Do I need Visa for mileage run to Shanghai and New Delhi?
 

As stated I am planning the following:

JFK-->PVG-->DEL-->PVG--> JFK

I believe this qualifies for the 72 transit rule for Shanghai so I do not need a visa. Any idea if i need a visa for New Delhi?

Thank you

That's true for PVG both times (see the detailed info in the China destination forum about TWOV rules for mainland China) BUT some of us have been experiencing difficulties with DL agents (including very senior redcoats at DL's international gateway hubs) at various stations denying boarding on TWOV fully compliant itineraries. So it's very much a YMMV situation.

Is PVG-DEL (and vv) nonstop? If you have a stop in Chengdu or Kunming, you're good for 24 hours visa free transit (not 144 hours).

You WILL need a visa for India.

Visa on arrival is now up and running in India. Google fu.
I've still got a current visa in my passport, however, so I've not tried it.
If you are not planning on leaving the airport terminal, you might be able to skip the VoA, but then you'll miss the really stunning arrivals passport control hall.

I really suggest you look for official consulate information to verify anything posted here. No offense to those offering advice. But I can just see it now when you are standing at immigration - "But my closest anonymous friends on Flyer Talk told me..."

The problem is that the Chinese consulate websites are woefully out of date.

Have you experienced these issues recently?

I sort of agree with this. But, on a related note, try going to the South Africa official site and find where what you need. Just is not there.

There are some discussion about India on FlyerTalk -- I was thinking about an out and back to BOM with the $2100 business class RT fare that just ended. But the messages suggested that while XXX-DEL or BOM-YYY would work and you could stay in the transit area, that XXX-DEL or BOM-XXX might cause a problem at checkin because the airline wouldn't see it as transit.
I decided to spend a day in BOM and see a bit of the place instead of booking the out and back. Google twov BOM and you get pointed to several tripadvisor discussions that don't have a definitive answer. I was more concerned with not being allowed on the airplane in AMS than dealing with immigration at BOM.
As airmotive notes -- online visas are easily available for India.

For me personally, is within the last year recent? It was long (at least several years) after China started doing 72 hour TWOV at major Chinese airports, including the place I was transiting.

IIRC there have been some more recent reports in the China destination forum of TWOV troubles with DL on itineraries that were clearly TWOV compliant.

The "final" destination does matter (at least in theory). So if I was OP I would plan it as JFK-PVG-DEL then return DEL-PVG-DEL, as opposed to a singly leg with 3 connections. Technically the OP can not use the 72 hour transit when flying JFK to JFK (as I understand the policy)

So... Best to make certain that the travel docs to DEL are correct for a visit, not a transit. Though it seams this is easy now per an above poster.

[This has nothing to do with fare construction, I am just using those terms]

How were you able to resolve the situation?

It really hasn't been resolved. No one at DL is willing to admit that the decision was wrong regarding my not being allowed to board with my TWOV compliant itinerary and ticket and it doesn't seem to be possible to contact anyone at DL who can straighten out the problems with using TWOV on DL to China. DL simply waived the change fees on my ticket and kept my upgrade instruments attached to it, thus allowing me to rebook later to a different destination.

MSP: How long was your scheduled transit at PVG? A few hours or over a day?

I have a 5 hour transit booked as follows in July:

DTW - PVG on DL 744 :)
PVG - MEL on China Eastern :eek:

Do you think there is risk for this with a five hour stay?

It is a one way ticket as return is SYD-LAX on AA. :)

This is all low level business award ticket I feel really lucky to have pieced together and it would not want to see it messed up last minute over this Visa question.

About 65 hours. Arriving from NRT and departing to DTW.

The redcoat insisted that the rules said that to use TWOV I needed a visa for my next country, which was ridiculous as the USA will not issue visas to its own citizens, nor do I even need a visa in advance for most countries in Asia.