FlyerTalk Forums - Help Me Get To China To See Dad

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackIce000 (Post 17690441)

I'm totally new to using airlines miles programs, but in my search for finding the cheapest way to visit my father in Shanghai I stumbled across this awesome forum.

I signed up recently for the Southwest 50k points card and should have those points soon, I don't have any other rewards cards. My credit is pretty good, but not great (700 FICO), should be able to get approved for most non-AMEX cards.

I am looking to travel from San Diego to Shanghai pretty much anytime before August, 2012. Economy class is fine. No airline preference. Schedule is totally flexible and have no problem with weird layovers/times.

I am going to make this trip no matter what, so if I have to pay for it, that's fine, just trying to find the cheapest way to do this. So, I ask of you pros, what's the best way to do this?

Are you OK going in coach? The reason I ask is that I've seen fares on AA for coach tickets to Shanghai in the under $800 range (I did it this past Nov for ~$730 from Seattle). If thats acceptable to you then I'd seriously consider that for a first option. You'd have to go through LAX but thats not that bad from San Diego. And may be a lot easier than trying to get all the points.

Your Southwest card won't help any for International travel so you're looking some a bunch of other carrier options. An AA Citi card can get you to 50K miles, but you'd need 70K for roundtrip economy award tickets. Can you spend another 20k?