FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Where should I book flights to China??
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Old Jan 12, 2019, 6:57 am
  #2  
Romelle
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Gold, DL MM 8/22/16!
Posts: 2,563
First things first - do you have a China visa? They take a while to get. IIRC, cost is $160 for the visa itself, and then some more for a service to do the job.

The China country area on this site might have some useful tidbits. Worth prowling. I got some really good advice on my visa application.

Searching this site on those OTAs you mention could turn up some +s and -s.

OTAs sometimes list what looks like great fares, but they don't include taxes and fees.

A general rule is that the fewer involved in a transaction, the easier it is to sort problems. You will find a lot of people here advising you to just book with the airline.

Airline sites don't always have higher prices. In fact, sometimes they have sales the OTAs don't have.

Travel agents can offer a measure of comfort for setting up complicated and expensive plans. I doubt you will find one being actually less expensive for just flights, but it can be good to have someone knowledgeable on your side. You'll have to assess whether they are right for you.
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