Originally Posted by dtsm
Re business class flights, I am partial to Asian carriers. Would NEVER fly US carriers, esp in business class, total waste of money. Cathay Pacific Airlines (CX) should be your first choice as HK is their home base. Flights then to Shanghai should ideally be Dragon Air, on to Beijing - any of the domestic chinese carriers and then back to HK on Dragon Air.
Check cathay pacific website for deals (they serve HK from Vancover), another is cheaptickets.com.
CX partners with American so maybe you can use mileage. Other US carriers, look at their partners. Air Canada - about same class as US carriers.
Thanks for your observations. You are likely right about Air Canada but its price was at least $800 less than its Asian competitors and it flys nonstop to Beijing and back from Hong Kong to Vancouver. To get the good price you start and finish in LAX. Since this is a personal trip and I am paying for two tickets, I'll likely go with Air Canada.
Interestingly, the cheap Air Canada ticket (Class C over, CX back) is refundable! If a better deal comes available, I'll grab it. I am also watching the FF opportunities. So far the best offers I have had require over night stays or long layovers etc. Since they require 120,000 miles for the most part which I value for international travel at at least 2 cent, the value of the saved miles is $2,400. Then I will earn US Air miles although I am not sure how many. The minimum is 12,689 and that is without any Business Class bonus or status bonus (doubt my US Air Gold will get me a status bonus).
All things considered, using miles is marginal, particular if it means accepting inconvenient timing and flights. From other comments I've seen and looking at Seat Guru, Air Canada business class seems a lot better than coach on a q
12 hour flight.