My Star Alliance Business Class Round the World Experience

Over the last decade, I have earned and redeemed over 3 million points and miles for incredible travel experiences. From first and business class flights on the world’s best airlines to stays at many of the most luxurious hotels worldwide, points and miles have given me more than I could have imagined.

So when All Nippon Airways (ANA) announced that it was removing the ability for Mileage Club members to book Star Alliance Round the World awards, I knew it was my last chance to book something that I had kept putting off for years. Being able to book several business class tickets for a steep discount (and the lowest amount of points for something this intricate) was too important to miss.

Here’s how I booked my June to August 2025 Star Alliance Round the World award and my experiences flying on some of the world’s best airlines.

What Is a Round-the-World Ticket?

A round-the-world ticket is a single airline ticket for a journey around the globe. Instead of purchasing individual tickets for each leg of a trip, travelers can buy a single ticket for their entire journey. Although travelers can pay cash for RTW tickets, they can also book them using points and miles through specific loyalty programs.

These types of tickets are usually sold through the major airline alliances: Star Alliance, Oneworld, or SkyTeam. Round-the-world tickets allow passengers to book custom itineraries and fly different airlines and routes, leveraging an alliance’s optimized network. They also come with specific rules and restrictions passengers must follow (e.g., traveling in 1 continuous direction) and limitations like total miles flown or the travel period’s length.

How I Booked My Star Alliance Round the World Award

Although there are numerous award programs I could have leveraged to book a Star Alliance Round the World ticket, I booked it through ANA Mileage Club. As a member of Star Alliance, I knew I would be able to fly on some of my favorite airlines as long as I was flexible with my travel dates and booked by June 23, 2025.

For ANA Round the World tickets, award pricing depended on the class of travel and the total distance flown for the entire itinerary (excluding ground transportation sectors). ANA had several rules I had to follow to book the award successfully:

• The itinerary must cross both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans once.
• The itinerary must be east-to-west or west-to-east.
• Backtracking is not permitted.
• Up to 8 stopovers are permitted between the departure city and the final return city (up to 3 stopovers within Europe and 4 within Japan)
• The departure date of the final international flight returning to the country of departure must be at least 10 days after the departure of the first international flight.
• There’s a maximum of 12 flight segments and 4 ground and surface transfer segments on 1 ticket.
• You can only fly Star Alliance carriers.

After carefully reviewing the rules, I was able to create a fantastic itinerary that ran from July to August 2025:

• All Nippon Airways 777-300ER — Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo (NRT)
• EVA Air 787-10 Dreamliner — Tokyo (NRT) to Taipei (TPE)
• Thai Airways A320 — Hanoi (HAN) to Bangkok (BKK)
• Singapore Airlines A350-900 — Bangkok (BKK) to Singapore (SIN)
• Thai Airways A350-900 — Singapore (SIN) to Bangkok (BKK)
• Thai Airways A350-900 — Bangkok (BKK) to Istanbul (IST)
• Turkish Airlines A350-900 — Istanbul (IST) to Johannesburg (JNB)
• South African Airways A330-300 — Cape Town (CPT) to São Paulo (GRU)
• United Airlines 787-10 Dreamliner — São Paulo (GRU) to Chicago (ORD)

After using Great Circle Mapper to calculate the total distance flown on this itinerary, running hundreds of award searches, setting award alerts through Seats.aero, noting flight numbers, and confirming the ANA award chart, I called ANA to book the redemption.

According to ANA’s award chart, this business class itinerary could be booked for 170,000 ANA Mileage Club miles, which I confirmed with the phone representative.

Since I was sure I was correct with the straightforward mileage calculation, I transferred 170,000 American Express Membership Rewards points to ANA Mileage Club about 48 hours before I called ANA. Fortunately, the points posted to my account on time.

After about 2 hours on the phone, the ANA phone representative confirmed my Round the World business class award. As you could imagine, I was unbelievably happy and excited about this upcoming journey.

This itinerary cost me 170,000 ANA Mileage Club miles (transferred from American Express) and $1,304 in taxes and fees. Meanwhile, the cash price for this Round the World ticket was just under $21,000. Had I booked these business class flights individually, I would have spent much more.

