Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - HKG-> Washington DC.. any ideas how to get there?

I am attending a conference in June and because it is my first flight to the east cost, I have no idea which airport it is better for me to fly in. I'm looking at Dulles Int'l (IAD) and Regan Nat'l (DCA). Does anyone have any routing or airport suggestions?
1. I'd rather be on CX metal than AA
2. It must be a OW flight

My agent booked me on: HKG->LAX->IAD, but i'm thinking is HKG->JFK->IAD better?

Thank you for your thoughts and comments

I am attending a conference in June and because it is my first flight to the east cost, I have no idea which airport it is better for me to fly in. I'm looking at Dulles Int'l (IAD) and Regan Nat'l (DCA). Does anyone have any routing or airport suggestions?
1. I'd rather be on CX metal than AA
2. It must be a OW flight

My agent booked me on: HKG->LAX->IAD, but i'm thinking is HKG->JFK->IAD better?

Thank you for your thoughts and comments

To answer your two questions:
1.) Dulles or National: Dulles is about a 30-40 minute drive away from downtown and has far more flights (all the intl and long-haul ones), but if your conference is outside the city in Virginia Dulles may be closer. No subway connection. National is spot in the city, connected by subway, literally a 5 minute drive across the river from everything in DC. Services smaller aircraft.

2.) Go through JFK, hands down...especially considering your preferences to stay off AA AND because AA I think has JFK-DCA flights, not IAD. HKG-JFK isn't that much longer than HKG-LAX, yet LAX-IAD is 5 hours (on AA). Returning will be even worse if you route through LAX, IAD-LAX is 6 hours and LAX-HKG is 14. I recommend this: route through JFK, get on American Eagle and fly to DCA.

Yes, QRC3288 is right, JFK is the best choice.

Instead of another domestic flight, one of my friend actually took an Amtrak train from Grand Central Station. It turned out to be quit a pleasant experience. I guess he had some time to kill and didn't mind the shuttling between down town and JFK.

Yes, QRC3288 is right, JFK is the best choice.

Instead of another domestic flight, one of my friend actually took an Amtrak train from Grand Central Station. It turned out to be quit a pleasant experience. I guess he had some time to kill and didn't mind the shuttling between down town and JFK.

You mean New York Penn station, not Grand Central. One can take the AirTrain from JFK to Jamaica and then switch to LIRR to Penn Station.

Forget the train - very "mah fan" (troublesome in Cantonese)..

Take CX HKG to JFK, and change to AA from JFK to DCA. DCA is the closest airport to town.

CX is at Terminal 7 and AA uses Terminal 8. Unfortunately they are not within walking distance of each other. You have to take the inter connecting airport train shuttle which is free.

Forget the train - very "mah fan" (troublesome in Cantonese)..

Take CX HKG to JFK, and change to AA from JFK to DCA. DCA is the closest airport to town.

CX is at Terminal 7 and AA uses Terminal 8. Unfortunately they are not within walking distance of each other. You have to take the inter connecting airport train shuttle which is free.

I think the BA interline desk at T7 will be able to recheck your bags (if you have any) onto the AA flights. That way u don't need to drag all ur bags and pay $3 USD for a trolley to T8. Just take the Airtrain and make sure you get the right one!

I do missed the Oneworld Shuttle Bus which used to operate Airside between T7 and T8/9

An alternative to consider is HKG-LHR (on CX) and LHR-IDA (on BA). None of that domestic AA nonsense!

An alternative to consider is HKG-LHR (on CX) and LHR-IDA (on BA). None of that domestic AA nonsense!

You mean IAD?

Yes, but :
1) fares will be more expensive via Atlantic
2) you'd still have to transfer from T3 to T5 at LHR which is sometimes worst than domestic US connections!

Weel OK, but BA all the way? That would be straight through T5. If you're in business class then you could pop up to Seoul and get a DONE3 probably for less than doing it any other way.

