Asia - Economy from US to Beijing

It looks like I might have to fly coach from US (Michigan and South Carolina ) to Beijing late this summer. I am looking for opinions and recomendations on any airline possibilities from here to there. Thanks.

Thadlo

It looks like I might have to fly coach from US (Michigan and South Carolina ) to Beijing late this summer. I am looking for opinions and recomendations on any airline possibilities from here to there. Thanks.

For Michigan, you might be able to do something like DTW-NRT-PEK on Northwest.

I flew my first international coach to Asia last year, and it was just fine (I can't believe I just said that :eek: ). It was on United SFO-Taipei in Economy Plus seating. I can't speak for others, but United was fine. Maybe you can break up the trip so that your long leg to PEK is from the west coast. I'm also flying to Beijing next week in coach SFO-PEK - unless I get lucky with an op-up (operational upgrade) like I did coming home from TPE last fall :D

P.S.: Welcome to Flyertalk!

It looks like I might have to fly coach from US (Michigan and South Carolina ) to Beijing late this summer. I am looking for opinions and recomendations on any airline possibilities from here to there. Thanks.

Thadlo

I have flown Northwest, Continental, and Air China in the past and I would say that of those options Continental was certainly the best. Northwest was fine but nothing special. I would not recommend Air China.

One of the biggest plusses for Continental over NW is that you get there non-stop from Newark, you don't have to stop in Tokyo. I also felt that Continental's service is better, and you also have the personal video/entertainment screens which last I knew NW does not have.

I am not too familiar with United's product and how it would compare with Continental. Maybe other's can give you some insight on that.

Hope you enjoy your trip and your time in China!

Breaking up the journey on the west coast makes no sense. Difference in flight time is minimal. UA schedules SFO-PEK for 12:17, ORD-PEK for 13:22; CO schedules EWR-PEK for 13:35.

Breaking up the journey on the west coast makes no sense. Difference in flight time is minimal. UA schedules SFO-PEK for 12:17, ORD-PEK for 13:22; CO schedules EWR-PEK for 13:35.
But DTW-SFO-PEK is preferable to DTW-NRT-PEK. Maybe a push compared to DTW-EWR-PEK.

United, in Economy Plus (which will cost a bit extra) is far, far better than any of the other airlines I've flown to Asia (Northwest, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern).

I'd second what most everyone has already said. I fly coach to China once a month (luckily to South China so I can fly CX)

United is probably your best bet among US carriers - most direct, a chance at having some IFE and E+ is an advantage.

NWA - mindnumbingly boring, $5 drinks, Narita, and inconvenient arrival times into China.

Air China - only if you absolutely have to get there

Asiana?? Never flown them, but I'd bet they offer better than a US or Chinese carrier.

Yes, if you can get UA's E+, it should be more comfortable than other's regular economy. And UA uses 777 for PEK, so you will have individual screens, unlike on their 747s.

As far as travel time goes, NW's DTW-NRT-PEK leaves at 3:35pm gets there 9:15pm + 1.

UA's DTW-ORD-PEK leaves 10:09am, gets there 2:25p + 1.

CO's DTW-EWR-PEK leaves 9:20am, gets there 1:45p + 1.

UA doesn't even fly DTW-SFO non-stop, so I don't know who will think DTW-SFO-PEK can be feasible. Let alone the extra travel time I've already mentioned. It will take LONGER even if you have a DTW-SFO non-stop.

And UA uses 777 for PEK, so you will have individual screens, unlike on their 747s.


nope. sfo-pek is a 744 year round now and ord-pek is 744 through the summer (not sure when it's supposed to switch back).

the good news about ord-sfo being a 744 is that you might actually be able to score reasonably priced seats (which was always challenging during the 777 summers of years' gone by).

Asiana?? Never flown them, but I'd bet they offer better than a US or Chinese carrier.

I have flown them to China a couple years ago. I would rate them higher than NW on service quality, but I would still choose CO over them for two reasons. One being the personal IFE, and the other being no stopover in Asia enroute. With Asiana you would need to fly from either JFK, ORD, or SFO to Seoul, then on to PEK. With CO you can get there with just the stop in EWR.

