PointWeasel

Even with the SARS alert being issue, I have decided to head to a friends wedding in Bali in early May. The fares from the US West Coast to SIN are low once again with UA and NW so I am alright getting to SIN but I am unsure about what to do to get from SIN to DPS. I am leery of flying with Garuda and the fares with SQ are very high, IMHO. I could use 35K Aeroplan miles in Y for the 2 hour flight - but even that seems high to me. Any ideas? BTW, I did walk into a TA late last week who couldn't find anything under $1400 CAD ex-YVR and it was with JL who is apparently combining their NRT-DPS flights into NRT-CGK-DPS which would not be my preference.

tracon

CX all asia pass.

I believe it's $999USD or $1399CDN However you will have to route SIN-HKG-DPS. Rough scheduled times are 3:45 and 4:45 respectively.

Al B

You don't really have much choice any more - only SQ or GA from SIN to DPS and return, with a couple of flights weekly on Qantas.

Selecting two random out and in dates in early May, the QF website gives a fare of SGD365 return, including taxes, and the same two dates on SQ give me SGD639 return incl taxes on the SQ www.
Without knowing your min/max stay or selected times, it may well be very different for that QF fare, but at least there is another option for you to play around with.
GA these days is a far different kettle of fish from the old "loathed" GA. Under manangement guidance and control from Lufthansa, they have turned things around for the most part - I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them for just a two hour flight.
Failing that, the only other options I can think of off the top of my head are Malaysia over KUL, Cathay over HKG and Continental over GUM, or Qantas via Oz, Air NZ via AKL.
Cheers.

HeyHey

I flew SQ from SIN to DPS last May. It was my first time flying SQ and I was very excited, however in turn I ended up very disappointed!! The quality of both the Aircraft and the food was nothing special- quite frankly my worst flight with AC was better than SQ. I paid Cdn$800+/- and was ripped off! I flew back from DPS to HKG on Cathy- and was very impressed. Even thought I'm *A Gold- my vote is for Cathy.
I'm not bitter- just disappointed! Don't know what everyone sees in SQ??

------------------
AC Elite
SPG Gold

PointWeasel

Thanks for the QF option. I'll check that out. My fare from SEA-SIN is $566 USD including taxes/fees so I would hate to have to pay more than that for the last 2 hours of my journey. BTW, SQ has 4X daily service to DPS but the fare of $635 SGD is in Q class I believe, which doesn't offer any FF mileage. Unreal. Who does SQ think they are?

Scoop

www.zuji.com.sg

I tried a couple of dates in may and came up with $325 SGD on Garuda.

PointWeasel

I only get those fares if I log on to Qantas' Singapore site. My TA gets $880 CAD for a fare that should be $300 CAD. So frustrating. BTW, Garuda uses 737's if I recall, whereas, QF uses 747s.

flyme2

My wife and I flew Garuda a couple of times last year (CKG-DPS one of them) and were very surprised by the quality and efficiency of the service offered. Planes (737's)were spotless, on time departures and arrivals, FA's pleasant and hot meals served on flights of an hour or more. IFE consisted of shorts from Montr�al's Comedey Fest and some Mr. Bean. I think a SIN-DPS r/t fare of $325 SGD ( the going rate at www.zuji.com.sg ) is a bargain that I would have no qualms booking. You may even accrue some NW WP mileage.

flyme2

Or for $625 SGD (all taxes in) you could fly Garuda SIN-DPS-SYD-DPS-SIN with a free stayover in DPS on the return portion. While in Australia and Bali you could take advantage of Starwood's current Asia promo by staying at 5 different SW brands to garner a tidy 50,000 SPG points (enough for 25 weekend nights at a Cat 1 property, of which there are many in Asia, including the Nusa Indah in Bali). Check out the Starwood forum for further tips and tricks ... but I digress.

[This message has been edited by flyme2 (edited 03-18-2003).]

PointWeasel

Alright, I'm getting excited! I will check out the website that's been mentioned and see what I can get for my dates.

flyme2

BTW, if you'll be doing the Sheraton Asia promo you must register here by Friday (March 21). Here's a list of all the participating properties:

The most cost effective way of achieving the 50,000 SPG points would be to stay at the SYD 4 Points, the SYD W, the SYD Westin, the Bali Sheraton Nusa Indah and the Bali Sheraton Luxury Collection Nusa Dua.



[This message has been edited by flyme2 (edited 03-19-2003).]

HeyHey

A friendly important reminder: Last year I learned that in the event that the Canadian Government has issued a travel advisory for a specific country or region ie. Bali your travel medical insurance policy is null and void. You should check with your insurance company to determine what coverage if any would be applicable (if any) before you travel. Happy travels!!

PointWeasel

Almost finished the whole itinerary, by booking online at united.com, I was able to get a ex-YVR departure with one night in SFO for only an additional $100 USD. Woo-hoo! The SFO-SIN is on a 747 via HKG and on the return I'm on 777s via NRT right back to SEA and then a short B1900D flight with UX back to YVR. Net Q-miles: 18,215 and with 100% bonus, grand total: 36,430.

The expensive part? The Y award on SIN-DPS is 35K miles for a 2 hr flight.

Andrew Yiu

Depending on your fare construction, you might get a cheaper fare if you match the front & end of your itinerary.

(i.e. YVR-SEA-...-SEA-YVR or YVR-SFO-...-SFO-YVR) You might also consider going via NRT on the outbound as well (lots of shower suites at the UA RCC and don't have to sit for 15 hours in Y for the SFO-HKG flight)

PointWeasel

Empress, I preferred taking the 747 over the 777 both ways, but I know that on the way back I will not want to have the 3 hour layover at SFO followed by the 2 hour flight to YVR - that's why I chose the 777 SIN-NRT-SEA. Only NW uses the 747 on SEA-NRT.