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UA, USA to China OJ from $303 ai

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Old Jul 5, 2017, 8:33 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: wolfpacktrojan
Transportation options from HGH to Hangzhou city center or PVG. Please add your name and your itinerary if you are interested in meeting other fellow FTers.
1) Taxi to Hangzhou city center, about 100 RMB ($15) for the entire party, not per person, walking from international terminal to domestic terminal (i.e., right turn after you get outside of the international terminal building), you will see taxi queue.
2) Shuttle bus, 20 RMB ($3), to Wulinmen CAAC Ticket Office or East Railway Station Line (two most popular options). The waiting hall for the shuttle bus is at Gate 10 (you can purchase ticket at Gate 14, too) Arrival Hall, on the first floor of the terminal building. Further details, see https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cit...ation.htm#hang
3) Shuttle from Hangzhou city center to PVG, 110 RMB, 3.5 hours: a) Wulinmen Ticket Office Central Hangzhou to PVG: (5:30, 6:10, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00)
b) Hangzhou Dragon Sports Center to PVG, 110 RMB, (7:00, 8:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:00
). Further details, see https://traveladept.com/bus-pudong-hangzhou/
4) Train from Hangzhou East station to Shanghai Hongqiao; less than 100 RMB (~1 hr); then you can take Subway Line #2 to PVG, ~10 RMB and 2 hrs; or shuttle bus (Airport Line #1), about 1 hr, 30 RMB ($4.5), every 15 - 25 minutes. The Hangzhou East ticketing windows are located on 1st Floor, EAST Area of the station. Please allow 20-30 minutes for walking to 2nd floor departure, and security check. The frequency of Hangzhou-Hongqiao trains is as good as that of subways in many US cities.
5) Getting cash at HGH The international terminal at HGH (where you arrive) only has an exchange vendor with hefty fees that is open limited hours. However, the adjacent domestic terminal has a bank ATM. To get to the entrance of the domestic terminal, exit the international terminal and keep walking right, past the taxi stand. Then enter and take the escalator to the second floor. The bank ATM will be on your left, next to the escalator.
6 Getting TWOV without issues The advice is to print out your itinerary, hotel reservation, etc., to speed up the procedure at the entry point in China. At SFO, the check-in agents were clueless, so be prepared to get there very early and fight for your boarding passes. Please read the last few pages on this thread for first-hand experiences. Good luck. There is a thread on FT for further details. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...hread-231.html

ATM To get to the entrance of the domestic terminal, exit the international terminal and keep walking right, past the taxi stand. Then enter and take the escalator to the second floor. The bank ATM will be on your left, next to the escalator.

Travel information for Beijing and airport:
Beijing will have 2 hubs starting Sept 30,2019. PEK (Beijing Capital International Airport) is original main hub and will continue for Star Alliance flights and Cathay Pacific (including subsidiary Cathay Dragon Air). PKX (Beijing Daxing International Airport, will debut Sept 30, 2019)
planned for airlines of the SkyTeam alliance and One World Alliance (AA, BA, etc. except Cathay Pacific) will be relocated to the new airport. Most flyers taking advantage of this China OJ deal will continue fly through PEK. Some people who use positioning flights through Beijing using non-Star Alliance airlines need to make sure you are flying into PEK, or else need 2hr ground transportation from PKX to PEK.
PEK allows TWOV within 24hr to stay inside security zone airside. This is more convenient for immediate turn than Shanghai-PVG, which force all passengers to exit immigration and customs, then re-check in from land side, even if you have immediate turn within 24hr.

Who are going? When for outbound and inbound? Routing from major hubs:
July 2017

August 2017
Quinlanty: Aug 3, ORD-HKG-HGH; Aug 7, PVG-LAX-SFO-IAH-ORD-YYZ (see post #284 for a brief report on TWOV procedure at HGH).