I've taken them all. United is the way to go. CO is next. Those will get you there direct. Avoid Narita.

Avoid Narita.

I actually like connecting in NRT and do so often (the RCC is nice, you can grab a shower between your tpac and your regional leg, and it's a good place to take an actual stopover), even if I have to take an extra connection. However, NW's 744s (that they fly from DTW) are not nice.

There are three reasons I think UA is better than CO, in spite of CO's nice airplanes: 1) free drinks; 2) MP miles are really nice; and 3) *A is an invaluable resource if you travel a lot and can't always fly on your preferred carrier.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. I must admit that some (many) of your abbreviations are lost on me :)
I am at my sisters mercy on this trip but I'm hoping to guide her a bit as she buys our tickets. This is an adoption trip for her so we might fly home out of either Hong Kong or Guangzhou. She lives in South Carolina and I live in MI so we will each have to travel somewhere to meet up before the LONG flight.
What about foreign airlines? I've read good things about Cathay Pacific. How about China Southern? Is the cost more on these airlines? I like the thought of personal video screens, and free booze would be a bonus :).
Thanks again.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. I must admit that some (many) of your abbreviations are lost on me :)
I am at my sisters mercy on this trip but I'm hoping to guide her a bit as she buys our tickets. This is an adoption trip for her so we might fly home out of either Hong Kong or Guangzhou. She lives in South Carolina and I live in MI so we will each have to travel somewhere to meet up before the LONG flight.
What about foreign airlines? I've read good things about Cathay Pacific. How about China Southern? Is the cost more on these airlines? I like the thought of personal video screens, and free booze would be a bonus :).
Thanks again.
Cathay has wonderful service -- in business or first. It's coach product is indistinguishable from all the other airlines. China Southern in coach is extremely cramped.

Cathay has wonderful service -- in business or first. It's coach product is indistinguishable from all the other airlines. China Southern in coach is extremely cramped.

though i can't profess to be a "pitch expert," but ime cz is certainly no worse than average and is better than cx/sq. that said, you'd be unlikely to catch me on cz lax-can, especially if i was coming from the midwest and trying to get to beijing.

In its original configuration, CZ puts 10-abreast on its 772 for CAN-LAX. I know they are upgrading the interior (maybe switching to 9-abreast), and also have a premium economy class, but I don't know whether all LAX flights have them or not.

though i can't profess to be a "pitch expert," but ime cz is certainly no worse than average and is better than cx/sq. that said, you'd be unlikely to catch me on cz lax-can, especially if i was coming from the midwest and trying to get to beijing.
My recollection was that Cathay was tight and, possibly, tighter than, e.g., Northwest. The coach service was also nothing spectacular -- mediocre food (though, as with any Asian airline, the Asian meals were better than the western meals).

However, now, I'll only fly UA -- E+ makes a world of difference trans-Pacific.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. I must admit that some (many) of your abbreviations are lost on me :)
I am at my sisters mercy on this trip but I'm hoping to guide her a bit as she buys our tickets. This is an adoption trip for her so we might fly home out of either Hong Kong or Guangzhou. She lives in South Carolina and I live in MI so we will each have to travel somewhere to meet up before the LONG flight.
What about foreign airlines? I've read good things about Cathay Pacific. How about China Southern? Is the cost more on these airlines? I like the thought of personal video screens, and free booze would be a bonus :).
Thanks again.

If you are traveling for an adoption you may want to check into "adoption fares." I know that Northwest has one that allows alot more flexibility. Not sure how the fare would compare with regularly published fares. I am guessing that other airlines have them as well.

You also may consider what is called an "open jaw" booking, or flying in to one city and out of a different one. This would allow you to fly in to Beijing and out of Guangzhou or Hong Kong. You would have to make the China domestic portion on your own of course. Usually pricing is the same or very close. For example with Continental you could fly into Beijing and out of Hong Kong. (Both non-stops to/from Newark) Or with Northwest you could fly out of Guangzhou.