Mileage Run Deals - AA: EWR-PVG $624ai

AA: EWR-PVG (Shanghai, China) $624ai (N)

Sample:
Dec 5-11 EWR-ORD-PVG-ORD-EWR $624ai (15512mi ~4.0cpm)

-PERMITTED 01JAN THROUGH 30APR OR 25OCT THROUGH 10DEC ON THE OUTBOUND TRANSPACIFIC SECTOR.
-PERMITTED MON THROUGH THU ON EACH TRANSPACIFIC SECTOR.
-TRAVEL FROM INBOUND TRANSPACIFIC SECTOR MUST COMMENCE NO EARLIER THAN 6 DAYS AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE OUTBOUND TRANSPACIFIC SECTOR.

Obviously, the minimum stay hurts this as a pure MR....factor visa costs if required. After a quick check, more mi/lower cpm certainly possible, but look to require overnights....

60 day AP as well.
Not too bad if you want to go there for 1 Oct...

Thanks! Got one on hold for next year ... Now I need a deal from lax-NYC lol

Thanks! Got one on hold for next year ... Now I need a deal from lax-NYC lol

+1

Happened to see this one posted in the hotel forum - might be useful to some of you for your trip to Shanghai - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hotel-deals/1371436-hyatt-bund-shanghai-58-per-night.html

From what I searched, all of the EWR flights require a overnight connection in ORD. This is in both directions.

You have to do multi-city option - do EWR-ORD, ORD-PVG, PVG-ORD, ORD-EWR, you will then get non-overnight connection. Tried Nov 2012 worked well.

Thanks, OP!

Have EWR-lax-PVG on hold for early December - domestic overnights out and back, but almost 9K BIS miles X 2 for $650 (slightly less on different dates).

Hotels in PVG are cheap - now if there was only a cheap way to get a visa...

Availability seems to be shrinking - also put a later Dec rt on hold, but shorter routing and flight options are drying up, so move fast if you want one of these.

There are generous routing rules on this one, but limited AA flights to PVG from LAX/ORD....ITA is helpful for planning with this one....I worked on it a little and found 24k possible with overnight outbound, red-eye return for around $680ai....

Hotels in PVG are cheap - now if there was only a cheap way to get a visa....

As often as these China fares pop up it might be worth it to get a visa @:-)

Or do as I do and get a reward flight flight onward to take advantage of TWOV (Transit WithOut Visa) As always see China for details.

EmailKid

Visas must be used within a certain time period from the date of issue so not practical to get one until you know your travel dates.


As often as these China fares pop up it might be worth it to get a visa @:-)

Or do as I do and get a reward flight flight onward to take advantage of TWOV (Transit WithOut Visa) As always see China for details.

EmailKid

Visas must be used within a certain time period from the date of issue.

I was under the impression visas are good for a year. And these fares pop up several times a year. Of course, past performance is no guarantee of future performance :eek: :p :(

EmailKid

AA: EWR-PVG (Shanghai, China) $624ai (N)

Sample:
Dec 5-11 EWR-ORD-PVG-ORD-EWR $624ai (15512mi ~4.0cpm)

-PERMITTED 01JAN THROUGH 30APR OR 25OCT THROUGH 10DEC ON THE OUTBOUND TRANSPACIFIC SECTOR.
-PERMITTED MON THROUGH THU ON EACH TRANSPACIFIC SECTOR.
-TRAVEL FROM INBOUND TRANSPACIFIC SECTOR MUST COMMENCE NO EARLIER THAN 6 DAYS AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE OUTBOUND TRANSPACIFIC SECTOR.

Obviously, the minimum stay hurts this as a pure MR....factor visa costs if required. After a quick check, more mi/lower cpm certainly possible, but look to require overnights....

Thanks OP!

Sorry to be somewhat off topic, but as the visa cost can easily equal 25 % or more of the ticket, hope mods will leave it here, or move it should they prefer.

Suppose there's no harm in trying for multiple entry - significant detail may be needed to secure more than single or double entry. Cost is the same ($140 official fee + $50 - $100 for a visa expediter, if used), so may be no harm in trying. Some sites hint multiple entry is only for business, other report having such for tourism.