We value American Express Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents each, the highest of any transferable points currency. Still, I was able to get 11.6 cents per point for this redemption, showcasing the true potential of points and miles.

Hot Tip:

While you can no longer book Star Alliance Round the World awards through ANA Mileage Club, other Star Alliance airlines offer similar awards. You can also search the Star Alliance Round the World webpage for inspiration.

My Round the World Experience

1. All Nippon Airways (ANA) 777-300ER [ORD to NRT]

My Round the World journey began at my home airport, Chicago O’Hare (ORD). I visited the newly renovated United Polaris Lounge in Terminal 1, where ANA flies out. While the lounge was fine before, it had started showing its age and needed an overhaul.

Fortunately, United addressed many of the lounge’s issues and constraints. The lounge felt much more modern, with updated furniture and an overall less cramped feel (thanks a massive expansion).

Fortunately, the lounge still offers excellent views of planes taxiing to and from the runways. Since I arrived several hours before the scheduled departure time, I could see the ANA Boeing 777-300ER that would take me over 13 hours to Tokyo Narita (NRT).

After watching the numerous planes taxi around for about 30 minutes, I headed to the Dining Room restaurant for a quick breakfast before the flight. From the menu, I ordered the French toast, which was topped with dulce de leche and marinated berries.

I was excited to begin the journey in one of the best business class products in the sky: ANA’s The Room business class. The Room is ANA’s premier business class and features private suites with sliding doors, 24-inch 4K monitors, and incredible 38-inch-wide seats.

As amazing as the seat was, the inflight dining experience was even more superb. ANA is widely regarded as one of the premier airlines in the sky for the onboard dining experience, and this flight was a perfect example of why that is.

I asked for the Japanese menu, which heavily emphasizes seafood. The meal service began with marinated spinach in soy sauce with crab meat and fish roe, salt-grilled duck, cheese wrapped in smoked salmon, and seared yellowtail with wasabi dressing.

For the main course, I had the simmered beef in soy sauce, which was served with steamed rice, miso soup, and Japanese pickles.

After the lunch service, I was ready to take a nap. As expected, each ANA business class seat also turned into a fully lie-flat bed. ANA also provides a memory foam pillow and mattress pad to enhance the experience.

I only slept for about 2 hours on the flight. After a few months away, I was too excited to return to Japan (my favorite country).

Bottom Line:

Although I have flown ANA The Suite first class several times, this was my first time flying in The Room business class. The product lived up to the hype, with fantastic onboard dining, spacious private suites, and an excellent cabin crew.

2. EVA Air 787-10 Dreamliner [NRT to TPE]

After an incredible week in Tokyo, it was time to fly EVA Air Royal Laurel business class to Taipei. Despite the flight between cities being under 4 hours, the airline operates the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. This meant that I could experience the airline’s flagship business class product, albeit on a much shorter route.

At Tokyo Narita Airport, I visited the ANA Lounge in Terminal 1. The lounge offered many amenities, including dedicated workspaces, relaxation zones with massage chairs, and shower rooms.

The lounge offered food and beverages, including a self-serve buffet counter and a noodle bar. It also served traditional Japanese alcoholic beverages like sake and shochu. Unlike the first class lounge, this one did not offer fresh sushi.

The lounge also had floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the tarmac. It was nice seeing so many different aircraft of some of my favorite airlines, including ANA, Asiana, Etihad, and EVA Air.

After a wonderful few hours at the lounge, I headed to my gate to board the aircraft. The business class cabin was incredibly slick and sophisticated, with a cream-colored outer shell and light green accents. Although it was visually appealing, the seats were also practical.

The staggered seating configuration meant the window seats alternated between being closer to the window and the aisle. I chose one of the “true” window seats for maximum privacy, despite the cabin being less than half full.

For the meal, I went with the Japanese eel kabayaki, which featured several Japanese delicacies, including boiled nori, a salmon sushi roll, sardine with sesame seeds, and a Japanese omelet. The meal was served with steamed rice and miso soup.

As expected, the onboard dining and service were also fantastic. EVA Air has stepped up its game over the years. It offers a complete business class experience, on the level of its Asian counterparts, including ANA, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and China Airlines.

3. Thai Airways A320 [HAN to BKK]

After an incredible few days in Taipei (even though I lost a day to a typhoon), I spent over a week in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was my first time in the capital, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, it was time to head to Bangkok, Thailand, one of my favorite cities.

