As a new international traveler in my late teens, I dreamed constantly about the next time I could travel overseas. Ten days in Italy was but a small taste, and I became a little intoxicated from the excitement and was left yearning for more.

Sleepless nights were often spent navigating from website to website in the computer room downstairs, and it would be on one of these nights — while searching for ways to make it back to Europe in some way, shape or form — that I happened upon the round-the-world plane ticket.

It made so much sense. Why spend upwards of $1000 on one international return flight when you can spend a few thousand and circumnavigate the entire globe with stops at major destinations along the way?

I think it was at this moment that the idea of extended travel seemed realistic to me, and the frugal and thrifty lifestyle I maintain to make travel happen was born.

Along with, of course, a healthy obsession with seeking out good airfare deals!

The Round the World for Less — Booked with travel.com.au

Before starting my current partnership with travel.com.au (announced in my January Express 2012 post), I did my research. I wanted to make sure that what they were offering would mesh with my site's message, and I think it does.

Also being the flight deal junkie that I am, I was more than excited to learn about the Round the World for Less option with travel.com.au — that of which I'm going to take the time to share with you right now.

What is the Round the World for Less fare?

The Round the World for Less lets wanderlust stricken individuals travel from Australia to Europe and back via the USA in one direction and either Asia or AFRICA (!) in the other. It is essentially a round trip flight to Europe that allows for two stopovers crossing both the Atlantic and the Pacific — or, a sneaky, lighter version of a round-the-world plane ticket for half the price.

Who is the Round the World for Less good for?

This specific deal is based on a starting point in Australia, but you don't have to be an Australian resident to find this useful. Others that can benefit include:

• Expats living in Australia (like myself) that already need to spend upwards of $1500+ to visit home, but want to make the most of their money and time off to explore new places.
• Working holiday makers in Australia that need to take a little time off to visit the family back home before getting back to fruit picking in Queensland.
• Slow travelers in Australia that might need to leave the country before re-entering for another 3 months.

Where can you go on the Round the World for Less fare?

The Round the World for Less fare can take you from Australia to North America, to Europe, to Asia (or Africa) and back to Australia.

Some sample itineraries include:

• Sydney – Los Angeles – Munich – Paris – Frankfurt – Singapore – Sydney
• Melbourne – Hong Kong – Frankfurt – London – Frankfurt – Los Angeles – Melbourne
• Brisbane – Los Angeles (own arrangements to) San Francisco – Frankfurt – Florence (own arrangements to) Milan – Frankfurt – Bangkok – Brisbane

Since the deal is done through Lufthansa and a few partners, the main destinations in Europe would be Frankfurt or Munich, but you are allowed to take a flight out of that airport and back to one from a choice of dozens of cities in Europe (like Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belgrade, Berlin, Bologna, Bremen, Brussels, London, Rome, Paris, etc.).

The stop in either Asia or North America are singular, but you can have those stops be open jaw and exit from a different airport. For example, the destinations in North America include Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver, so why not fly into one and take a road trip and exit out of another?

For all flight information, please see the official site.

The possibilities, as I perceive them:

What does the Round the World for Less cost?

Prices start from just $2,649 AUD, which might sound like a lot off hand, but give it a moment to sink in.

I just did a search for round trip flights to Frankfurt from Sydney over on Kayak and they are ranging from $1450 – $1700 AUD over the next several months. That's for one destination — one trip.

For about $1000 more, you can get to visit two other continents and four other destinations. How cool is that?

This deal is so enticing, I'm thinking about booking it myself the next time I want to visit the USA — that is of course if this big Trans-Mongolian train trip doesn't bury me in too much debt!

What to do you think? Is the Round the World for Less a steal of a deal?!

This post has been brought to you in part by travel.com.au, but all words and thoughts are my own. Be sure to check out travel.com.au on both Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on the latest deals and contests.