September 2017
Kmxu: 1 Sept, IAD-HNL-GUM-, 3 Sept, GUM-PVG; 4 Sept, PVG-SFO-ORD
Quinlanty; Sep 1, IAD-HNL-GUM; Sept 3, GUM-PVG, Sep 4, PVG-SFO-ORD-YYZ
pushmyredbutton: Sept 1; SFO-HNL-GUM-HKG Sept 3rd: HKG-HGH, Sept 4th: PVG-SFO
X31: 8 Sept BTV-EWR-SFO-HKG-HGH; 11 Sept PVG-NRT; 12 Sept HND-SFO-IAH-EWR; 13 Sept EWR-YUL
Kmxu + 3: 9 Sept, IAD-SFO-HKG-HGH; 12 Sept, PVG-SFO-IAD
techdarko: 12 Sept, SFO-HKG; 14 Sept, HKG-HGH; 16 Sept, PVG-SFO
Quinlanty: Sep 14; SFO-HKG-HGH; Sep 18, PVG-SFO-YVR
bencanfly: Sep 14, SFO-HKG-HGH; Sep 18, PVG-SFO-IAD
tde211: Sept 17, SFO-HKG-HGH; Oct 18 - PVG-SFO-YVR
Fishleafer: Sep 20, SFO-HKG-HGH; Sep 26, PVG-SFO-YVR
X31: 21 Sept BTV-EWR-HNL-GUM-HKG; 23 Sept HKG-HGH; 25 Sept PVG-SFO-IAH-EWR; 26 Sept EWR-YUL
985X: Sept 22, LAX-SFO-HKG; Sept 23, HKG-HGH; Sept 25, PVG-LAX; Sept 26, LAX-YVR
flyingstudent: Sept 23: SFO-HGH
netoreisinger: 30 Sept, BOS-EWR-HKG-HGH; 4 Oct, PVG-SFO-ORD-YUL

October 2017
gba: Oct 22, SFO-HKG-HGH; Oct 29: PVG-NRT-SEA-YVR
beyounged: Oct 24, SAN-SFO-HKG, Oct 26, HKG-HGH, Nov 8, PVG-HND-YVR
as219: Oct 26, LGA-ORD-HKG (+1); Oct 30: HKG-SFO-EWR-YUL (+1)
X31: 26 Oct BTV-ORD-HKG; 28 Oct HKG-HGH; 30 Oct PVG-SFO; 31 Oct SFO-ORD-YUL
riphamilton +1: Oct 27, BOS-EWR-HNL-GUM-HKG (+1); Oct 30: HKG-GUM-NRT; Oct 31: NRT-ORD-YUL

November 2017
Quinlanty: Nov 3, BOS-EWR-HKG-HGH; Nov 6, HGH-SFO-IAH-ORD-YYZ
pushmyredbutton: Nov 19: BDL-ORD-HKG-HGH, Nov 27 HGH HKG-SFO-(YVR)
Davistev: Nov26, LAX-NRT-PVG

December 2017
Kmxu: Dec 1, IAH-HNL-GUM-HKG; Dec 3, HKG-HGH, Dec 4, PVG-SFO-IAD
X31: Dec 1, YUL-IAD-IAH; Dec 2, IAH-LAX-PVG; Dec 4, HGH-HKG-GUM-HNL; Dec 4, HNL-EWR-BTV.

January 2018
Kewldude21: Jan 14 IAH-EWR-HKG Jan 16 HKG-HGH Jan 22 PVG-SFO-IAH
mpiotrow: Jan 21, ORD-SFO-KIX; Jan 23, KIX-HGH; Jan 24, HGH-HKG-GUM-HNL-DEN-YYZ

February 2018

March 2018
Davistev: Mar03, PVG-SFO-YVR
flyer777lr: Mar 20, DEN-HNL-GUM; Mar 23, GUM-KIX (NH)-HGH; Mar 26, HGH-HKG-GUM-HNL; Mar 27, HNL-EWR-YYZ
Kewldude21: Mar 22 IAH-EWR-HKG Mar 24 HKG-HGH Mar 28 HGH-PEK-SFO-IAH
flyme2: Mar 28, BTV-ORD-HKG; Mar 29: HKG-HGH; Apr 17: HKG-EWR-YUL
JetSetDave: Mar 29, EUG-SFO-HKG-HGH; April 3, PVG-SFO-EUG
Coeur 05: March 31, bos-sfo-hkg-pvg; April 5, PVG-lax-ord-yow

April 2018
ttyl: Apr 01 BTV-IAD-EWR-HKG; Apr 02 HKG-HGH; Apr 04 PVG-SFO-IAD-LGA-YUL
Toronto1970: April 6, EWR-ORD-HKG-HGH; April 13, CTU-SFO-EWR-YYZ
Exiled in Express: April 18, ORD-HKG-HGH; April 30, WUH-NRT-SEA-YVR
X31: Apr. 28 : BTV-EWR-HKG-HGH; May 1st : PVG-KIX; May 15th : ITM-HND-YVR-YYJ

