blueslip

Try:
BOS-LAX
LAX-DFW
DFW-PEK
PEK-ORD
ORD-PHX
PHX-BOS

Or

BOS-LAX
LAX-PEK
PEK-PHX
PHX-BOS

jkuok

thanks alot

arods3

Can anyone get this itinerary to ticket?

http://goo.gl/flights/9VhN
I noticed certain itineraries aa will allow me to ticket but this one was a no go.

whimike

The problem is the HKG-PEK leg, remove it and it tickets fine, although at a higher price. Try different dates, when I ran into this issue I was able to find other dates that did work.

See post #8 in this thread.

timmie88

Just finished my run this weekend (SFO-DFW-HKG-PEK-DFW-SFO). Note for those of you doing the PEK as a layover and not staying there, when you check-in the HKG-PEK leg, they will print you all the boarding passes (at least if you're on CX). CX gave me three boarding passes including the two for the AA legs. If you have TSA pre-check they won't show up on the CX boarding passes. When I got to Dallas, I had reprinted my boarding pass at the kiosk in the connecting flight area, and got a new boarding pass with TSA pre-check, so I could go through security faster back into DFW.

Other notes, I was surprised by how empty the CX lounge in PEK was (there's no AA lounge in PEK). I was the only one there for an hour or so, before anyone else showed up.

fnuhenry

I was on this route this weekend too. I did
Dfw - sfo - dfw - hkg - pek - dfw - sfo - dfw and was in pek lounge. It was empty all afternoon but busy arround 3 pm.

Pondflyer

I am also gathering miles, BOS-HKG-PEK-SJC-SFO-BOS-DCA starting Friday Oct 30.

I'll write more about it later. But would like to know more about the check-in procedure at HKG; i.e. also do not really intend to leave Beijing airport or to definitely have a boarding pass in hand if I do. In SIN this is not possible until enduring the extra security routine questioning. Point is, that holds one up from entering earlier to go inside (and on to a lounge). Any more thoughts would be appreciated and perhaps documented later by me on my return for someone else's benefit.

By the way, the best deal seems to be BOS-HKG on a Tues. Return middle of the week back to BOS via PEK, PVG ratchets the fare up. And clever stops on the way are almost futile, unless the stars line up.

Pondlfyer

timmie88

In HKG and in PEK, even if you're just in transit, you will have to go through security again to go in the terminal, in both it's a separate security line just for transiting passengers. I don't remember the specific details in HKG since I haven't transited there in a few years (I stayed for a day in HKG this time around). But in PEK, there is a separate immigration desk for transiting passengers. Once they check your boarding pass (in my case it was the CX boarding pass for the AA flight), you then move to security. Pretty standard security, remove laptop, no liquids, and then a metal detector, no questions asked.

Other notes that might be of interest:

The AA gate agent in PEK could not re-print a boarding pass for me with TSA pre-check which is why I had to do it in DFW before re-entering the security line, he said the printer at the gate didn't work and has never worked.

There is additional screening at the gate in PEK (standard for any international flight going back to the U.S. I've noticed), where everyone has their carry-on searched before boarding the plane. They had five agents just inside the gate after scanning your boarding pass to do the inspections. It was a fairly typical light search, not the super detailed inspect everything I've seen in some places like Tel Aviv.

I wasn't quite certain what you wanted to know about the check-in procedure at HKG. Assuming you're not in transit in HKG, it was fairly standard, The bus dropped me off at the terminal, went to the CX (assuming your flight is CX) counter which is the farthest on the left, and checked-in at the Business class desk (since I'm Sapphire on Oneworld). On check-in, they'll give you all the boarding passes for all the AA flights if your connections are within 24 hours. If you're Sapphire or above, you'll also get the invite to the CX lounge. After immigration, it's pretty standard security in HKG as well, no questions, and no additional security at the gate.

They (CX) set up 3 separate lines for boarding the flight to PEK. One for Business/First and Oneworld Emerald, A second line for Marco Polo and Oneworld Sapphire, and a third line for everyone else. Note, they are pretty adamant about their lines and checking that you are in the right one. Boarding from there was pretty straight forward.

Any other questions, just ask.

timmie88

One other note about DFW. The immigration line was one of longest I've seen recently coming back into the U.S. On top of that there was an immensely long line to go through customs, as bad as the immigration line.

I imagine without Global Entry that would have taken me well over an hour of waiting, but luckily I have Global Entry and there was no line at either location for Global Entry.

fnuhenry

If you don't have Global Entry try the Carry-On only line (if you have no checked bags) in DFW which is also fairly quick. I used the line this weekend and was out in 10 mins.

danielm

For me, the immigration line was a monstrosity, but the carry-on line was fast and efficient. Things slowed monetarily when a glut of GE people came through, but otherwise, I couldn't be happier.

Pondflyer

Thank you for your comprehensive reply Timmie88.

Unfortunately I picked Dragonair without thinking; I hope that does not complicate things too much. Depending on what AA Platinum effectively translates to these folks in HKG, I hope to manage.

My concern was just about electing to go out into Beijing and then returning to the airport in time way before the departure. As you have elaborated and I anticipated, of course there is additional security for inbound USA flights. But to repeat, in similar circumstances in SIN, they would not allow us back in until they set up their ropes to cordon off the check-in area, etc; and do the interview outside before allowing us to go in through immi and normal security.

Thanks too for the heads up about returning to DFW. My routing is back to ORD; and Global Entry is a blessing regardless of whichever airport of entry. One could never go back to cattle lines. That's one definite advantage of acquiring the right AMEX card by the way (albeit in the interim limited to just one application per 5 years?)

Incidentally this has to be a very decent cents per mile (granted with bonus miles) trip (I hate to call it an AA mileage run, it always has to be enjoyable and not drudgery), but it would be nice if one could extend it to SIN on AA, (and thanks to Air Asia and Tiger, side trips to more destinations.)

timmie88

I decided I didn't want to go out to Beijing this time around. I've been there many times before (my earliest trip was in 1993). My biggest reason for not wanting to go this time around (even though I have a multi-visit visa for China), is the smog. I didn't really want to expose myself to the massive smog problem they have over there. And I figured with a 5 hour layover there wasn't much I could do anyway.