Originally Posted by moondog

When offers like this pop up, you can throw "trust" out the window. Print out the stuff on their site, call them, and come to China. While the tour operator might be pissed when they knock on your door at 7a and you ignore them, that's not your problem.

In short, SFO-PEK-SFO routinely costs $1500 these days and PEK-PVG costs nearly $200. Based on these numbers alone, you're looking at $700 pp in savings. The tour company presumably makes its bank via gift shop visits and the like; that's not your problem.