NEED HELP! PHL-BKK or EWR-BKK choice
Sep 13, 2011 | 7:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1
NEED HELP! PHL-BKK or EWR-BKK choice
This is probably the wrong forum, but I need some advice and am new to FT. I need to use a travel agent in Asia to book travel to BKK (agency issuing likel from BKK or SIN) for work. Policy is to choose the cheapest flights with a "reasonable" number of connections. I would like to increase my chance at finding Star Alliance carriers. I can use the ExpertFlyer 'fare' tool to see published fares purchased on either side (PHL/EWR vs. BKK/SIN), but Kayak actually shows lower fares and they show up on airline websites as well, so I'm not sure if I'm seeing the "true" lowest fares.
Could someone lend a hand at identifying the lowest fare in BUSINESS class for the long haul (i.e. >6 hour segments) if purchased from BKK or SIN for departure from PHL/EWR on either 10/13 or 10/14 and return to BKK with a return on 10/20? I want to know what I'm looking at before I interact with the agency in case they suggest something unacceptable. At least I can have a reason prepared to circumvent if it's bad.
Could someone lend a hand at identifying the lowest fare in BUSINESS class for the long haul (i.e. >6 hour segments) if purchased from BKK or SIN for departure from PHL/EWR on either 10/13 or 10/14 and return to BKK with a return on 10/20? I want to know what I'm looking at before I interact with the agency in case they suggest something unacceptable. At least I can have a reason prepared to circumvent if it's bad.
Sep 13, 2011 | 9:46 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC *P
Posts: 1,812
You should do some homework yourself as the forum is more helpful once you have spent some effort yourself (and FT is not a travel agency). It should not take very long to see how much the fare is. Use XP or TL.
Sep 13, 2011 | 10:21 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: BKK
Programs: AA Plat, HH Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,395
Use Matrix ITA to search your desired itinerary.
Be sure to specify your desired fare type (business class or higher).
Important: change the sales city to BKK (at the bottom of the form) before clicking the search button.
If it were me, I'd also change the number of stops to "up to 2" (reasonable for int'l business travel).
Select a fare -- I believe the default sort is lowest price first (they'll be in Thai baht). This will take you to the final screen, where you should click the link to "view itinerary and fare details" and print the page. This gives you specific fare construct info to relay to the TA if you don't like the fare he/she quotes you. Personally, I've always found TAs to get better fares than I find on ITA, but it's good backup.
Sample fare right now: EWR-BKK in biz (Z) on UA is THB 151,755 (~USD 5,024)
Good luck, enjoy your trip, and welcome to FlyerTalk!
Be sure to specify your desired fare type (business class or higher).
Important: change the sales city to BKK (at the bottom of the form) before clicking the search button.
If it were me, I'd also change the number of stops to "up to 2" (reasonable for int'l business travel).
Select a fare -- I believe the default sort is lowest price first (they'll be in Thai baht). This will take you to the final screen, where you should click the link to "view itinerary and fare details" and print the page. This gives you specific fare construct info to relay to the TA if you don't like the fare he/she quotes you. Personally, I've always found TAs to get better fares than I find on ITA, but it's good backup.
Sample fare right now: EWR-BKK in biz (Z) on UA is THB 151,755 (~USD 5,024)
Good luck, enjoy your trip, and welcome to FlyerTalk!