For sabbaticals and career breaks
Sabbatical and Career Break Travel
Extended trips built for months, not weeks. Open-jaw routing, flexible return dates, and multi-stop tickets that cost less than booking each flight separately.
Plan My Trip
Sample routes
Routes our specialists tag for sabbatical / career break travelers
Hong Kong to Fiji & New Zealand Multi-Stop
Economy multi-stop routing from Hong Kong to Nadi, with an overland gap to Christchurch, then onward to Auckland and back to Hong Kong across a 15-week trip.
Estimated
$1,354–$2,066
New York City to Medellin & Buenos Aires Multi-Stop
An 8-week economy multi-stop routing from New York City with 28 nights in Medellin and 30 nights in Buenos Aires before returning to New York City.
Estimated
$1,362–$2,078
Old World RTW: NYC → London → Rome → Cairo → Dubai → Bangkok → NYC
Five-region history-focused RTW. NYC → London → Rome → Cairo → Dubai → Bangkok → home. Each stop is a layered-history anchor (Roman, Egyptian, Islamic, Buddhist) with short hops between Europe + North Africa + Middle East before the long way home from Asia.
Estimated
$1,367–$2,086
Vancouver to Chennai, Colombo & Bali Multi-Stop
An 11-week economy multi-stop routing from Vancouver through South Asia and Southeast Asia, with 8 nights in Chennai, 30 in Colombo, and 21 in Denpasar Bali before returning to Vancouver.
Estimated
$1,415–$2,158
Seattle to Tel Aviv & London Multi-Stop
Economy multi-stop routing from Seattle to Tel Aviv and London, returning to Seattle. Built around two longer stays with a November departure and total trip length of 61 weeks.
Estimated
$1,468–$2,239
Westbound Across Asia: NYC → Tokyo → Bangkok → Delhi → London → NYC
Westbound RTW with three Asian stops on a single ticket. NYC transpacific to Tokyo, south to Bangkok, west to Delhi, north to London, home. Star Alliance routing keeps one PNR throughout. Plan 5–10 weeks; October–December avoids the South Asia monsoon.
Estimated
$1,500–$2,289
New York City to Ponta Delgada, Lisbon, Florence, Copenhagen & 2 more Multi-Stop
An 8-week economy multi-stop route from New York City to Los Angeles via the Azores and four European city stops, paced with longer stays in Portugal and shorter finishers in Northern Europe.
Estimated
$1,514–$2,309
Classic Eastbound RTW: Los Angeles → London → Bangkok → Sydney → LA
Four-region eastbound RTW with single-ticket oneworld routing throughout. LA → London → Bangkok → Sydney → home, anchored by BA T5 and Qantas SYD-LAX direct. October–December is the lowest-friction season: shoulder pricing in Europe, dry season in Bangkok, spring in Sydney.
Estimated
$1,517–$2,314
Chicago to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, New Delhi & London Multi-Stop
Economy multi-stop routing from Chicago through East and Southeast Asia, onward to South Asia and Europe, then back to Chicago. This itinerary is built around several long stays with a few short connection-style city stops.
Estimated
$1,632–$2,490
Silk Road Crossing: NYC → Istanbul → Dubai → Delhi → Bangkok → Tokyo → NYC
Six-region eastbound RTW tracing the historical Silk Road by air. NYC → Istanbul → Dubai → Delhi → Bangkok → Tokyo → home. Turkish + Emirates handle the western half cleanly; Star Alliance picks up the eastern half through Bangkok to Tokyo and home via direct ANA NH8 to JFK. Best for travelers who want maximum cultural diversity per ticket.
Estimated
$1,650–$2,517
Asia-Pacific Grand Tour: LA → Tokyo → Hong Kong → Bangkok → Singapore → Bali → Sydney → Auckland → LA
Eight-stop Asia-Pacific maximalist RTW. No Europe, no Americas south. Instead, deep coverage of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australasia. Mixed alliance routing (Star + oneworld + some independents) means at least one self-transfer leg, but the price-per-stop ratio is unusually strong.
Estimated
$1,682–$2,566
Bangkok to Mumbai via Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore & the Maldives
A 13-week economy multi-stop route starting in Bangkok and finishing in Mumbai, linking 12 cities across Southeast Asia and South Asia with longer stays concentrated in Vietnam, Singapore, and Male.
Estimated
$1,692–$2,580
Planning reading
Flagship guides every traveler should read
How Much Does an RTW Trip Cost?
What round-the-world flights actually cost: alliance RTW fares, custom multi-stop builds, business class options, and the pricing factors most travelers overlook.
Sean Keener · Customer Service and Managing Director
How to Plan a Round-the-World Trip
The logistics of planning an RTW trip: choosing destinations, picking ticket types, understanding hub routing, and booking in the right window. Not a destination guide; a how-to for the flight strategy.
Sean Keener · Customer Service and Managing Director
When to Buy RTW Tickets
The booking window that consistently produces the best RTW fares: when to lock in, when to wait, how to stage complex itineraries, and seasonal pricing patterns.
Sean Keener · Customer Service and Managing Director
Common questions
What sabbatical / career break travelers actually ask
What's included in an AirTreks round-the-world ticket?
Your ticket includes all flights, airport taxes, and fuel surcharges. AirTreks also provides a dedicated travel consultant who handles routing, booking, and any changes. Hotels, travel insurance, and ground transport are not included but your consultant can and enjoy advising.
Do I need travel insurance for a round-the-world trip?
Yes. A multi-month, multi-country trip has too many variables to go without coverage. Look for a policy that covers trip interruption, medical evacuation, and missed connections. World Nomads and SafetyWing both offer plans built for long-term multi-country travel.
Who is AirTreks?
AirTreks is a travel company based in White Salmon, WA that has been building custom round-the-world and multi-stop itineraries since 1987. Our staff is global. Each trip is routed by a human consultant using fare construction techniques that online booking tools can't book.
Real travelers
Stories from sabbatical / career break travelers
What sabbatical / career break travelers say
Real sabbatical / career break travelers, real itineraries.
AirTreks changed my life. At 48, I quit my job, sold my house, and turned a lifelong dream into a 92-day solo round-the-world trip. Daniel helped me plan the entire journey across multiple continents. I'm now pursuing travel advocacy full-time. This company made the impossible feel simple.
Julie Drake
2018
No one in Canada does what AirTreks does. Excellent air pricing and close monitoring of every flight - I'm informed of any changes the night before I fly.
Dane M.
2024