CTrip tickets and travel
Jun 23, 2009, 11:41 pm
#46
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,022
No, but you should be able to get the official receipt delivered to you or held at the airport. If you're just flying one way, I wouldn't bother getting the receipt because they're less likely to misplace it than you are (well, maybe I shouldn't judge you so quickly, but my ability to keep track of random pieces of paper isn't nearly as good as theirs).
Aug 11, 2009, 2:42 am
#47
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PMD
Programs: UA*G, NW, AA-G. WR-P, HH-G, IHG-S, ALL. TT-GE.
Posts: 2,910
Mystery solved!
So I called my credit card bank to ask what the CNY amount was. The guy on the phone couldn't see it. I asked whether I would need to wait for the statement, he said maybe.
So at last the statement came, and there was no CNY amount. For that statement, I had one other foreign purchase in HK, and the HKD amount showed. Then I looked at the finance charge and it was exactly the HKD amount times 3%.
Conclusion: The Ctrip charge, although labeled SHANGHAI CHN, was in USD. No finance charge was generated.
Not factoring the rebate, I paid 6% extra, which is exactly what a disclaimed 3% Ctrip surcharge and a 3% CC foreign transaction charge would add up to. I'm not complaining!
So at last the statement came, and there was no CNY amount. For that statement, I had one other foreign purchase in HK, and the HKD amount showed. Then I looked at the finance charge and it was exactly the HKD amount times 3%.
Conclusion: The Ctrip charge, although labeled SHANGHAI CHN, was in USD. No finance charge was generated.
Not factoring the rebate, I paid 6% extra, which is exactly what a disclaimed 3% Ctrip surcharge and a 3% CC foreign transaction charge would add up to. I'm not complaining!
Last edited by HkCaGu; Aug 11, 2009 at 2:47 am Reason: reparagraphed
Aug 11, 2009, 2:50 am
#48
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PMD
Programs: UA*G, NW, AA-G. WR-P, HH-G, IHG-S, ALL. TT-GE.
Posts: 2,910
No, but you should be able to get the official receipt delivered to you or held at the airport. If you're just flying one way, I wouldn't bother getting the receipt because they're less likely to misplace it than you are (well, maybe I shouldn't judge you so quickly, but my ability to keep track of random pieces of paper isn't nearly as good as theirs).
Aug 11, 2009, 9:01 am
#49
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,022
It sounds like they used dynamic currency conversion (something I wouldn't know about, were it not for FT), which you're supposed to be able to decline (i.e. have charge run in USD), but if the end result was the same, I guess it all worked out for you.
Nov 10, 2009, 9:15 am
#50
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 858
Booking domestic Chinese flights on CTrip
Hi,
For my upcoming trip to China I need to book 3 domestic flights - 1. Shanghai to Shenzen, 2. Shenzen to Beijing, 3. Beijing to Shanghai. I found the flights and fares I like on CTrip and I am ready to book but just had a few questions. Are these electronic or paper tickets? If I make a booking via credit card how would I pick up the tickets? I do have a friend in Shenzen who can - if necessary - have tickets mailed to his address or book it himself it its a problem. However I will be arriving straight to Shanghai and to connect to Shenzen I need to pick up a ticket at the airport before I fly to see my friend. I depart and leave the US on the 23rd Nov. Any feedback is appreciated!
For my upcoming trip to China I need to book 3 domestic flights - 1. Shanghai to Shenzen, 2. Shenzen to Beijing, 3. Beijing to Shanghai. I found the flights and fares I like on CTrip and I am ready to book but just had a few questions. Are these electronic or paper tickets? If I make a booking via credit card how would I pick up the tickets? I do have a friend in Shenzen who can - if necessary - have tickets mailed to his address or book it himself it its a problem. However I will be arriving straight to Shanghai and to connect to Shenzen I need to pick up a ticket at the airport before I fly to see my friend. I depart and leave the US on the 23rd Nov. Any feedback is appreciated!
