1)Any ideas on where to find good fares apart from the usual suspects like the websites?
2)I understand the BOM-HKG leaves at an ungodly hour so any other OW options?
3)Any advantage to fly via YVR or San Fran instead of LAX?
4)Anything else I'm missing?
1) What
Mrpsaid. Although, lately I have been finding that calling Cathay directly gets me the best fares.
2) I believe it leaves at something like 5am and only on Mo, Tu, Fr, and Su. But as far as I know there are no other OW flights connecting those two cities. I usually wind up taking Thai Air via BKK for convenience purposes, but I'm not sure if that would hurt in your quest for PLT.
3) Not sure if you are collecting AM or AA miles, but if you are getting AM, then they have a 10K mile bonus for flights from SFO-HKG. (
http://www.cathayusa.com/offers/DoubleAM/subdefault.asp).
4) Double check the type of plane you'll be on. I really don't know about the SFO/LAX-HKG routes,a nd if they have the new seats, but from what I've read the New Y is better, but the New J is a bit of a downgrade (on the seat at least). Plan accordingly?