ianmanka

AA/JL: LAX-(DFW/ORD-)NRT-SGN/HAN-NRT-(ORD/DFW-)LAX $696 ai

Searchable on Google Flights, bookable on AA with AA flight numbers which earn 100% EQM and 50% EQP. Many dates open from late August to early December. On the flights I booked, I'll fly the JL 787 NRT-SGN.

The fare seems to start at around $670, then goes up for adding flights to ORD/DFW.

Open jaws are available for additional money to fly into SGN/HAN, and fly out of the other.

For a few bucks more, you can fly the JL 787 NRT-SAN, but it's coded with a JL flight number, so mileage earning is less, and you have to connect on a SAN-LAX flight.

Other combinations exist with CX and JL numbers, but your mileage may vary based on fare class codes.

Star Alliance

OZ/CA combinations exist for sub-$700 April-May and late August-December, but since I no longer fly with *A, I didn't look too closely, nor do I know any earning potentials with the fare classes offered. For $50 more, you can fly with NH.

Visas

As a reminder, Vietnam requires visas for a lot of its visitors, and FT has a lengthy thread discussing the various requirements to obtain one, either in advance, or upon arrival (some advance work is required):

Visa / VOA Info for Vietnam [consolidated]

aktchi

Thanks. More dates open at the lowest fares for SGN than HAN.

ianmanka

You're welcome! I agree -- I could get SGN to price much more frequently than HAN, but both are possible.

mcn1985

Anyone know what the rule is for a possible stop over in NRT?

ianmanka

It doesn't look it's permitted on this fare:

So I suppose you could net yourself a free flight connecting in these cities, but might be tricky to price out these locations.

The best I could do was an airport change NRT->HND for 10 hours, but everything else was rather tight connection-wise.

combiblock

ianmanka, you dates i could try for, seeing your are from LAX too? 10hrs would be great for me

ianmanka

I didn't end up booking it, but I feel like it was around one of the upcoming holidays -- Labor Day or Thanksgiving.

aktchi

I have not researched the details here but in similar situations I have been able to engineer a long break at TYO, enough to do one thing if you know what you are doing. My current favorite are the Asakusa Temple and the Village of Narita.

ianmanka

I've managed to complete a few tasks during my long TYO breaks (which I try to schedule as often as I can). On my last one I tried to do Skytree, but the elevators were closed in both directions due to high winds. I didn't wait because I didn't want to be stuck in the observation deck watching my plane leave Haneda.

veeRob

Wow, this is very tempting for November. Went to Vietnam in January and loved it, can't wait to go back!

If you do this deal, look into flying into HAN and out of SGN. Cheap domestic carriers are there so you can see more than 1 city.

colette_l

sorry, please forgive my ignorance. i'm new to these fancy booking techniques. on google flights, you can only book 5 legs for multicity--booking this would require 6? how do you pull it up?

or am i misunderstanding the (DFW/ORD) terminology...

if i don't add that DFW/ORD leg, the flight prices are nowhere near the 600-700$ price point... maybe my dates are just no good.

also, is there any trick to finding the dates or just trial and error?

thanks! this would be a great trip... have wanted to go to vietnam

ianmanka

Choose origin and destination in round trip mode with dummy dates. Then trial and error the dates, and you'll notice Google populates the calendar with fares. There's a graph at the bottom which shows fluctuating prices. You can use the dropdown menus below the date fields to narrow your search -- to an alliance, to a certain price, and under the "more" menu, "connecting airports." But sometimes it's better to have broad search terms and trial and error the dates for a routing that works.

Once you've found a date that works, you could try a multi-city search in Google flights, ensuring you force the out-of-the-way connections -- LAX-DFW/ORD, DFW/ORD-SGN (no need to input NRT since it will likely connect there anyway), SGN-DFW/ORD, DFW/ORD-LAX. Just be sure you get the dates correct (adding a day when traveling west, likely the same day going east, though there are some redeye flights from SGN).

Good luck!

Peter_Ng

I wonder if anyone actually is able to book it cause in my case, it priced out on AA.com and after i chose the flights. it show "The flight you selected is no longer available. Please select another flight or modify your request ." Same thing with Google flights link, Orbits did not see the fare from AA. Thanks

P?S: Tried with many different dates in Oct and Nov

ianmanka

Yeah, I got that message a few times, had to pick a different itinerary at a slightly higher price. You could also try booking on US Air's site, which tends to have similar pricing.