Current China Entry policy
Oct 27, 2021, 10:44 pm
#1097
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,956
Here you go. GTranslate as needed
https://www.apostledx.com/index.php?...ormation_id=12
https://www.apostledx.com/index.php?...ormation_id=12
Oct 28, 2021, 1:56 am
#1098
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Beijing
Posts: 295
Alarmism about this is weird. I was in Xi'an a couple weeks ago and got a similar phone call today — they tell you where to go and you do a free, quick test, assembly-line style. Technically I was supposed to do it a week after return, but strangely no jackbooted thugs came to take me away over it.
Oct 28, 2021, 4:11 am
#1099
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
Alarmism about this is weird. I was in Xi'an a couple weeks ago and got a similar phone call today — they tell you where to go and you do a free, quick test, assembly-line style. Technically I was supposed to do it a week after return, but strangely no jackbooted thugs came to take me away over it.
2. fly back to USA (only $1000)
3. ask the SF consulate if I was good
4. bought 857 for $2300 (that used to fetch us business class, but I was upgraded, thanks to one of guys here)
5. 3 days in Mountain View
6. $350 for the Covid test in (very south) San Jose
7. $1000 to stay in a "hotel"
8. I am not allowed to go anywhere until 10/30
Oct 28, 2021, 5:27 am
#1100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,331
1. get new RP
2. fly back to USA (only $1000)
3. ask the SF consulate if I was good
4. bought 857 for $2300 (that used to fetch us business class, but I was upgraded, thanks to one of guys here)
5. 3 days in Mountain View
6. $350 for the Covid test in (very south) San Jose
7. $1000 to stay in a "hotel"
8. I am not allowed to go anywhere until 10/30
2. fly back to USA (only $1000)
3. ask the SF consulate if I was good
4. bought 857 for $2300 (that used to fetch us business class, but I was upgraded, thanks to one of guys here)
5. 3 days in Mountain View
6. $350 for the Covid test in (very south) San Jose
7. $1000 to stay in a "hotel"
8. I am not allowed to go anywhere until 10/30
Oct 28, 2021, 6:02 am
#1101
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Beijing
Posts: 295
1. get new RP
2. fly back to USA (only $1000)
3. ask the SF consulate if I was good
4. bought 857 for $2300 (that used to fetch us business class, but I was upgraded, thanks to one of guys here)
5. 3 days in Mountain View
6. $350 for the Covid test in (very south) San Jose
7. $1000 to stay in a "hotel"
8. I am not allowed to go anywhere until 10/30
2. fly back to USA (only $1000)
3. ask the SF consulate if I was good
4. bought 857 for $2300 (that used to fetch us business class, but I was upgraded, thanks to one of guys here)
5. 3 days in Mountain View
6. $350 for the Covid test in (very south) San Jose
7. $1000 to stay in a "hotel"
8. I am not allowed to go anywhere until 10/30
Oct 28, 2021, 4:56 pm
#1102
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
My total cost was around $80K for 13 months in China.
Maybe 2035 whenever the emperor lasts.
Don't think (3) is still necessary for RP holders.
It could get worse, say China increases quarantine days from 14 to 21 or 28 (many places already require more than 14 days)
My ticket costs 275K UA miles in J on the outbound SFO-PVG, or $22,000 cash or $8,000 in Y. So I obviously redeemed miles. The return costs 250K miles or $3800 in Y. I decided to pay cash and got almost guaranteed upgrade.
A 13-month trip to China (Aug. 2020-Sept. 2021) costs me about $80K. Spent about $40K for 400 nights mostly at Marriott hotels in 35 cities. Another $40K for food, air/rail/taxi/car/sightseeing, personal stuff including a new iPhone Pro Max and a nice Huawei laptop, and of course, red envelopes for relatives and friends in China.
With a budget of $7K or 40000-50000 CNY per month in China, you would live very comfortably. I almost always get upgraded to executive suite at Marriott hotels.
1. get new RP
2. fly back to USA (only $1000)
3. ask the SF consulate if I was good
4. bought 857 for $2300 (that used to fetch us business class, but I was upgraded, thanks to one of guys here)
5. 3 days in Mountain View
6. $350 for the Covid test in (very south) San Jose
7. $1000 to stay in a "hotel"
8. I am not allowed to go anywhere until 10/30
2. fly back to USA (only $1000)
3. ask the SF consulate if I was good
4. bought 857 for $2300 (that used to fetch us business class, but I was upgraded, thanks to one of guys here)
5. 3 days in Mountain View
6. $350 for the Covid test in (very south) San Jose
7. $1000 to stay in a "hotel"
8. I am not allowed to go anywhere until 10/30
A 13-month trip to China (Aug. 2020-Sept. 2021) costs me about $80K. Spent about $40K for 400 nights mostly at Marriott hotels in 35 cities. Another $40K for food, air/rail/taxi/car/sightseeing, personal stuff including a new iPhone Pro Max and a nice Huawei laptop, and of course, red envelopes for relatives and friends in China.