Although I’ve visited the city numerous times in the past decade, I am always excited to return to Thailand. Unfortunately, I was not nearly as excited for the business class experience, since I would be flying a short-haul regional business class product, Thai Airways business class on the Airbus A320.

I visited the ACV Business Lounge at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). The lounge did not offer much besides a quieter place to relax before the flight (Noi Bai Airport is extremely crowded). The food and beverage were limited and of relatively poor quality, especially for business class standards.

However, the lounge offered excellent views of the runways, which is always a nice touch. Unfortunately, the pouring rain outside made the views difficult to enjoy.

The Thai Airways Airbus A320 features a 2-2 configuration across 3 rows, with 12 seats in total. Because of this configuration, those with window seats (like the one I chose) do not have direct aisle access. Fortunately, the cabin was less than half full, and the seat beside me was empty.

The seat was comfortable for the short hop over to Bangkok. There was more legroom than I anticipated, and the seat had nice recline. However, as expected, the seat could not turn into a fully lie-flat bed.

The inflight dining on this flight was tremendous, especially for such a short flight. The appetizers included a seared tuna and herb salad with a Thai-style dressing and beef bresaola with honey-roasted sweet potatoes and sour cream.

For the main course, I had the deep-fried tiger prawns with Thai-style garlic sauce. They were served with Thai jasmine rice, pak choy, and carrots. The main course was fantastic. I paired the meal with tamarind tea, which is my favorite beverage on any airline.

I asked for both desserts, a chocolate peanut butter cake and pandan sticky rice with egg custard. Both were delicious.

The business class hard product was all right for a short regional flight, but the onboard cabin crew service (and onboard Thai cuisine) stood out. They exhibited the genuine hospitality the country is so famous for.

4. Singapore Airlines A350-900 [BKK to SIN]

After another 10 days in Bangkok, I headed to Singapore for the first time in nearly a decade. Although I was excited to visit the country after so long, I was probably more excited to fly my favorite airline in the world: Singapore Airlines.

At Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), I visited the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge, which was modern and spacious. Although there was a good selection of food, I skipped breakfast at the lounge to have it on the flight to Singapore.

Singapore Airlines’ A350-900 business class is split into 2 cabins in a 1-2-1 configuration, ensuring all passengers have direct aisle access. I chose a bulkhead seat because it offers more legroom and a larger footwell.

The leather seats were extremely comfortable, and the winged shell design provided ample privacy. Of course, the seats also turned into lie-flat beds.

Unlike most other business class seats that combine with the footwell to form a bed, I had to flip the seat manually to create the bed. The footwell was also off to one side, so I had to sleep at an angle. Although this is inconvenient on long-haul flights, it was not an issue for this 3-hour flight.

As expected, the inflight dining was fantastic. I chose the kway teow kua kai for the breakfast main course, which is stir-fried Thai rice noodles with prawns and chicken. The meal was delicious, and the prawns were cooked exceptionally well.

5. Thai Airways A350-900 [SIN to BKK to IST]

After a week in Singapore (and a 48-hour side trip to Johor Bahru, Malaysia), it was time to head to the crossroads of Asia and Europe: Istanbul, Türkiye. Although I had visited the city several times in the past, it had been more than 2 years since I last visited.

I could not fly nonstop on Singapore Airlines, as the airline releases limited long-haul award space to partner programs. Instead, I flew Thai Airways Royal Silk business class on the Airbus A350 and A350-900.

I arrived at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), widely regarded as the best airport in the world, 12 hours before my flight to experience everything it had to offer. I ended the day visiting the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 2.

The lounge was massive, which made sense considering how many passengers fly Singapore Airlines business class. It also featured a self-service food and beverage station with a fantastic selection of food.

The flight to Bangkok was on a Thai Airways A350, which had a Royal Silk business class cabin that I was familiar with. However, this time, I chose a “true” window seat at the back of the cabin, ensuring maximum privacy.

The Thai Airways onboard dining experience exceeded expectations once again. The appetizer consisted of a seared tuna and herb salad with Thai-style dressing and beef bresaola with honey-roasted sweet potatoes and sour cream. I also requested a tamarind tea, as it had been a few weeks since I last had it.