May 2018
Kewldude21: May 3 IAH-SFO-HKG May 13 PEK-SFO-IAH

October 2018
KMXU, Oct. 18, IAD-SFO-HKG-HGH, Oct. 25, PVG-SFO-IAD

November 2018
KMXU, Nov. 14, ORD-HKG-XIY, Nov. 19, PEK-ORD

September 2019
xinliz Sept 4 SFO-NRT-PVG Sept 25 PEK-EWR-YOW
Flying Machine Sept 9 LAX-SFO-HKG Sept 10 HKG-HGH Sept 16 PVG-SFO-IAD

October 2019
kmxu: Oct 26, IAH-HNL-GUM-HKG, Oct. 27, HKG-XIY, Oct 30, CTU-SFO-IAH
wolfpacktrojan: Oct. 26, EWR-SFO-PVG, Oct. 28, PVG-NRT-SFO-YVR

November 2019
kmxuand his colleague: Nov 9, IAD-PEK, Nov 12, PEK-NRT-HNL-SFO-YYZ
kmxu's colleague: Nov 13, YYZ-IAD-NRT-PEK, Nov. 16, PEK-ORD
kmxu: Nov. 20, IAD-NRT-PEK, Nov. 22, PEK-EWR-YYZ
kmxu: Nov. 23, YYZ-IAD-NRT-PEK, Nov. 26, PEK-ORD
aquanine Nov 28: LAX-SFO-KIX, Nov 30: KIX-PEK, Dec 2: PEK-SFO-YVR

December 2019
kmxu: Nov. 30, IAD-NRT-PEK, Dec. 2, PEK-ORD-YYZ
kmxu: Dec. 3, YYZ-IAD-NRT-PEK, Dec. 6, PEK-ORD
jskang Dec 5, EWR-PVG, Dec 8, PEK-NRT-IAD-YOW

January 2020


February 2020


March 2020

April 2020
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UA, USA to China OJ from $303 ai

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Old Jun 7, 2018, 4:24 am
  #766  
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Originally Posted by X31
...........All for 358 USD.

https://goo.gl/flights/zpAjW
LAX-HND-HKG / PEK-HND / NRT-GUM / GUM-TKK-PNI-KSA-KWA-MAJ-HNL / HNL-SFO-IAD-YUL...
Any way to stopover or overnight in islands?
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 8:38 am
  #767  
X31
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: YUL
Posts: 61
Originally Posted by lovefly88
Great find. If only could start from the east coast for that price and reroute back through EWR before Canada would be amazing.
Routing through EWR is possible (try finishing at Toronto instead of Montreal for more choices).

But starting on the east coast is directly bumping the price to > 600 USD. You can change the LAX start for LAS, SFO, SJC, SNA or nearby airports while staying around 350-400 USD though, so maybe you can position for cheaper?

Originally Posted by TerryK
Any way to stopover or overnight in islands?
Nope. This is a GUM-HNL "leg" for UA and I wasn't able to separate it into multiple segments. Don't even try to separate it "multi-city" for booking, I don't know a single website that will allow you to enter 12 separate legs

I'm not even sure that an e-ticket can contain so many different flight numbers.
​​​​
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 9:06 am
  #768  
 
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Originally Posted by X31
I've always wanted to try the Island Hopper, but it was always so expensive...
Well, the deal is back and I was able not only to land in Hong Kong instead of China, but also to include the Island Hopper. All for 358 USD.

https://goo.gl/flights/zpAjW
LAX-HND-HKG / PEK-HND / NRT-GUM / GUM-TKK-PNI-KSA-KWA-MAJ-HNL / HNL-SFO-IAD-YUL

I'm truly amazed that the United website actually had no trouble at all with this creative routing
This makes me happy.
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 11:38 am
  #769  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,319
Originally Posted by lovefly88
Great find. If only could start from the east coast for that price and reroute back through EWR before Canada would be amazing.



You can, for a bit more. I got this routing down to CAD 720 in December, starting from EWR or IAD (and stopping over in YUL).

I don't want to take the island hopper, but might use it on direct flights. Also available as a trip to Tokyo, btw (East coast->Tokyo->Hkg, Pek->East Coast->YUL)
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 12:17 pm
  #770  
 
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This is an awesome find, even if I have to buy an extra HKG-PEK leg.

