How to organize ticketing around Asia as cheaply as possible?
Jan 13, 2009, 11:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
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How to organize ticketing around Asia as cheaply as possible?
I will be studying abroad in Hong Kong next semester with two of my good friends. For both of them, a top priority is travelling around Asia on a budget as they may not get a chance again. (The means no J awards, no SWUs and MFUs for me 
) To show you that I am not kidding, my friend recommended taking a boat from HKG to ICN. As in a cargo boat.
Does anyone know the *cheapest* (there is NO other condition) way to do this. Options I had considered:
CX All Asia Pass
Visit Asia Pass (either OW or *A)
RTW
Low Cost Carriers
Driving / Bus / Train
Destinations that we want to visit in decreasing order of importance
PEK
PVG
SIN
NRT/KIX
KUL
CGK
BKK
MNL
PNH
Most of these will be for 2 - 3 days but we can do one of the cities for a week. I am pushing doing KUL/SIN/CGK for 2-3 days each over the week period. Time is of the essence and we will often only have a weekend to do a city. That is why my friend's idea to go 1500 miles in a boat may not work out.
Thanks!
Cheers,
) To show you that I am not kidding, my friend recommended taking a boat from HKG to ICN. As in a cargo boat. Does anyone know the *cheapest* (there is NO other condition) way to do this. Options I had considered:
CX All Asia Pass
Visit Asia Pass (either OW or *A)
RTW
Low Cost Carriers
Driving / Bus / Train
Destinations that we want to visit in decreasing order of importance
PEK
PVG
SIN
NRT/KIX
KUL
CGK
BKK
MNL
PNH
Most of these will be for 2 - 3 days but we can do one of the cities for a week. I am pushing doing KUL/SIN/CGK for 2-3 days each over the week period. Time is of the essence and we will often only have a weekend to do a city. That is why my friend's idea to go 1500 miles in a boat may not work out.
Thanks!
Cheers,
Jan 13, 2009, 3:49 pm
#2
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
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There is always Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, JetStar, Tiger and to a lesser extend Bangkok Airways, and Viva Macau.
http://www.attitudetravel.com/hongkong/lowcostairlines/
http://www.skyscanner.net
For flights to PVG/PEK you may want to depart from Shenzhen
Check out flights, add up the cost, and then consider whether its a better option than an Airpass.
http://www.attitudetravel.com/hongkong/lowcostairlines/
http://www.skyscanner.net
For flights to PVG/PEK you may want to depart from Shenzhen
Check out flights, add up the cost, and then consider whether its a better option than an Airpass.
Jan 13, 2009, 4:03 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,122
I would check the ASEAN pass (though it doesn't innclude HKG).
http://www.thaiair.com/Promotions/Sp...ns/aseanhh.htm
http://www.thaiair.com/Promotions/Sp...ns/aseanhh.htm
Jan 13, 2009, 4:08 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2008
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You will quickly realize that "Study Abroad" translates to "Travel for a semester because you realize that your grades transfer back to your university only as a Pass or a Fail, and everyone Pass's, therefore your "weekend trips" turn into essentially 4 months of travel while showing your face in school the odd day."
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Jan 13, 2009, 5:07 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, AC *S, Marriott Gold Elite, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 9,689
You will quickly realize that "Study Abroad" translates to "Travel for a semester because you realize that your grades transfer back to your university only as a Pass or a Fail, and everyone Pass's, therefore your "weekend trips" turn into essentially 4 months of travel while showing your face in school the odd day."
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Jan 17, 2009, 2:47 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NYC/NBO/SAN
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 300
I think the asia pass (when its offered for sale) will not be worth it considering the surcharge to go to 60 or 90 days. It would be limited to 4 destinations and be upwards of $2k - but this includes your ticket from NYC to JFK. If you are traveling during summer (departing before Aug 15 IIRC) it will be especially not worth it.
IME NRT/KIX will be the expensive cities, and probably not worth it for a weekend.
Air Asia is like $200 a/i to BKK or KUL/ Jet* to SIN/Jakarta around the same --that is pretty cheap.
Getting from Kowloon-Shenzhen Airport is a lot easier now with direct busses - and you can get fares as low as $160 r/t ai to shanghai and ~$200 to beijing.
IME NRT/KIX will be the expensive cities, and probably not worth it for a weekend.
Air Asia is like $200 a/i to BKK or KUL/ Jet* to SIN/Jakarta around the same --that is pretty cheap.
Getting from Kowloon-Shenzhen Airport is a lot easier now with direct busses - and you can get fares as low as $160 r/t ai to shanghai and ~$200 to beijing.