The main course was a beautifully presented plate of tiger prawns in red curry, which was served with Thai jasmine rice and stir-fried eggplant with sweet basil. Thai Airways also provided garlic bread, which was the perfect side.

Before I even realized, we were already making our descent into Bangkok, where I then I ran to catch my connecting flight to Istanbul.

After boarding the second Thai Airways flight, I was stunned. I entered an entirely new Thai Airways Royal Silk business class cabin aboard the A350-900 that I had not even known the airline offered.

Unlike the traditional Thai Airways business class cabin I was familiar with, this cabin featured reverse-herringbone seats angled toward the window.

Although I had just eaten over an hour earlier on the prior flight, I was excited to see how the Thai Airways long-haul business class meal would compare.

The meal service included various foods, including Thai-style seasoned minced chicken, goat cheese-stuffed grilled zucchini with romesco sauce, and premium caviar with poached tiger prawns.

For the main course, I ordered salmon-stuffed minced prawns in chu chee curry. They were served with egg fried rice, Vietnamese-style fried chicken, and sautéed vegetables.

After an excellent meal, I asked a cabin crew member to set up my bed. Thai Airways provided a mattress pad to make the rest more comfortable. I slept a few hours on the flight, preparing myself for the adventures ahead.

Bottom Line:

I enjoyed this long-haul Thai Airways business class experience much more than my previous one. The cabin was completely different from what I expected, which caught me off guard (in a good way).

6. Turkish Airlines A350-900 [IST to JNB]

After a week in Istanbul and 48 hours in Bursa, it was time to head to my first new country on this trip: South Africa (No. 104). Fortunately, I was flying there in business class on one of the most highly-regarded airlines in the world, Turkish Airlines.

I visited the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge at Istanbul Airport (IST), one of the largest and most renowned business class lounges worldwide. The massive lounge offered many amenities, including dedicated workspaces, massage chairs, a kids’ play area, a business center, a golf simulator, and shower suites.

Of course, it also boasted extensive food and beverages, including a full buffet with hot and cold dishes and live cooking stations. The highlight was the dessert station, which featured traditional Turkish delight.

The business class cabin on Turkish Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 was sleek and modern. Although visually appealing, the seats were also practical. There was plenty of privacy and storage, including a locked storage area.

I was incredibly excited to try the food on board, as I regard Turkish Airlines as having the best food in the sky. The airline even boasts a dedicated onboard chef, who creates an elevated dining experience.

The dinner course started with a prawn cocktail and creamy roasted red pepper soup, both of which were absolutely delicious.

For the main course, I had homemade tagliolini with burrata, accompanied by slow-roasted tomato sauce and fresh basil. The pasta was terrific and honestly one of the best things I have ever eaten on a plane.

After the fantastic dinner service, I wanted to get some rest. I had one of the many wonderful cabin crew members make my bed, which was quite comfortable thanks to the pillow, duvet, and mattress pad.

Bottom Line:

The Turkish Airlines business class flight was my favorite flight on this Round the World award, likely thanks to Turkish’s exceptional inflight dining, which I consider the best in the sky.

7. South African Airways A330-300 [CPT to GRU]

After a wonderful 5 days in Johannesburg, where I stayed at the ultraluxurious Park Hyatt Johannesburg, I headed to Cape Town to visit a friend. Cape Town was as incredible as I imagined, and I wished I could have stayed longer.

However, it was time to head across the Atlantic Ocean to my next country, Brazil. This was my first time in Brazil since 2016, and I was excited to see some of my best friends. For this leg, I flew South African Airways for the first time.

South African Airways did not have a dedicated business class lounge at Cape Town International Airport (CPT). Instead, I accessed the Bidvest Premier Lounge, which is available to Priority Pass holders.

The lounge was a major letdown, with unwelcoming staff, obnoxious adult guests talking loudly on the phone, and limited food and beverages.

Although I was not expecting anything too special from South African Airways, I was excited to try out its flagship business class product on the Airbus A330-300. In all honesty, I was surprised at its solid offerings.

The striking design and color scheme of the business class cabin made it feel incredibly premium. The dark gray seats, tan headrests, and red accents made it visually appealing.