Weel OK, but BA all the way? That would be straight through T5. If you're in business class then you could pop up to Seoul and get a DONE3 probably for less than doing it any other way.

but on a DONE3, you will STILL have to endure AA on the return to Asia. There is no escape unless u get a Full Fare HKG-LHR-IAD-LHR-HKG on BA and the cost will prob cost more than an AONE3.

but on a DONE3, you will STILL have to endure AA on the return to Asia. There is no escape unless u get a Full Fare HKG-LHR-IAD-LHR-HKG on BA and the cost will prob cost more than an AONE3.


World Traveler Plus + miles upgrading to CW is always a good way to use AM.

World Traveler Plus + miles upgrading to CW is always a good way to use AM.

Yep. However not possible on a DONE3 on the proposed routing as you need a round trip to upgrade on BA using AM.

Yep. However not possible on a DONE3 on the proposed routing as you need a round trip to upgrade on BA using AM.

How about combining with CX segment(s) to make that a one-way two-carrier award?

How about combining with CX segment(s) to make that a one-way two-carrier award?

Urmm? What do you mean? Basically the rule is that you must have Return segments in order to upgrade on BA. CX upgrades on CX metals are different?:confused:

or do u mean actually claiming an award ticket?

since only oneworld is a "must" for the OP and not necessarily CX, another option could be HKG-LHR-IAD-LHR-HKG all the way on BA.

yes, transatlantic usually is expensive, but I think BA does have some special fares for these US routes via LHR in F/J/W at quite reasonable level, like HKD 80k+ for F, HKD 50k+ for J, HKD 20k+ for W...esp for F/J, I think it's quite competitive vs. what CX has been offering (but I'm not sure if CX has been offering much lower fares on JFK/east coast in F/J now or not? haven't flown long haul for a while).

but of course BA's special fares usually have some restrictions, e.g. ticket within a certain time after booking, have to book x days in advance, etc...

I'll go out on a limb and offer HKG-YYZ-DCA/IAD, if you're not wedded to oneworld for the entire distance. This has very little benefit, except possibly an easier transit than JFK, and/or a nicer flight experience on that final short leg. It would be with UA, US or AC.
Otherwise, I'm confused as to why a HKG-LHR-IAD//(DCA-)JFK-HKG wouldn't work on a DONE3. Or are open jaws not allowed on oneworld RTWs? I've mostly done Star or specials.

Otherwise, I'm confused as to why a HKG-LHR-IAD//(DCA-)JFK-HKG wouldn't work on a DONE3.It would work, but it would be much cheaper starting in Seoul. That was my suggestion above. (SEL-HKG-LHR-IAD//DCA-JFK-HKG-SEL with extra bits as wished to get full value from the ticket)

I'll go out on a limb and offer HKG-YYZ-DCA/IAD, if you're not wedded to oneworld for the entire distance. This has very little benefit, except possibly an easier transit than JFK, and/or a nicer flight experience on that final short leg. It would be with UA, US or AC.
Otherwise, I'm confused as to why a HKG-LHR-IAD//(DCA-)JFK-HKG wouldn't work on a DONE3. Or are open jaws not allowed on oneworld RTWs? I've mostly done Star or specials.

It will work BUT you can't do HKG-LHR-ISD-LHR-HKG on a DONE3. so either way the pax still have to go through to JFK or LAX back to HKG, which goes back to the original issue.

I'm confused - the "original issue" was that the OP preferred to be on CX rather than AA wasn't it? SEL-HKG-LHR-IAD//DCA-JFK-HKG-SEL avoids AA for all but the DCA-JFK leg.

Thanks for all the tips, guys. ^ After looking into DCA, it might be the best shot and more convenient to get into town, after reading about the really bad experience super shuttle are from IAD :p, i'd rather stick to the Metro..
I'm going to give my agent the following itin.:

TPE-HKG-JFK-DCA//DCA-JFK-HKG-TPE

And because it is a company ticket, i'm not sure i'll be able to book anything more than a regular upgradeable Y ticket. I've always been sort of interested in the multi segment tickets, but it seems like ex-TPE they are not very well advertised, i have no idea how much they cost and if they are even worth the effort. :rolleyes:

I also prefer to travel to the US east coast via Europe.

I also prefer to travel to the US east coast via Europe.

It occurred to me but, after a few questions, I think agents in Asia think routing via EU is always more expensive than the US..