Nov 10, 2009, 11:34 am
#51
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
They would normally be e-tickets. After you book and payment is processed, ctrip should send an email with confirmed itinerary and information you need. Not sure if any pick-up/hand-off is necessary any more. However, if it is, they should be able to have someone bring your paperwork and greet you when you exit customs from the intl inbound flight into Shanghai. I assume you are arriving at PVG (Pudong) airport--if you are not staying in Shanghai but heading directly for Shenzhen, you should try to book a flight that leaves from PVG not SHA, if it exists, and spare yourself a long cross-city shuffle.
Nov 10, 2009, 11:38 am
#52
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,022
Hi,
For my upcoming trip to China I need to book 3 domestic flights - 1. Shanghai to Shenzen, 2. Shenzen to Beijing, 3. Beijing to Shanghai. I found the flights and fares I like on CTrip and I am ready to book but just had a few questions. Are these electronic or paper tickets? If I make a booking via credit card how would I pick up the tickets? I do have a friend in Shenzen who can - if necessary - have tickets mailed to his address or book it himself it its a problem. However I will be arriving straight to Shanghai and to connect to Shenzen I need to pick up a ticket at the airport before I fly to see my friend. I depart and leave the US on the 23rd Nov. Any feedback is appreciated!
For my upcoming trip to China I need to book 3 domestic flights - 1. Shanghai to Shenzen, 2. Shenzen to Beijing, 3. Beijing to Shanghai. I found the flights and fares I like on CTrip and I am ready to book but just had a few questions. Are these electronic or paper tickets? If I make a booking via credit card how would I pick up the tickets? I do have a friend in Shenzen who can - if necessary - have tickets mailed to his address or book it himself it its a problem. However I will be arriving straight to Shanghai and to connect to Shenzen I need to pick up a ticket at the airport before I fly to see my friend. I depart and leave the US on the 23rd Nov. Any feedback is appreciated!
2. you don't really need to pick up your receipts, but I would try to grab them because they will help you if you need to make changes and/or refund; ask ctrip to hold them at its counter in SHA for you (downstairs)
Also, I'd probably hold off on booking SZX-PEK until arriving in SZX unless the fares are abnormally low.
Nov 10, 2009, 1:16 pm
#53
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 858
Also, I'd probably hold off on booking SZX-PEK until arriving in SZX unless the fares are abnormally low.
They would normally be e-tickets.
Thanks!
Nov 10, 2009, 1:41 pm
#54
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Derbyshire, UK
Programs: FB Platinum
Posts: 520
All the flights are approximately $80-$90/flight including taxes. This is a good fare and I am hesitant to risk it going up. My arrival to PVG is on Dec3 the other flights are within 10 days (Dec 3 - Dec 14). How much in advance should I book the flights?
Thanks. Are there any other sites I should be using to book domestic chinese flights? the fares I am getting on ITA Travel (which I use for all else) are ridicilous for China.
Thanks!
Thanks. Are there any other sites I should be using to book domestic chinese flights? the fares I am getting on ITA Travel (which I use for all else) are ridicilous for China.
Thanks!
The other big player is www.elong.net and there is a relatively new player www.travelzen.com.cn
Travelzen's advantage is that they don't make a surcharge for using foreign credit cards (ctrip charge 3%) but many (including me) continue to use ctrip as they have decent service recovery
nickyboy
Nov 10, 2009, 4:42 pm
#56
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 132
www.elong.net is pretty good, I used that a lot when I was studying abroad in HK.
Nov 10, 2009, 6:53 pm
#57
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,854
www.elong.net is pretty good, I used that a lot when I was studying abroad in HK.
Nov 12, 2009, 3:50 am
#58
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Ottawa, ON Canada
Programs: Aeroplan Elite, SPG,
Posts: 9
I just came back from China. I had booked two domestic flights using Ctrip. Although I had my email confirmations printed out, I simply showed my passport at the airline counter and that was it!
Nov 12, 2009, 2:08 pm
#59
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
A year or two back I used yoee.com, and they used passport numbers to identify our reservations. When I arrived at the MU desk, they rapidy found our reservations using passport numbers only.
Nov 12, 2009, 4:34 pm
#60
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 132
Chinese fares get cheaper as it gets closer to the actual day of flight. Just keep checking on ctrip and elong, but don't get too greedy. The more popular routes fill up rather quick and they can get pricey. What I used to do was look at the prices go down, and the second it jumps up (usually by a 20-50 rmb) I book it.