From Chinese Embassy

http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/fees/


From USA Today (slightly outdated, fee is $140 now) - how to get a multiple entry visa:


http://traveltips.usatoday.com/multiple-entry-tourist-visa-china-13347.html

I have begun to use PVG as a jumping off spot for other places in Asia, using an award ticket to those destinations and return a week or so after arriving in PVG. This destination generally has the best fares year round from NAmerica. You can thus transit with an overnight in Shanghai without a visa in both directions and spend some time in warmer climes in the new year (like BKK). In fact, I picked up a couple of SQ F awards (using my STAR miles) for next February (one to SYD from PVG), so I should book one of these to get to PVG.

Tourists from Canada or the US can generally only get one and two visit visas. Multiple entry are given only to business travellers. So the 48-hour transit visa is idea. You get it upon arrival when showing an onward ticket for a flight within that time period.

Is there any way to get this deal out of DFW? I even tried just ORD-PVG and the fare shoots up. I am looking for tickets for March 2013 for 1 week stay.

OP, great find. I booked a $910 and $810 r/t LAX-PVG for later this year and thought I was doing well.

As far as hotels, agoda.com always has some great deals.

Now we just need the USD to get back over 8 to the RMB... :)

There are generous routing rules on this one, but limited AA flights to PVG from LAX/ORD....ITA is helpful for planning with this one....I worked on it a little and found 24k possible with overnight outbound, red-eye return for around $680ai....

Hey folks,
aa.com doesn't show this route... any hint on how I can find it?

Tourists from Canada or the US can generally only get one and two visit visas. Multiple entry are given only to business travellers. So the 48-hour transit visa is idea. You get it upon arrival when showing an onward ticket for a flight within that time period.

We got multiple entry visas for one year in June 2010 at the Chinese consulate in SFO. We downloaded the forms from their internet page, filled them in, and dropped them off there for same-day service. They did not ask for any additional information. I don't remember if the form had a space for reason for visit, if it did we would have filled it out for tourism. We paid extra for same day processing, but we dropped them off when they opened in the morning and picked them up shortly before closing that same day. That was two years ago, may be different now, but a visa service would know.

We got multiple entry visas for one year in June 2010 at the Chinese consulate in SFO. We downloaded the forms from their internet page, filled them in, and dropped them off there for same-day service. They did not ask for any additional information. I don't remember if the form had a space for reason for visit, if it did we would have filled it out for tourism. We paid extra for same day processing, but we dropped them off when they opened in the morning and picked them up shortly before closing that same day. That was two years ago, may be different now, but a visa service would know.

Gemac is correct. You don't need to be a business visitor to qualify for an multiple entry. I had mine done this year in DC via regular processing service ~3-5 business days and was approved for multiple entry valid for a year. All I had to do was fill out the form and check the box for multiple entry.

Gemac is correct. You don't need to be a business visitor to qualify for an multiple entry. I had mine done this year in DC via regular processing service ~3-5 business days and was approved for multiple entry valid for a year. All I had to do was fill out the form and check the box for multiple entry.

Same here. Easily got multiple entry when did my application last summer.

I'm not seeing this anymore after checking ITA for a wide range of dates this fall and Kayak for a more limited set of dates... If anyone has a better reference, please advise. :-)

Tourists from Canada or the US can generally only get one and two visit visas. Multiple entry are given only to business travellers. So the 48-hour transit visa is idea. You get it upon arrival when showing an onward ticket for a flight within that time period.

As mentioned by others, there is no problem getting a one-year multi entry. If you have any concern, put some future awards on hold and take the printouts.

I'm not seeing this anymore after checking ITA for a wide range of dates this fall and Kayak for a more limited set of dates... If anyone has a better reference, please advise. :-)

This has been available, to my surprise, at late as this evening, both on ITA and aa.com. It may come back, tho now seems to be hovering around $830 - $840. I just ticketed mine, for later this year, at $650 each, from a reservation on hold since yesterday. (Tried to book roughly the same routing this evening, to give me another day to think about this or hope for more circuitous routes, but aa.com didn't like the apparent duplicate reservation and refused to book it, so ended up buying the one on hold. The problem wasn't that the fare had changed - same price was available a few hours ago - rather it was the duplicate reservation.)

An earlier poster asked about getting this from other cities - tried multiple times from MSY, but that added about $600. Will either reposition w/ an award ticket to EWR or hope a cheap rt fare comes along.

Nice deal and finally I managed to get a 2 year multi entry Visa so will be settled for another 20 month. Unfortunately can't commit that far out but with plenty of SWU's would be good to go.