With a budget of $7K or 40000-50000 CNY per month in China, you would live very comfortably. I almost always get upgraded to executive suite at Marriott hotels.
Oct 28, 2021, 5:33 pm
#1103
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
He explicitly told me that 3 was not necessary in his email that I showed you guys. The thing is, if I didn't maintain contact with him, I wouldn't have been cleared to leave. He was very quick to respond, and told me exactly what I needed to do...apart from the second health code I got at SFO (UA is on top of this).
Oct 28, 2021, 8:19 pm
#1104
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
I flew Y on the trip to the US (AA), and it was pretty nice. The food was okay, and everyone in economy got 3 seats to themselves.
Oct 29, 2021, 3:22 am
#1105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,224
Flights are empty out of Shanghai at least. No reason to buy business unless your company is paying or you really enjoy spending coin. Premium economy is an even worse deal as the armrests don’t raise so you can’t even get the poor man’s first class experience that economy ex China delivers these days.
Oct 30, 2021, 6:26 am
#1106
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,314
Another case of a HKG transit, this time in Beijing:
??10?29???2??????? 1??????????1????????????
确诊病例2：亚美尼亚籍，10月24日从土耳其出发，10月26日先后经阿联酋和中国香港到达北京首都机场，海关经健康 筛查并进行核酸检测后，经闭环管理送至集中隔离酒店。10月26日报告核酸检测结果为阳性，10月27日转 至定点医院，当日诊断为无症状感染者。10月29日出现鼻塞、发热症状，综合流行病史、临床表现、实验室检 测和影像学检查等结果，诊断为确诊病例，临床分型为轻型。
An Armenian national, departed Turkey on 24 October, transiting the UAE and Hong Kong arrived at PEK on 26 October. I guess HKG isn't really segregating the China flights from the other flights so there is no way to enforce the no transit rule as long as the flight into HKG allows you to board.
??10?29???2??????? 1??????????1????????????
确诊病例2：亚美尼亚籍，10月24日从土耳其出发，10月26日先后经阿联酋和中国香港到达北京首都机场，海关经健康 筛查并进行核酸检测后，经闭环管理送至集中隔离酒店。10月26日报告核酸检测结果为阳性，10月27日转 至定点医院，当日诊断为无症状感染者。10月29日出现鼻塞、发热症状，综合流行病史、临床表现、实验室检 测和影像学检查等结果，诊断为确诊病例，临床分型为轻型。
An Armenian national, departed Turkey on 24 October, transiting the UAE and Hong Kong arrived at PEK on 26 October. I guess HKG isn't really segregating the China flights from the other flights so there is no way to enforce the no transit rule as long as the flight into HKG allows you to board.
Oct 30, 2021, 7:10 am
#1107
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,800
I was pretty sure there was a previous notice banning transit via HKG to China. It was on the HKIA notices page, it does not appear now:
Oct 30, 2021, 11:32 pm
#1108
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,314
I'm pretty sure transit to China is still forbidden:
https://www.hongkongairport.com/en/i...523424631510-3
It's just that the enforcement is being left to the check-in agent at the port of origin so there are probably many places from which you can board in violation of this rule, especially if your carrier is not Cathay.
As we know from the Australian-NZ travel bubble, segregating red and green flights is a crucial part of a viable bubble, unless of course if Hong Kong is only planning a land-based travel bubble with China.
https://www.hongkongairport.com/en/i...523424631510-3
It's just that the enforcement is being left to the check-in agent at the port of origin so there are probably many places from which you can board in violation of this rule, especially if your carrier is not Cathay.
As we know from the Australian-NZ travel bubble, segregating red and green flights is a crucial part of a viable bubble, unless of course if Hong Kong is only planning a land-based travel bubble with China.
Nov 3, 2021, 4:38 pm
#1109
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: HHonors Gold, Marriott Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, OZ*G, AA Gold, AS MVP
Posts: 1,874
The problem with that is, wouldn’t transit security at HKG also be able to enforce the no-mainland-transit rule? Show up at any of the transit security checkpoints with a boarding pass for a mainland flight and get turned away and start proceedings to be returned to your port of origin would be the way to do it if they were serious about that restriction.
Nov 3, 2021, 5:54 pm
#1110
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: HKG, BHX, MAN
Programs: Qatar Gold (OWS), Asiana Diamond (*G)
Posts: 1,493
The problem with that is, wouldn’t transit security at HKG also be able to enforce the no-mainland-transit rule? Show up at any of the transit security checkpoints with a boarding pass for a mainland flight and get turned away and start proceedings to be returned to your port of origin would be the way to do it if they were serious about that restriction.