, Park Hyatt aspirational at 3¢/point) produce dramatic cents-per-point. Standard portal redemptions produce 1.0-1.5¢/point. Below 1.0¢/point, pay cash and save points for stronger redemptions.
Plan your RTW itinerary on Pointify →
Last verified by the Pointify research team on May 1, 2026, against current ANA Mileage Club RTW award chart and Star Alliance partner saver pricing. ANA RTW chart and routing rules may shift; verify with ANA before transferring miles.
Written by Pointify Research Team
Published
The Pointify team analyzes loyalty programs, fare data, and booking strategies across 300+ airlines and 25 award programs. Our goal: help you get maximum value from every point and mile.
Get points tips in your inbox
Fare alerts, points strategy guides, and exclusive sweet spots. No spam.
By subscribing you agree to receive emails from Pointify. Unsubscribe anytime.
You might also like
Global Entry vs CLEAR vs TSA PreCheck 2026: Which to pay for, which is free with cards
Global Entry, CLEAR, and TSA PreCheck all cut your time at US airports — but in different ways. Many premium credit cards reimburse the fees. Here is which one to pick and which cards cover what.
Honeymoon on Points and Miles 2026: How to book a $20K trip for free
Most honeymoons are booked at full retail. Done with points, the same trip costs a fraction — and the experience is often better. Here is how to use 2-3 sign-up bonuses to fund a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon.
Business Trip on Points 2026: When to use points vs corporate travel for the best ROI
Most business trips are reimbursed in cash, but the right card strategy on a corporate-paid trip can earn 5x-10x miles. Here is the 2026 framework for maximizing points on business travel.