Thank you for the reply moondog. I like the look of that Y1760 PEK-HKG RT, however I can't find where that rate is mentioned in English on the ctrip site (and the site can't book HKG tickets). With that type of price, I may just book a PEK-HKG RT and then a HKG-SHA RT and toss out the return for each. That would be about US$400 for PEK-HKG-SHA, which is a lot less than anything I've been able to find elsewhere.

I would much rather fly in/out of HKG than Shenzhen. Since the ferry costs about US$40 each way, it looks like I wouldn't save that much over using HKG.

I also looked at the Dragon Air package site and that seems to have some good deals. If I end up not doing the throw-away ticket idea, I'll likely book one of the packages through Dragon Air (you can get RT plane ticket plus 2 nights at the Peninsula for about what I had thought just the RT plane ticket would cost). The only problem I have with flying PEK-SHA just to pick up the SHA-HKG flight is that I would be trouble if the PEK-SHA flight was cancelled/delayed.

Again, thank you very much for your reply. You sure are an asset to this board.

Kowloon - Shenzhen Airport ferry on Turbojet costs HK$200 (US$26) northbound and HK$185 ($24) southbound in standard class.

http://www.turbojet.com.hk/turbojet_sailing_rev.htm

Keep in mind that going to HKG isn't exactly cheap either if you use the Airport Express.

I have never seen a rt ticket that was cheaper than a oneway on the same airline (so the throwaway strategy generally doesn't help).

Regarding the KA holidays, if you can pull one off, I would definitely go that route, especially if you can talk them into letting you open jaw. Even if they say, "no" (likely), you should take comfort in the fact that there are only around 6 flights per day between PEK and PVG and most run pretty much on time because they are tags to high(er) priority international flights.

If yo want to save from Shenzhen to HK, you can take the airport bus for 20 RMB to the terminus and then the subway 5 stations to Luo Hu (3 rmb). Then the KCR train into hk (around 35 HKD to Tsim Sha Tsui East). From HK to the airport It is not that easy. You need to take the Subway to Ke Xue Guan station. But it is not easy to find the bus from the subway station if you don't know your way. There are too many exits.

I've been reading some other message boards and I've found several posts where people say that the online ticket sellers (ctrip, yoee, elong) are cheaper than the traditional, in-person Chinese travel agents -- and also quite reliable. Others insist that you're still better off buying a couple days in advance from a local travel agent.

If anyone here has occasion to "comparison shop" in the next couple of months, I'd love to hear their report. Obviously, the only certainty about anything in China is change -- so it may very well be that the online outfits are changing the Chinese travel business.

Online agents like ctrip and local travel agents have more or less the same prices. There are exceptions, depending on special relations of some agents to certain airlines, but then the differences are only 5-10% of the ticket price at the most. More important are the changes close to the flight. I have experienced a 50% discount at 11 am on a flight 3 days later was gone down 10% within 2 hours. On the day of flight there were again 30% available.
If you can manage to get 60% you won't get much more anyway. The highest discount I have ever seen on a flight betwenn Shanghai and Shenzhen e.g. was 70%. That happens very rarely. The full price on this sector is 1400.

I swear I saw an 80% online discount posted on some Shanghai-Xian flights, and it was gone the next day. Particularly unusual since that route generally doesn't seem to have very good discounts.

I guess when I get within 60 or so days of my flights, I'll start looking in earnest for discounts. If I can get 50% or better, I think I'll just (try to) buy them. Anything less, and I'll hold out for "the street." Or book a train.

And I still haven't figured out the Chinese airline discount for kids. Is it half what the best fare is, and will the online agents sell it to me?

It's confirmed that you can purchase E-Tickets for Chinese domestic flights at http://english.yoee.com with major int'l credit cards.

That seems useful -- we'll see how it works!

This is a great thread, thanks all.

Any comments re: first class for discount ranges, help at the counter/gate in case of cancellations, etc. Also is baggare allowance higher?

Also, I've heard some people like China Eastern, others do not. Seems the same for other airlines too.

My domestic itinerary is Shanghia-Chongqqing, Yichang-Guillin, Guilan-Xian, Xian-Beijing. (I haven't yet checked to see if there are nonstop flights Yichang to Gullin).

Cheers and thanks.
Beachfan

i've never once seen f discounted, but if you are: 1) hooked up; 2) charming; or 3) tall, you might have a shot at a gratis upgrade.

the baggage allowences are definitely higher (effectively limitless, even). so, if full fare or close to it is all that's on offer, the f ticket might make sense.

i just spot checked all of the segments you mentioned; the first and the last are heavily discounted; the second requires a connection (might want to refine your schedule because connections suck), and the third appears to be discounted by less than 30% on most days (so, if you are dying to experience first class, this might be your best opportunity).

I always fly First in China. The difference in price isn't typically that much. I've never been questioned about the number or of weight of bags. If anything goes wrong (delay or cancellation), which happens frequently, you're much better taken care of, usually in a pretty decent First Class lounge. They monitor things and let you know, personally, when your flight is ready to go. In some of the smaller cities, I've frequently had them escort me to the gate, to the front of any line, and right into the jetway.

It's like First Class used to be in the U.S. . . . way back when.

The official baggage allowances on almost all the airlines are:

20kg for economy
30kg for business
40kg for first

Those are officially marked as the total per person (not per bag as in the United States) amounts, but my experience over four flights that I was overweight, was that I was only checked on one of them.

Thanks. Very helpful.

I think I"m going to revise my schedule to

Shanghai- Guillan, Guillan - Chonqqing, Yichang-Xian, Xian-Beijing. Those seem like decent flights (although I get into Xian late).

I have two extra days between Shanghia and Chonqqing (have 6 nights, will stay in Guillan 4 ngihts). Any suggestions on a convenient extra stop!

Very helpful foks!
Cheers
BF

This is indeed an incredible thread, thanks to everyone. I still have a couple of questions I hope you old China hands can help me with.

1. I am arriving at PVG on the 15th in the morning. When I checked yoee.com and elong.net a couple of months ago for dummy dates 2 weeks in advance, fares to Kunming were Y760 on MU, CA and FM (with, apparently, lots of availability). Now they are 1330 or, at the very best, 1050 and the booking classes are different (FM was B and now it's K and so on). What gives? Is it seasonal? Shall I wait till closer to the trip or are fares unlikely to get any lower?

2. If I don't buy tickets in advance, can I get them somewhere while in transfer from PVG to SHA? I didn't plan on staying in Shanghai overnight so, if possible, would like to fly out to Yunnan (KMG or LJG) the same day (06/15). Various posters reported earlier that prices were better with travel agents - is there some place in Shanghai I could comparison shop while in transit between PVG and SHA?

Thanks in advance, hope someone can help. (If it matters, I've never been to China before nor speak the language)