It earned the club enough airmiles to fund Gordon Strachan's scouting missions for years, but there were few other obvious benefits from Celtic's pre-season global tour.
Two continents, six cities, seven matches, over seven hours without a goal . . . the numbers are not encouraging.
The trip underlined the tensions in a club still paying for last season's European failure. The board's eagerness to get rid of top earners saw Strachan drawn into an unseemly war of words over the reason for Alan Thompson's expulsion from the tour, while Stilian Petrov's heart is clearly not in it. Fans will point to last season's summer preparations, which were similarly troublesome, then ask: "Where did we finish?"
It is a convincing argument, but there are many different factors this time around.
Firstly, Rangers have a foreboding manager. Paul Le Guen will surely prove a more daunting adversary to Strachan than Alex McLeish did in his final campaign.
Hearts, too, should prove stronger. New signings, a more settled squad and the experience of last season should aid them. (The usual Romanov-related disclaimers must be applied here).
Thirdly, on the evidence of pre-season, Celtic's squad appears weaker.
Despite John Hartson's lumbering bulk, he finished joint-top scorer. Celtic have brought in Kenny Miller and Derek Riordan, but neither have the power of the Welshman. Strachan has employed a number of players as replacement targetmen: Jiri Jarosik (midfielder), Stephen Pearson (midfielder) and Adam Virgo (pass). None have impressed. The news that Dion Dublin could return is hardly heartening.
In midfield, Jarosik should be a good acquistion and Evander Sno has occasionally impressed. But Neil Lennon is another year older and Roy Keane is gone.
It is the defence that is keeping Celtic fans awake at night: Gary Caldwell did not look the part at Hibs and has not yet looked the part at Celtic. And as for left-back . . . Charlie Mulgrew and Ross Wallace have earned possibly fatal black marks for their travails in the position.
The worries could prove unfounded. Strachan may mold a defensive partnership. He may sign the left-back he has been crying out for. And Riordan and Miller may catch fire up front. At this stage, however, Celtic look jet-lagged – and this before next week's trip to Japan . . .