What are the options? Cost is a consideration, as is service quality and speed/comfort.

I'm guessing the city is fairly accessible through Tokyo and Seoul?

Thanks!!

What are the options? Cost is a consideration, as is service quality and speed/comfort.

I'm guessing the city is fairly accessible through Tokyo and Seoul?

Thanks!!


It does look like the best options from the US are through Japan or Korea. Like so many other places though, the airport is a ways from town. I did not check schedules or which carriers provide service to VVO.

http://www.waytorussia.net/FarEast/Vladivostok/Transport.html

Sadly AS no longer offers its incredible seasonal Seattle-Anchorage-Magadan-Vladivostok service.

KE flies 3 times a week from ICN to VVO.
Mon/Tue/Sat
ICN: 10.00
VVO: 14.20

Mon/Tue/Sat
VVO: 16.20
ICN: 16.50

Boeing 737-800

Last fall when I looked at fares it was actually cheaper to make the long trip from the East Coast through Moscow to VVO than to fly through Seoul.

Vladivostok Avia (timetable here (http://www.vladavia.ru/avia_eng/flights_info_view.php3?internal=0)) has a few flights to Seoul, NRT, and other Asian locations which do not show up in Orbitz, ITA, etc.

Primorsky AirAgency (http://www.airagency.ru/English/index.htm) seems to be a helpful resource for those looking to get to Vladivostok.

If you have DL miles, this may be a good time to use them. KE flies to Vladivostok. A J ticket between Asian cities like NRT, HKG, ICN, BKK, SIN and Vladivostok is only 30,000 miles.

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_miles/award_upgrade_mileage/delta_multi_airline_awards/north_asia/index.jsp

Perhaps you can buy a cheapo ticket to NRT or KIX. Then connect to Vladivostok on KE.

Thanks. This seems like a tricky destination to fly to. I may consider the SkyTeam reward option. That J reward seems like a good deal (especially compared to published fares). But if I'm spending 30,000 for that, and I willing to do the transpacific in coach, it seems like maybe I'd be better off redeeming 60,000 miles for the whole trip (if seats are available, of course).

If anyone knows of any discounted airfares from the major Asian cities to Vladivostok, or even from Moscow to Vladivostok, I'd much appreciate it.

aeroflot biz class is not all that bad, and the prices (at least IAD-STO) are very inexpensive.

You may have to go through the hell of calling them to get answers. I think they have an office in NY, and if you walk in, they will treat you half way decently.

I think they give miles now on the dl co nw af chain.

I think they give miles now on the dl co nw af chain.
Yep, this thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=547525&page=1&pp=15) suggests that Aeroflot will be an official SkyTeam member soon. So you might be able to use DL, NW, or CO miles to get to Vladivostok.

Since yesterday yes. You can spend your FB miles, Skymiles, Onepass miles, Worldperks miles, AM miles as well as OK miles, KE miles and AZ miles.
This also means, of course, you can spend your SU (Aeroflot Bonus) miles as well.

Now would an award to Vladivostok count as a N.A. - Europe?

If so, for 50K miles that would be a great deal.

Although flying the long way via the atlantic wouldn't be much fun ;)

Now would an award to Vladivostok count as a N.A. - Europe?

If so, for 50K miles that would be a great deal.

Although flying the long way via the atlantic wouldn't be much fun ;)

Under the Skyteam tab for "Europe" it says:

Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia (Eastern), San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City, and Yugoslavia.

:confused: Why Eastern Russia but not western Russia?

For North Asia it says:

Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and the Russian Far East

Cheers

Under the Skyteam tab for "Europe" it says:

Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia (Eastern), San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City, and Yugoslavia.

:confused: Why Eastern Russia but not western Russia?

For North Asia it says:

Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and the Russian Far East

Cheers

surely they meant western russia not eastern.

surely they meant western russia not eastern.


I think they mean the eastern european part of russia. The part of Russia that is in europe is in what many consider eastern europe, even though many seem to consider everything east of france to be eastern europe.

Still trying to figure out best way to Vladivostok from US East Coast. My friend doesn't have enough frequent flyer miles, so it will be a paid ticket. Big decision seems to be to go through Moscow or try transiting Asia.

I've heard, but can not yet confirm, that Moscow is an easy transit point eastbound, but that there's no way of avoiding an overnight westbound. True? If so, is there a reasonably priced (but still comfortable) hotel option for such a transit passenger?

Also, flying across the Atlantic, will it be cheaper to buy two tickets (like NYC-Moscow and Moscow-Vladivostok)? If so, is it possible for a foreigner to buy a discounted Moscow-Vladivostok ticket?

