Current Airline Fares

[JimB]

I am going back to China in February.  In looking around for fares, I have found once again, www.uschinatrip.com to be by far the cheapest.  $798 from Atlanta to Beijing all taxes included.  Anyone know of any place cheaper?

Jim & Gina

[davidaquincy]

Wow Jim that is a pretty good price. I was looking a little over a month ago to fly back Feb 5 - Feb 20th. When I was looking best price I got was right around 1000.00 Should have booked it then because 3 days later it went to over 3000.00. Now I am flying to Hong Kong instead for 950 for same time frame. My flight was from Denver to Beijing. This was all through expedia. FLying UNited cause after this trip will almost have 2 full round trips free.

[maxx]

Jim I looked at the places I buy tickets.I couldn't even come close to the price you wrote.

[Martin]

Jim...that is a great price...especially considering Spring Festival is in February this year.  I would grab that ticket price if I were you.

[Irishman]

What i wanna know is there going to be anyone left here in Febuary! Seems like every other member (myself included) wants t be there for the Chinese new year celebrations!
Flight pricing is hard to understand, If i fly out on a Wednesday its about €120 more expensive than if I go on a Thursday, can't figure that out at all.

[Danny]

Buying air tickets is like buying shares, whatever price you pay, there will be higher and lower prices in the days that follow, but you will only notice the prices that are lower than what you paid for. Air tickets come and go. Best is to just take your time and then buy when you see a good price. Sometimes you can get lucky and get a great price. I just think buy your ticket and then don't give it another thought

I'm just hoping the Aussie dollar stays at the overinflated price it is at the moment . . . then when I get back, it go down the gurgler, down where it belongs . . . *laughs*

[Chong]

What Sarge failed to mentioned is that he's flying with "Pterodactylus Airlines" ... the same one that Fred Flintstones uses.  :icon_cool:

[David5o]

Ronan,

I've been flying overseas long haul and short haul flights most of my working life, and i have never been able to work out even a near calculation for putting bums on seats. I have seen the cost of a seat go up and down for the same flight over the course of a single week, virtually every day a different advertised price.....

Last month i received a special price offer from BA for flights for UK to Larnaca.... The special price was 167 Euros one way!!!! I wrote back on this particular occasion, asking them why i would want to pay 167 Euros each way, to fly to Larnaca, when i could fly to Hong Kong on a five star airline for around 70 Euros more. Needless to say i haven't received an answer, and probably never will.....

In the past, you could save money on flights by pre booking several months in advance, now you would be a complete fool to do that. I now only start looking maybe 3 to 4 weeks prior to when i plan to fly, and sometimes 1 or 2 weeks. So long as your open to fly on any day and at any time, you can save some serious money on the internet and or bucket shops!!

Whatever way you do it and no-matter how much you end up paying for your flight, ....you will never find out the how and why that particular flight you booked came up with the price you paid !!!!  It will always remain one of those life's mysteries...lol!!!


David.......

[Buzz]

Jim, I paid $800 from Greensboro,  Flight thru NYC.  I made it fine, it took my luggage an extra 4 days to catch up to me.  Air China is paying $600 RMB for the inconvience.  The best part was that the airline seats they quoted were the ones I received.  Overall great service.  buz

I am going back to China in February.  In looking around for fares, I have found once again, www.uschinatrip.com to be by far the cheapest.  $798 from Atlanta to Beijing all taxes included.  Anyone know of any place cheaper?

Jim & Gina

[Willy The Londoner]

Going of the thread a little - this weekend will be my seventh flight between London and Hong Kong  since June - that is 4 flights to Hong Kong and three back to the UK.  So far  I have flown with Qatar,  Jet Airways and Cathay Pacific and this weekend I travel again with Qatar.

My ratings so far are that Jet Airways was first as far as I am concerened because it had the most comfortable seats and the Main meal was made better with real cutlery!!!  Only draw back was the security at Mumbai but probablyu understandable after what happened there a year ago.  But on both journies there was always someone to meet you at the terminal and to take you to where your transit plane was loading.

Cathay Pacific - dearest of the three but was a direct flight both ways.  Nothing special to report either way - probably no draw backs and on one flight I had both seats to my self and on the other the other seat was taken by a young woman in very short shorts - for for 13 hours I had to watch where my hands went to when I was asleep!!!

Qatar - advertised as the worlds five star airline.  Maybe for first class pasengers but the economy classes were pretty basic and the seats were not that comfortable.  Going back with them on Sunday!! - maybe not to busy as today is the last day of the Hag in Mecca.  But when you check in online their system is not the easiest.   And you have to be careful that you do not end up with a seat position that you do not really one want but was allocated you cannot change it.

So my first choice is Jet Airways, then Cathay Pacific then Qatar Airways.  

Willy

[brett]

Cathay Pacific are great. Air China sucked a bit - my seat was broken and the choice of movies was terrible. We didn't even get free toothbrushes! They had the best air hostesses I've ever flown with though, so it wasn't all bad :icon_cheesygrin:.

[Voiceroveip]

Hmmm just found that, I took Air France to SH previously (flights are ok but ground service is terrible), Swiss and Cathay on the last 2 trips to HK, next one is Qatar ... I thought they would be better than Cathay. Swiss is quite good by the way, real cutlery as well, very efficient and comfortable, I'm not a small guy and slept no problems on both flights.

I'm paying 520€ for the round trip to HK, last month I paid 820 but it was a last minute more or less with Cathay, Swiss charged me around 500€.

Somebody was complaining about the small price difference between long haul and short haul ... check your tichets and look at the taxes, you'll be surprised what certain airports charge per passenger!

Frank

[Willy The Londoner]

Hmmm just found that, I took Air France to SH previously (flights are ok but ground service is terrible), Swiss and Cathay on the last 2 trips to HK, next one is Qatar ... I thought they would be better than Cathay. Swiss is quite good by the way, real cutlery as well, very efficient and comfortable, I'm not a small guy and slept no problems on both flights.

Frank. Are you changing planes in Doha on that next flight with Qatar?

Your right about the airport taxes. London Heathrow and Hong Kong taxes are more expensive that the flight itself most of the time!

Willy

[zook144]

I'm trying to find reasonable flights to Beijing from the States (around DC) Seems they are raising the prices every day.  Guess i should have booked a few weeks ago.  Things seemed cheaper then.   But nooooo...I figured they would go down, but they are headed up instead.  Story of my life.  haha

Don

[Voiceroveip]

Yes Willy, I almost tried to stop over to visit Doha for the day and experience some heat ... next time maybe! Paris taxes are crazy too!

Frank