I played around with it and here is an example from SFO: https://goo.gl/flights/tLN1h

That said, on the return, has anyone dropped two legs before? I don't plan to go to YUL, but just go home at SFO on the return.
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 1:35 pm
  #771  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 149
Originally Posted by sfsouthbay
This is an awesome find, even if I have to buy an extra HKG-PEK leg.

I played around with it and here is an example from SFO: https://goo.gl/flights/tLN1h

That said, on the return, has anyone dropped two legs before? I don't plan to go to YUL, but just go home at SFO on the return.
Dropping the last leg or two shouldn't matter at all. I have done it in the past and never thought twice about it. Unless of course, you're planning to ask for a refund for the dropped leg(s) :-)

My concern has always been: what if, say your final destination is LAS, and you book a separate ticket from SFO to LAS, either before or after your SFO-YUL flight. Any chance the system picks up the scheduling conflict and maybe cancel one of both flights?
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 1:41 pm
  #772  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Thanks very much. I appreciate the response.

I definitely understand the LAS example... the double-booking piece could definitely be an issue. I do wonder if it's possible to only cancel the last segment, but I don't think you could as that could result in a difference in fare.
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 4:48 pm
  #773  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 454
Anyone been able to get around that HKG-PEK leg?
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 5:16 pm
  #774  
X31
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: YUL
Posts: 61
Originally Posted by NJSwamplands
Anyone been able to get around that HKG-PEK leg?
Far too much in advance if you're looking for 2019 flights.
I recommend checking Trip.com (previously named Ctrip) for good fares that are not on Google Flights, but only within 3 months of the flight I think.
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Old Jun 8, 2018, 10:57 am
  #775  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
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Originally Posted by X31
Far too much in advance if you're looking for 2019 flights.
I recommend checking Trip.com (previously named Ctrip) for good fares that are not on Google Flights, but only within 3 months of the flight I think.
Interesting. I never heard about Trip.com before. Is it in any way connected to Ctrip.com (the large online travel agency in mainland China) given that it was named Ctrip before?
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Old Jun 8, 2018, 11:21 am
  #776  
X31
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: YUL
Posts: 61
Originally Posted by lixiaojuventus
Interesting. I never heard about Trip.com before. Is it in any way connected to Ctrip.com (the large online travel agency in mainland China) given that it was named Ctrip before?
I think they are just rebranding Ctrip as Trip.com to be more "global" and reach outside of China. They're the same agency.
Some people say that you can get even better prices when you pay in CNY/HKD, but I never experienced that.
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Old Jun 8, 2018, 10:06 pm
  #777  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 149
Originally Posted by sfsouthbay
Thanks very much. I appreciate the response.

I definitely understand the LAS example... the double-booking piece could definitely be an issue. I do wonder if it's possible to only cancel the last segment, but I don't think you could as that could result in a difference in fare.
I would definitely NOT cancel the last leg. Just skip it. Nothing will happen.
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Old Jun 8, 2018, 10:15 pm
  #778  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 149
Originally Posted by X31
I think they are just rebranding Ctrip as Trip.com to be more "global" and reach outside of China. They're the same agency.
Some people say that you can get even better prices when you pay in CNY/HKD, but I never experienced that.
I did some comparison shopping for rail travel in China a couple of times, and Ctrip (did wonder whether they are the same as trip.com) offered the lowest rates Both times. I booked through them, and had great experience. I would definitely recommend. Never thought of using them for air travel though. Next time.
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 8:25 am
  #779  
 
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Originally Posted by FLA77


I did some comparison shopping for rail travel in China a couple of times, and Ctrip (did wonder whether they are the same as trip.com) offered the lowest rates Both times. I booked through them, and had great experience. I would definitely recommend. Never thought of using them for air travel though. Next time.
I booked flights in China with ctrip.com while in country and the price was about half what Google flights displayed!

Also used them for high speed train and hotel reservations. All travel booked in CNY.
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Old Jun 10, 2018, 2:44 pm
  #780  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 167
Originally Posted by X31

I don't know a single website that will allow you to enter 12 separate legs

I'm not even sure that an e-ticket can contain so many different flight numbers.
​​​​
Smartfares allows up to 25 segments.

A booking reference can host several e-tickets, in case of a layover for example: the next day ticket will have a different number. Happened to me with LH recently.
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