Current Airline Fares

[Vince G]

Don, about a month ago I was checking what flights was avail. at what price. At first they were coming in at double the amount ($3000.) as I narrowed it down some the prices got better down to $1500 +/-. I think if you pick the right days and flight you'll find what you want. From the DC area? If it's a multi stop flight (DC to LA to Beijing) it will be a higher price and longer flight. I looked into leaving from NY. I can fly there from here (3 hr) under $200. and get a flight from there straight to Beijing. Less hours flying and less $$. You just have to find the right combination to it.

[Willy The Londoner]

Flying by Qatar, they have this thing about coming round and taking the blankets away about an hour before you land and this was well before the latest security scare.  I cover myself put the seatbelt over it and they never take it.  

But at least you get the heat walking down of the plane onto the tarmac and onto the bus.  If you have not been that route before then you cannot take any water through the security to get into the airport transit area.

I got a good price from Air France once - Flying Heathrow to Paris then onto HK - but the arrival time in HK did not suit me.  

Willy

[Voiceroveip]

Same wit Cathay, silly departure which makes you lose the afternoon in France, and then arrival really early in Hong Kong. Lucky my hotel accepted me early, I arrived there before 10:00am and really wanted a shower.

Hehe so I can add a 33rd country to my list of visited destinations, or does a 3 hour transit not count?

So you record Willy? I used to be a studio sound engineers in my younger years, actually had my own 24 track studio in the early 90's and did a lot of freelance.

Frank

[zook144]

Don, about a month ago I was checking what flights was avail. at what price. At first they were coming in at double the amount ($3000.) as I narrowed it down some the prices got better down to $1500 +/-. I think if you pick the right days and flight you'll find what you want. From the DC area? If it's a multi stop flight (DC to LA to Beijing) it will be a higher price and longer flight. I looked into leaving from NY. I can fly there from here (3 hr) under $200. and get a flight from there straight to Beijing. Less hours flying and less $$. You just have to find the right combination to it.

Well, I finally made reservations for Beijing in March. After much searching and cussing (yes I do that occasionally) I found what I guess is a reasonable price. And times and layovers are right. I went with United out of Roanoke to Chicago to Tokyo, then into Beijing. Coming back is straight Beijing to Chicago. Not overly happy because I wanted to go with Delta or their group, but they wanted to put me on flights with only a 50 minute layover in Tokyo. I even called a Delta rep and asked if that was a reasonable time to change planes and everything. she said "probably not". Now tell me, why offer this if it is unreasonable. And other flights had 11 to 14 hours layovers. so I went with United. Maybe it will all work out. And I got aisle seats, which I almost have to have. 13 or 14 hours all cruched up in a window seat is not for me. And business or first class are way out of sight for me. So i have written all the details to my lady and hopes it makes her happy. Now she will know I am actually coming to visit. I think that was bothering her a bit.
Oh yea, the cost 1190 USD plus I purchased the INS for $65.  After all I am flying United. haha
I'll start a thread when it gets closer to trip time. Hopefully it will be a successful adventure this time.
Don

[mustfocus]

50 minutes is definitely not enough for a transit....2 hours is minimum (give or take 15 minutes).  Narita isn't bad in terms of efficiency (although the airport is a bit dated and I haven't been there in about 8 or 9 years)...  If you can, I would pack some sandwiches or  keep some of the sandwiches from the flight from Chicago to Tokyo... Narita (and Japan in general) is expensive.  Not much you can do about liquids.  The bottleneck you will have is Chicago...I've been stuck there for 4 hours the last time I was there...

Take a laptop (or netbook) with you if you can.  If you get stuck in Tokyo (unlikely, but if you get really delayed in Chicago, you may miss your flight), then at least you can contact your lady and let her know.

Anyway, good luck, enjoy yourself and remember take lots of pictures... :icon_biggrin:

[Martin]

And if you are a smoker, there are smoking rooms at Narita.