Since this will be in coach, what's the relative comfort level involved here? Who would you fly from NYC to Moscow? And are there viable choices between Moscow and Vladivostok? Any need to switch airports in Moscow?

Alternatively, we are considering the "Asian option." My guess is that flying to Japan is cheaper than flying to Korea (or China) to connect. But I guess Korean is the only non-Russian airline to fly to Vladivostok? Is there ANY way to get a discount on that flight -- I've heard tickets are very expensive. Alternatively, someone above posted a link to Vladivostok Avia airlines. Anyone with experience on them? All I can see is that they exclusively fly Russian planes which (from my "know nothing" American perspective, doesn't necessary seem like a good thing). They do seem to have 2 flights a week into Osaka, however, would could make for a good, affordable connection from the US. How would an American buy a ticket on this airline?

Thanks for the help, everyone. This isn't an easy place to fly to. I'd sure like to get it for under US$1000, and a bunch of ff miles.

I'm not sure how an American would buy a ticket on Vladivostok Avia, but I notice that they do have a Japanese Web site (http://www.vladivostokair.co.jp/) .

Hi - did you manage to book what you wanted (just stumbled upon this thread)?

I'd say on the budget that you specify you can forget Moscow. SVO-VVO leg alone would be to the tune of $600; discounts are few and far between, and Moscow is the world's worst city for changing planes.

Vladivostok Avia flies to VVO from Niigata and Toyama in Japan. I've done both. Toyama is a bit trickier and costlier to get to if you fly into Tokyo or Osaka, but Continental has flight to Niigata via Guam.

If you fly into Tokyo, train to Niigata is about $100.

You can also fly to Vladivostok from Seoul, I think.

Aeroflot runs sales a few times a year, the next one should be announced in about a month. In 2003/2004/2005 it cost $299+tax to fly from JFK ($399+ from LAX) to SVO and RUR 9900+ (ca. $365) to fly from SVO to VVO. These tickets book into L which earns you between 0 and 100% miles in different ST programs.

Aeroflot runs sales a few times a year, the next one should be announced in about a month. In 2003/2004/2005 it cost $299+tax to fly from JFK ($399+ from LAX) to SVO and RUR 9900+ (ca. $365) to fly from SVO to VVO. These tickets book into L which earns you between 0 and 100% miles in different ST programs.

Thanks for this - I might have missed something, but I have never seen SU domestic sale to coincide with their international sale...

I have flown on London to SVO $199 + tax ticket, and I know people who flew SVO to VVO for approx. $400 + tax return, but no matter how hard I looked the combined ticket was always very expensive (about $2000 incl. tax). Maybe it is just my tough luck. :td:

Thanks for this - I might have missed something, but I have never seen SU domestic sale to coincide with their international sale...

I have flown on London to SVO $199 + tax ticket, and I know people who flew SVO to VVO for approx. $400 + tax return, but no matter how hard I looked the combined ticket was always very expensive (about $2000 incl. tax). Maybe it is just my tough luck. :td:

The basically have three sales a year and these are always both international and domestic. You can book up to 4 segments so LHR/JFK/wherever-SVO-VVO and back should be possible if L is available on the dates and flights you want. If everything goes the way it did in 2005/2004/2003, etc., the first of the two fall sales should start in mid-September.

Thanks for all the new tips, everyone. This sure is a difficult market to fly to. Has anyone had any luck redeeming frequent flyer miles on Aeroflot with the new Skyteam partnership?

The airfare between ICN and VVO seems somewhat fixed due to lack of demand?

USD $1 = KRW 950

Vladivostok Air (XF)

ICN/VVO W/F/SU XF744 1440/1830
VVO/ICN W/F/SU XF743 1300/1250

One way KRW 390,000 + taxes and fees
15 day return KRW 650,000 + taxes and fees
6 month return KRW 660,000 + taxes and fees

Korean Air (KE)

ICN/VVO M/TU/SA KE981 1000/1420
VVO/ICN M/TU/SA KE982 1620/1650

One way KRW 481,000 + taxes and fees
1 month return KRW 762,000 + taxes and fees
6 month return KRW 962,000 + taxes and fees

Has anyone had any luck redeeming frequent flyer miles on Aeroflot with the new Skyteam partnership?

Posters over at DL forum report wide availability

Thanks for all the new tips, everyone. This sure is a difficult market to fly to. Has anyone had any luck redeeming frequent flyer miles on Aeroflot with the new Skyteam partnership?

Yes and there is lots of availability. Last week I did an SVO to OVB to SVO for 25k Sky Miles. Call the SMS and they'll help you. Good luck!