I cannot find any direct flights on these routes leaving before October. Are you sure there are direct flights?

Any of what options? We have already left and returned to China multiple times since COVID-19 started. I have a direct flight option that is essentially extortion. We have been paying that price. However, someone else in here is saying there a business class commercial direct flights for $8K. I would happily happily happily pay that price over what I have been paying so far.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...743d95f3a.jpeg
Here ya go.

Well as long as he's got time and money to burn, maybe he will find some loophole for the rest of us who are too timid to try :)

He is referring to options that entail entering from a country other than the US, which simply isn't allowed at present. We can only choose from the list of flights he posted, though EWR-PVG and another SEA-PVG (AA) have supposedly received tentative approval as well.

Another crappy part of the policy is that you need to get your PCR test in your gateway city, so if I were to book JAX-DTW-PVG, I'd need to spend two days in Detroit (apparently, the Chinese are worried about me catching COVID on the JAX-DTW flight).

Yeah that's why I would like to book direct. Thank you!

Thailand is a lot cheaper than Shanghai, one my biggest clients is based there, and I kind of like it...so, I am considering that option.

Can an American enter China from Thailand? Can an American even enter Thailand without doing the stupid Phuket sandbox circus?


If you want to come back to China, you need to plan to fly LAX-CAN or LAX-XMN and likely pay $6k+ for the ticket. They sell out months in advance so keep that in mind.

SFO-PVG is a high likelihood of rejected HDC.

What does this mean?
I thought SFO-PVG was THE most common way to get to China nowadays.
:confused:

Chinese requirement for covid test/vaccine traveling from NYC to CAN
 

Hi, I desperately need the herd knowledge and insights. My dad is flying to China in a few weeks. He is based in EWR. He will need to get to CAN. He has booked his flights. Now we have to figure out what he needs to do to satisfy the chinese government covid requirements.

Here is the detail:

EWR-LAX (on UA) - Sunday 3PM-5:45PM
6 hour layover @ LAX
LAX-CAN (on CZ) - Sunday 11:50PM

The problem is that we learned that a negative PCR covid test 2 days and upload the negative test report to get a green code with HDC mark before he departs LAX.

With that as the premise, that would mean my dad would need to
1) Friday 11;50PM - Get his covid test done at an authorized lab (which is somewhere in NYC)
2) Saturday - Results back in 24 hours (hopefully it will be back evening of Saturday; upload the results and then get the green code
3) Sunday - Depart EWR. Board the CZ flight without the green code expire

As you can see, it is just not possible to get a COVID test done on Friday at midnight. That would mean he needs to get his test done on Saturday. And that would mean he won't get his results back on Sunday (day of travel). Who knows how long it would take to get the green code (being that it's a Sunday).

So, guys, I really need some help here to decipher what I (my dad) needs to do.

TIA!

I’ve heard that SFO is bad for issuing visas but ok for the HDC code, provided they give you the pre approval. The other poster is right though, it seems LAX is the easiest at this time for getting both pre-approval and the code.

He must take his predeparture covid test in the metro LA area at a pre approved lab.

He cannot have a layover that short, he needs to spend a day or two in LA.

Check the China section of the forum for more details.

CareCube in NYC offers COVID PCR tests with a stated time of 4-12 hours.
https://carecube.clinic/covid-19-testing/

That might work first thing Saturday morning.

Edit: I don't have experience with China so GloballyServiced may know more about entry requirements and testing locations.

For this situation, the test can NOT be taken in the NYC area. It HAS to be done at U.S. departure airport location (i.e. LA)

If NY was my origin, I'd definitely focus on the MU flight. While bookings are heavy, I know a number of people who have scored it with Eastern Miles in both directions. I don't know anyone who has been successful with partner miles though. Cash prices are quite high.