Tibet on points
May 9, 2015 | 8:32 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 81
Tibet on points
Foregive me if this is covered in another thread, but the FT mobile app sucks and the search feature doesn't work.
Anyway, I am curious as to thoughts on the best way to travel to Tibet on points and miles. I want to make sure there aren't any options I am overlooking. Thanks in advance for thoughts and comments.
Anyway, I am curious as to thoughts on the best way to travel to Tibet on points and miles. I want to make sure there aren't any options I am overlooking. Thanks in advance for thoughts and comments.
May 9, 2015 | 1:48 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 81
Tibet on points
Sorry, from the U.S., specifically Florida, but we can position anywhere with the companion pass if necessary. We would likely use AAdvantage miles to travel business on a saver award, but I am not sure what the best routing would be to get to Lhasa.
May 9, 2015 | 3:12 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 34,987
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"We would likely use AAdvantage miles to travel business on a saver award, but I am not sure what the best routing would be to get to Lhasa."
You can't. No AAdvantage partner flies to LXA. Google "LXA airport wiki" to find the Wikipedia article for LXA airport; that article will list all carriers that serve LXA, and from which airports.
I'm pretty sure that the closest you can get with AA miles is KTM, which has scheduled service to LXA. Otherwise, your AA miles can get you to any of a number of Chinese cities (on AA/CX/JL) which have scheduled service to LXA.
Note that AAdvantage awards to KTM cost more miles than AAdvantage awards to China.
"We would likely use AAdvantage miles to travel business on a saver award, but I am not sure what the best routing would be to get to Lhasa."
You can't. No AAdvantage partner flies to LXA. Google "LXA airport wiki" to find the Wikipedia article for LXA airport; that article will list all carriers that serve LXA, and from which airports.
I'm pretty sure that the closest you can get with AA miles is KTM, which has scheduled service to LXA. Otherwise, your AA miles can get you to any of a number of Chinese cities (on AA/CX/JL) which have scheduled service to LXA.
Note that AAdvantage awards to KTM cost more miles than AAdvantage awards to China.
May 10, 2015 | 6:13 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold, Former UA 1K
Posts: 6,365
Check the actual prices for days you wish to go, but my bet would be that flying from Western China is most economical. Look at CTU, CKG, and KMG since internal Chinese ticket prices are first based on distance then on discount level. The only way to get all the way there on miles is Star Alliance or Skyteam.
Good sites for internal China flights are CTrip and eLong. They will both offer the discounted prices but on the major international sites (at least until fairly recently) you'll only see Y fares.
Good sites for internal China flights are CTrip and eLong. They will both offer the discounted prices but on the major international sites (at least until fairly recently) you'll only see Y fares.
May 10, 2015 | 11:41 am
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
Personally, I think it would be more interesting to use the new train.
Don't forget that you need a special permit in addition to a Chinese visa.
Don't forget that you need a special permit in addition to a Chinese visa.
May 10, 2015 | 12:56 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 3,433
We used Chengdu as a stopover on the way. Ord to Shanghai then on to chengdu for a couple of days to see the pandas and enjoy excellent Sichuan food, especially hot pot. The train was not yet completed, nor the st Regis. .although I have mixed feelings go about that kind of development. We were on 2 persons our own, but needed to pick up the permit and airline tickets in China which were delivered to us at the shanghai airport.The arrangements were made with a Nepalese travel agent. Things may have changed but that was our experience. Tibet was wonderful, but sad. You might also like Yunnan province which is the Closest Chinese province to Tibet. Banyan tree has so e terrific hotels and scenery is great.
May 11, 2015 | 6:15 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Sheffield, UK
Programs: EK Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 84
100% - I did this last week on an unexpected (due to the Nepal earthquake) trip via Chengdu, I'd suggest getting there for 8am so you can see the pandas eat their breakfast, as it gets busy in the late morning, and the pandas are so full they just lie around digesting the bamboo haha ^
May 13, 2015 | 3:48 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 3,433
Check the actual prices for days you wish to go, but my bet would be that flying from Western China is most economical. Look at CTU, CKG, and KMG since internal Chinese ticket prices are first based on distance then on discount level. The only way to get all the way there on miles is Star Alliance or Skyteam.
Good sites for internal China flights are CTrip and eLong. They will both offer the discounted prices but on the major international sites (at least until fairly recently) you'll only see Y fares.
Good sites for internal China flights are CTrip and eLong. They will both offer the discounted prices but on the major international sites (at least until fairly recently) you'll only see Y fares.
May 19, 2015 | 5:45 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: HNL
Programs: UA Premier 1K
Posts: 299
CTU is the obvious "port of entry", there are several flights to LXA daily on various different airlines (some of which are part of a global alliance).
As Osmo said, check out the pandas while you're in Chengdu. And once you're in Lhasa, please stay in a Tibetan-owned hotel.
As Osmo said, check out the pandas while you're in Chengdu. And once you're in Lhasa, please stay in a Tibetan-owned hotel.
May 19, 2015 | 7:41 am
#15
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,674
Moving to the appropriate Destination forum, as the query is specific to one locale. Thanks. 
/JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator
/JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator