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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 Jan 3, 2019, 12:24 pm
  #1021  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Morris Plains, NJ
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Gold
Posts: 138
What is the easiest way to search for these? I presume I search on google flights with a multi-city (ex EWR-PVG/HGH to YYZ or YUL)? How long is the turnaround for visa free? For example return next day or 1 day gap?
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 12:36 pm
  #1022  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Originally Posted by salisboss
What is the easiest way to search for these? I presume I search on google flights with a multi-city (ex EWR-PVG/HGH to YYZ or YUL)? How long is the turnaround for visa free? For example return next day or 1 day gap?
72-144 hours depending on the entry city. Transit Visa Exemptions in China: 24 Hour, 72 Hour, and 144 Hour Options - China Briefing News

In most cases, the transit visa exemption only allows the traveler to visit the province of their arrival. However, travelers entering China via Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Nanjing can travel within Shanghai, Zhejiang province, and Jiangsu province, and travelers entering via Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, and Qinhuangdao can travel within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 12:45 pm
  #1023  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Morris Plains, NJ
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Posts: 138
Originally Posted by silverferrari
Good to know. Still having a hard time even finding these deals.
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 12:53 pm
  #1024  
 
Join Date: May 2006
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Programs: UA*G, NW, AA-G. WR-P, HH-G, IHG-S, ALL. TT-GE.
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Originally Posted by salisboss
How long is the turnaround for visa free?
Note that you cannot just "turnaround", as in flying UA into China then UA out of China. You must fly Country A-China-Country B.

You can fly HKG-China-US or US-China-HKG. (HK and Taiwan are treated as a "3rd country" in TWOV usage.)

The importance for this thread is that only immediate flights into/out of China count. It doesn't matter if you're going to Canada. UA-in-UA-out means US-China-US means no TWOV.
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 1:58 pm
  #1025  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Morris Plains, NJ
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Gold
Posts: 138
Originally Posted by HkCaGu
Note that you cannot just "turnaround", as in flying UA into China then UA out of China. You must fly Country A-China-Country B.

You can fly HKG-China-US or US-China-HKG. (HK and Taiwan are treated as a "3rd country" in TWOV usage.)

The importance for this thread is that only immediate flights into/out of China count. It doesn't matter if you're going to Canada. UA-in-UA-out means US-China-US means no TWOV.
Got it. Now I am just looking for guidance it finding the deals. There is essentially and infinite number of routes/dates to search.
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 6:42 am
  #1026  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: YUL
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 77
Hi all. Happy 2019! Good to see that this thread is active again.

Thanks for the replies. I honestly never looked at the "reversed" routes (USA-PVG, HGH-HKG, HKG-Canada), instead of USA-HKG, HKG-HGH, PVG-Canada. I will be searching later on, and hopefully can find some good combinations from either ex-BTV or ORD.

However, I have found some decent MR for around ~380USD through PEK. There are a couple of options but essentially look like this.
  1. ORD- HKG Feb28
  2. HKG - XIY, or HGH, or NKG, or NONE Mar 2
  3. PEK - GUM Mar 3
  4. GUM - HNL - Mar 4
  5. HNL - YUL - Mar 4
My last year's MR going through HGH & PVG was relatively inexpensive as train ride was about 15 USD First Class. However train rides from those inland Chinese cities to PEK are about ~115 USD first class. Alternatively, there is airfare too, though not familiar. I did find an odd airfare from HKG-PVG, overnight in Shanghai, SHA-PEK for about ~120 USD.
Would anyone have some suggestions if I use the PEK route based on itinerary above?

Thank you
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 6:53 am
  #1027  
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Originally Posted by ttyl
.....HKG - XIY, or HGH, or NKG, or NONE Mar 2
  1. PEK - GUM Mar 3
  2. GUM - HNL - Mar 4
  3. HNL - YUL - Mar 4.....
Interesting itinerary. How do you fly PEK-GUM?
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 11:18 am
  #1028  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: YUL
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Honors Diamond
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Originally Posted by TerryK
Interesting itinerary. How do you fly PEK-GUM?
Via Tokyo (I believe NRT).
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 12:56 pm
  #1029  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: YEG
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Doing the island hopper GUM-HNL next week on this deal, anyone done this way and got all passport stamps could PM me with how, just trying to figure out the best way to make this happen

THANKS
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 4:46 pm
  #1030  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Originally Posted by whitethunder
Doing the island hopper GUM-HNL next week on this deal, anyone done this way and got all passport stamps could PM me with how, just trying to figure out the best way to make this happen

THANKS
Yes, did that one mid October 2018. Let me just tell you you will get stamps on all islands except two. On the military base you will not get it for obvious reasons, but on the last stop where they change crews, you will not get it either. They claim they do not stamp because a person got stamped and went all over the internet to tell people he had been into that island. There were four of us (two separate Flyertalk parties travelling on the island hopper on this fare) and we did not argue and just said thanks and see ya later ... all in all, we got 3 stamps.
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 5:33 pm
  #1031  
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 188
I am seeing this for $281. Can't believe it is so cheap.

https://goo.gl/flights/zsL8S
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 6:58 pm
  #1032  
formerly skyccord
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NYC
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Posts: 269
Originally Posted by qplazm1982
I am seeing this for $281. Can't believe it is so cheap.

https://goo.gl/flights/zsL8S
So what am I missing with this? First off you have a Cathy flight that doesn't get you UA miles. HGH to PVG you would take a bullet train? Then you have to get from YUL back to EWR which is $119 on the 2nd. So you have to get a hotel. All in all I'm saying it's $400 when you add in the cost of YUL to EWR. It's about 2.44cpms and 16370PQMs when you take out the cathay leg which you won't get UA credit for. This is a lot of work IMO.

What do you think?
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 7:11 pm
  #1033  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SJC / DPS
Programs: AS G75K, UA Silver
Posts: 1,757
Originally Posted by skyccord
So what am I missing with this? First off you have a Cathy flight that doesn't get you UA miles. HGH to PVG you would take a bullet train? Then you have to get from YUL back to EWR which is $119 on the 2nd. So you have to get a hotel. All in all I'm saying it's $400 when you add in the cost of YUL to EWR. It's about 2.44cpms and 16370PQMs when you take out the cathay leg which you won't get UA credit for. This is a lot of work IMO.

What do you think?
1. 2.44cpm is good for a MR. The posted trip would actually be closer to 1.8cpm
2. You can tweak the routing the force a return through the city you depart from, negating the need to position back: https://goo.gl/flights/avye9
3. There is some hassle involved though, specifically with the HGH/PVG transfer, and the overnight in HKG that adds to the cost. Overall it's a very reliable MR that is hard to beat from a cpm standpoint.
qplazm1982 and flockavelliFT like this.
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 7:15 pm
  #1034  
formerly skyccord
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
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Posts: 269
Originally Posted by pushmyredbutton
1. 2.44cpm is good for a MR. The posted trip would actually be closer to 1.8cpm
2. You can tweak the routing the force a return through the city you depart from, negating the need to position back: https://goo.gl/flights/avye9
3. There is some hassle involved though, specifically with the HGH/PVG transfer, and the overnight in HKG that adds to the cost. Overall it's a very reliable MR that is hard to beat from a cpm standpoint.
I added in the return flight from YUL to EWR which is $119. Unless you can teleport I don't see how you get around this! Plus you have to get rid of the Cathay leg in as it won't count towards your United PQMs.

Granted I booked EWR-SFO-CTU as mentioned above at 3.2cpms. Not my best but what OP mentioned seems like a lot of work. Plus I make every mileage run a weekend getaway.

Wait, is Cathy Dragon Star Alliance???

Last edited by ft1984; Jan 7, 2019 at 7:19 pm Reason: ?
ft1984 is offline  
Old Jan 7, 2019, 7:18 pm
  #1035  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: UA 1K (Million Miler). AA Gold (lifetime 1 Million). TK Elite Gold
Posts: 894
Originally Posted by skyccord
So what am I missing with this? First off you have a Cathy flight that doesn't get you UA miles. HGH to PVG you would take a bullet train? Then you have to get from YUL back to EWR which is $119 on the 2nd. So you have to get a hotel. All in all I'm saying it's $400 when you add in the cost of YUL to EWR. It's about 2.44cpms and 16370PQMs when you take out the cathay leg which you won't get UA credit for. This is a lot of work IMO.

What do you think?
Try YQB same dates; may save some money
cagcag is offline  


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