Circling the World Flying Standby in 48 Hours

Four people from Phoenix are about to embark on a trip that most people would consider a family-sized slice of hell: They're headed around the world in 48 hours, all by flying standby. That's right - no previous bookings for any specific flight.

Marc Jorgensen, a revenue management analyst for US Airways, and his friends are calling it the 2011 World Race. On Feb. 25, two people will head east, the other two will head west. The object is to circle the globe first, while also tackling some scavenger hunt-type tasks to liven things up a bit.

"The scavenger hunt ideas, like finding the person with biggest beard, should make it fun along the way," Jorgensen says.

The teams will determine their direction on departure day in an elegant, gentlemanly, time-honored fashion: rock-paper-scissors.

Planning the Routes

Since time is essential, Jorgensen plans to stick to tried-and-true routes and airlines. They're discussing routes such as Phoenix, Los Angeles, Incheon, Frankfurt, John F. Kennedy and Phoenix for the westbound team, with Phoenix, London Heathrow, Incheon, Los Angeles and Phoenix for the eastbound crew.

So no chancing it with unusual airlines - though standby flights can throw a well-planned route into chaos, so there's a chance someone might wind up on the Moscow-JFK Aeroflot flight.

After all, much is at stake. Victory won't make any of the participants rich and famous, but there are bragging rights.

"Initially, we were going to have the losing team pickup the tab for the standby passes (about $300)," Jorgensen says. "However, we feel it's better to have the losing team pick up the tab for dinner for the winning team, and focus more on small prizes for each scavenging hunt item found."

Do You Need a Visa Everywhere You Want to Be?

There's more to flying into a country that just booking a ticket. You have to be aware of entry requirements. But Jorgensen, who has considerable experience traveling to Asia, is well-prepared.

"To maximize time, we need to get through each airport fast, which means getting through each security checkpoint quickly," he says. "As you can imagine, if they start asking questions about where we came from and how long we will be there ... things could get a bit delayed."

Crazy to Some, High-Flying Fun to Others

Many people will view the 2011 World Race as a weekend wasted doing something that's like a visit to the dentist gone awry: security checkpoints, uncomfortable seats, terrible food. But for an airplane geek who craves a seat on an A380 superjumbo, it's high-flying adventure.

"Flying is a luxury for many people in the world (especially the past couple of years) and getting to circle the globe in just 48 hours is something very few people have ever done," Jorgen says. "It's a unique opportunity and meeting new people on a plane and seeing new places can be so fascinating."

You can follow the 2011 World Race on Twitter and like it on Facebook .

Quick Travel Bits from 2011 World Race participant Marc Jorgensen:

On Destinations

I really like Asia. As an American, Korea or China are very interesting experiences because the language and culture are so different, and the food is so good! I really like Seoul and Nanjing. I also really enjoy Brazil to relax. To have fun, I wish I was able to spend more time in Berlin and Copenhagen.

Favorite Planes

I like the Airbus A321 and the A330. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to fly the 800-passengers jumbos yet, but I hear they are fantastic to fly in.

His Longest Flight to Date

LAX to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific (which has the best inflight TV and movie options for coach of any airline, in my opinion). It was about 15 hours, the staff were so nice and the movie selection so large it didn't feel half that long.