The seats were also reasonably practical, providing excellent privacy and multiple storage options. I’d expected the business class seat to be less spacious on a smaller aircraft.

However, the most surprising part of the flight was the fantastic inflight dining experience. While South African cuisine is not my favorite, I was surprised by how excellent the food was.

The lunch service began with beef biltong and herb-poached prawns, served with pineapple salsa and a slow-roasted citrus cocktail. I initially selected the seafood curry for my main dish, but it did not taste that great. I asked the flight attendant if they could offer me something else. They obliged and provided me with the duck confit, which was accompanied by crispy herbed potatoes, broccoli florets, sautéed baby carrots, and a cranberry-and-sherry demi-glace. This tasted much better.

Two hours before landing, the flight attendants served a light meal. It began with charred chicken breast with pickled cucumber, carrot, and red peppers. Not the best, but still solid.

However, they then served the main course. I had the tandoori chicken kebab, which was served with garlic and herb paratha, salsa, and tandoori sauce. The dish was fantastic and among the best I have ever had on a flight — I did not expect to say that about food served on South African Airways, of all airlines.

Of course, I also had to try out the bed, which was long and wide enough for me to get a few hours of rest. South African Airways also provided a pillow, duvet, and mattress pad. The only notable drawback was the narrow footwell.

8. United Airlines 787-10 Dreamliner [GRU to ORD]

After 10 days between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, it was time to head back home to Chicago. United operated the final flight of this award. Although I had flown it several times before, the United 787-10 Dreamliner featured United Polaris business class.

At São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), I accessed the Espaço Banco Safra Lounge. The lounge featured a buffet with a decent food selection, including various fruits, salads, cheeses, cold cuts, desserts, hot dishes, and soups. However, the lounge was extremely busy and noisy, detracting from the premium experience.

For once, I left a business class lounge early, eagerly awaiting the 787-10 Dreamliner that would take me to Chicago. Once on board, I got comfortable in my seat, excited to be back home in a few hours.

The late-night dinner service on the flight was excellent. It began with appetizers: sauteed prawns with mixed vegetable slaw and white carrot miso vinaigrette, and buffalo mozzarella with pickled asparagus salad. The prawns were excellent, but the buffalo mozzarella was not.

For the main course, I chose the spinach and ricotta pasta, which was delicious. I have flown United Polaris long-haul 5 times, and this was easily the tastiest meal I had on any of those flights by a mile.

Shortly after the meal, I asked a flight attendant to make my bed. United Polaris offers some of the best beds in the sky thanks to the premium Saks Fifth Avenue duvet, blankets, and 2 excellent pillows. I was tired from my many late nights in Brazil and slept for a good 6 hours.

United Polaris offered a solid product, although it was beginning to show its age, especially compared to what some Middle Eastern and East Asian carriers offer. United has announced its new Polaris Suites, which will likely be in the skies in early 2026.

After my fantastic rest, I brushed my teeth in the lavatory and prepared to land in Chicago. As we approached Chicago O’Hare International Airport, I looked out my window and captured this incredible sunrise above the city.

Reflections

I am a massive fan of many Star Alliance airlines and was excited to have flown many of my favorite airlines on this itinerary.

Here’s an overall review of my favorites from this trip:

• Favorite airline: All Nippon Airways
• Best seat: All Nippon Airways The Room
• Most delicious food: Turkish Airlines
• Best cabin crew service: EVA Air
• Comfiest bed: United Airlines Polaris
• Most surprising airline: South African Airways
• Favorite flight overall: Turkish Airlines

Final Thoughts

I entered the points and miles hobby in 2016, hoping to score a few flights for free. It didn’t matter if they were in economy, as I just wanted to travel. Looking back, points and miles have completely changed the world for me.

Although I have redeemed several million points and miles over the last decade, this was absolutely my best redemption. I still cannot believe that I was able to fly for more than 2 months and nearly 30,000 miles around the world in business class for 170,000 miles — essentially a single welcome bonus that many travel rewards cards offer today.

This Star Alliance Round the World ticket gave me everything I could have wished for. The experience was even better than I expected and is a trip I will never forget.

While you can no longer book Round the World awards through ANA Mileage Club, other Star Alliance programs still allow members to book them. I plan to make a similar trip in the near future, as this was the single best point-and-mile redemption of my life thus far.