I have begun to use PVG as a jumping off spot for other places in Asia, using an award ticket to those destinations and return a week or so after arriving in PVG. This destination generally has the best fares year round from NAmerica. You can thus transit with an overnight in Shanghai without a visa in both directions and spend some time in warmer climes in the new year (like BKK). In fact, I picked up a couple of SQ F awards (using my STAR miles) for next February (one to SYD from PVG), so I should book one of these to get to PVG.

Tourists from Canada or the US can generally only get one and two visit visas. Multiple entry are given only to business travellers. So the 48-hour transit visa is idea. You get it upon arrival when showing an onward ticket for a flight within that time period.

While what you say is correct about Canada, US passport holders generally get 1-year multiple entry visas by default (though the NY consulate seems to have its own rules) due to reciprocity reasons.

I have begun to use PVG as a jumping off spot for other places in Asia, using an award ticket to those destinations and return a week or so after arriving in PVG. This destination generally has the best fares year round from NAmerica. You can thus transit with an overnight in Shanghai without a visa in both directions and spend some time in warmer climes in the new year (like BKK). In fact, I picked up a couple of SQ F awards (using my STAR miles) for next February (one to SYD from PVG), so I should book one of these to get to PVG.

Tourists from Canada or the US can generally only get one and two visit visas. Multiple entry are given only to business travellers. So the 48-hour transit visa is idea. You get it upon arrival when showing an onward ticket for a flight within that time period.

I have a one year tourist unlimited visa issued in Calgary. Got one day service and it was ready in two hours.

Sorry to be somewhat off topic, but as the visa cost can easily equal 25 % or more of the ticket, hope mods will leave it here, or move it should they prefer.


Just a note that not everyone needs a visa to enter China. ^

Hotels in PVG are cheap - now if there was only a cheap way to get a visa...


There is.... get a passport from any country except the USA. Chinese visa is only $30 for non-USA citizens.

Nice deal and finally I managed to get a 2 year multi entry Visa so will be settled for another 20 month. Unfortunately can't commit that far out but with plenty of SWU's would be good to go.

Wow! How did you pull that? I was told by the LA Consulate that one has to be born in China to be qualified for the two years visa.

Wow! How did you pull that? I was told by the LA Consulate that one has to be born in China to be qualified for the two years visa.

That's the requirement for the 2-year tourist visa. They also offer 2-year business visas (I have one of these also).

Suddenly, I appreciate my 3 year APEC card (~$100 USD) more and more... it provides an automatic 90 day Chinese visa :D Don't worry, you 'mericans can get it soon™

Suddenly, I appreciate my 3 year APEC card (~$100 USD) more and more... it provides an automatic 90 day Chinese visa :D Don't worry, you 'mericans can get it soon™

How soon? How to?

How soon? How to?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-news/1285063-us-travelers-get-apec-business-travel-card.html

Wow! How did you pull that? I was told by the LA Consulate that one has to be born in China to be qualified for the two years visa.
My wife was born in China. I used a good travel / visa agency in Chicago and sent a copy of her old passport with her and my visa request with some explanation why we would like to get it.
We missed the Consulate guys when they came to our son's Chinese Sunday school but they also handed out 2 year visa to spouses of former Chinese citizens.
I think you are right though in the sense that you need to have a family member born in China (my wife is US citizen) but you don't need to be born in China yourself. Have to admit though that I never got more then 1 year before with similar arguments so maybe they have loosened some.
On a side note, would prefer to use my German passport for the lower costs but couldn't make that work in the US. At least I save on my upcoming Brazil trip.

I think you are right though in the sense that you need to have a family member born in China (my wife is US citizen) but you don't need to be born in China yourself.

Like I mentioned a few posts above, any US Citizen can get a 2-year F visa; no Chinese blood or marriage to a person with Chinese blood is required.

There is.... get a passport from any country except the USA. Chinese visa is only $30 for non-USA citizens.

Yes brutal for USA citizens.

There is.... get a passport from any country except the USA. Chinese visa is only $30 for non-USA citizens.

PRC visa fees vary by country between $2 or $3 and $140, but the US is the only country I know in which one year visas are the default, and 2 year visas are attainable at the same price.

i bet many of you didn't know if you are of Chinese descent (parents born in china, but you were born in the US), they will grant you a 2 year VISA

I think having prior visas to China increases your likelihood of getting a longer and multiple-entry visa. Have not tried to get a 2-year yet though.

Is anyone still seeing $624ai? I'm only seeing $844 in Oct/Nov timeframe...

I think this is gone.