[zook144]

:icon_wink:

50 minutes is definitely not enough for a transit....2 hours is minimum (give or take 15 minutes).  Narita isn't bad in terms of efficiency (although the airport is a bit dated and I haven't been there in about 8 or 9 years)...  If you can, I would pack some sandwiches or  keep some of the sandwiches from the flight from Chicago to Tokyo... Narita (and Japan in general) is expensive.  Not much you can do about liquids.  The bottleneck you will have is Chicago...I've been stuck there for 4 hours the last time I was there...

Thanks for the advice on the sandwishes. And yes, I hate Chicago. At least the airport. Been stuck there and flights cancelled and the whole bit. Just hoping because its an international flight and looks like it is about all booked, there won't be much delay. I have about a 3 hour layover in Narita, so that should be no problem. Never been there, but I should be able to figure that out.

And Martin...won't need the smoking room. Kicked that a long long time ago.  I'll just sit out and watch the pretty ladies and wait for my flight.:icon_wink:  (I wonder if you can get arrested for taking pictures of pretty ladies in the Tokyo airport?)

[ttwjr32]

chicago is and always was a nighmare for me always and
 cold count on a delay there even on sunny days

[kenny]

Hi Don,

Good luck on your trip i hope things work out good for you this time. You did better than me on the cost of ticket. Twelve hundred is about what mine was in August but this time the same flight was just under nineteen hundred. I think maybe i got screwed a little bit. Will be watching for your thread.

Kenny

[zook144]

Hi Don,

Good luck on your trip i hope things work out good for you this time. You did better than me on the cost of ticket. Twelve hundred is about what mine was in August but this time the same flight was just under nineteen hundred. I think maybe i got screwed a little bit. Will be watching for your thread.

Kenny

Let's see....Is it Shenyang you are going to? I think that is where you went, right? When are you going this time? That does seem like quite a bit of cash, but maybe because its not one of the larger cities.  ha  Like its not large enough.  Didn't you get engaged last time? As you can tell my memory "has left the building"!!  Good luck on your trip!
Don

[Voiceroveip]

Actually internal flight in China can be quite cheap, round trips between USD 100 to 250 depending on the distance, if you book a little early that is.

[David5o]

Frank,

There are always normally discounts available on domestic flights in China, but you will never find out about them on your own. So always best to get your lady to do any bookings of internal flights. Those discounts can be often in the region of 25% off advertised air fares. Same applies to train fares.

Now don't expect any discounts to be available during February, and especially the closer you get to there New year and after, or during any other National holidays/festivals.

David....

[Philip]

April seems to be an expensive time to go to China. Not as bad a February, but after a few weeks of seeing some bouncing prices, I have found a good price. £450 - London to Guangzhou, 4th-17th April. China Eastern airlines via Shanghai. I will then catch a high-speed train to Changsha.
This will work out quite a bit cheaper than to fly to Changsha, because the prices to Changsha stubbornly don't want to come down from about £650.

[David5o]

Philip,


Cathay are doing a special at the moment that i'm sure covers your schedule. the price is 499 GBP It's the same price for 15 other cities in China. I'm sure the extra 50 quid is worth it, considering just how long your going to be on that high speed train, that's afair old distance from Shanghai. Plus the fact you won't have a better flight to HK than on Cathay Pacific. Well worth thinking about it!

Also checkout '' cheapflights.co.uk ''  I've had a lot of good deals in the past with these people. also check out other options via HK that sometimes works too....

David....

[kenny]

Yes Don going to Shenyang again on the 12th for a couple weeks. I am staying at a hotel called IBIS this time, about half as much as Grand Century that we stayed at. I will let you know what it is like, i hope the carpets are cleaner. I have never heard of them before. Linda and i are engaged now and applied for an engagment visa in October. I would love to get down south to were the guys are meeting but not sure yet. Frank wrote that internal flights are cheap there i might have Linda check on that.
Kenny