Which Asian air pass?
Apr 10, 2004 | 8:05 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: IAD
Programs: UA PrmEx
Posts: 162
Which Asian air pass?
I need to visit Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo-Narita, Shanghai, and potentially Singapore, KL, Sydney, and Auckland sometime in early June. I'll be flying from the DC area. Time is limited, so I'd like to avoid flying in and out of hubs if possible (which is an issue with air passes).
The last time I flew to Asia on business, I paid $2300 for DC-Seoul-Shanghai-Guangzhou-Bangkok-Sing-KL-Taipei-LAX-DC on Singapore Air and some other national carriers. By the time I paid supplements on an air pass, I might be up in that range, anyway.
I know that Cathay and Air Malaysia have good air passes. Any suggestions?
The last time I flew to Asia on business, I paid $2300 for DC-Seoul-Shanghai-Guangzhou-Bangkok-Sing-KL-Taipei-LAX-DC on Singapore Air and some other national carriers. By the time I paid supplements on an air pass, I might be up in that range, anyway.
I know that Cathay and Air Malaysia have good air passes. Any suggestions?
Apr 10, 2004 | 12:34 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MEL/LAX
Programs: AAdv GLD(MM), QF LTS, UA MP_nada, HH Gld, SPG, GoldenCircle Jade
Posts: 4,478
Consider the Circle Pacific fare
Originally Posted by advex
I need to visit Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo-Narita, Shanghai, and potentially Singapore, KL, Sydney, and Auckland sometime in early June. I'll be flying from the DC area. Time is limited, so I'd like to avoid flying in and out of hubs if possible (which is an issue with air passes).
The last time I flew to Asia on business, I paid $2300 for DC-Seoul-Shanghai-Guangzhou-Bangkok-Sing-KL-Taipei-LAX-DC on Singapore Air and some other national carriers. By the time I paid supplements on an air pass, I might be up in that range, anyway.
I know that Cathay and Air Malaysia have good air passes. Any suggestions?
The last time I flew to Asia on business, I paid $2300 for DC-Seoul-Shanghai-Guangzhou-Bangkok-Sing-KL-Taipei-LAX-DC on Singapore Air and some other national carriers. By the time I paid supplements on an air pass, I might be up in that range, anyway.
I know that Cathay and Air Malaysia have good air passes. Any suggestions?
To get rules see here ->http://home.so-net.com.hk/~pns/CXRule/Circle.xls
or http://www.hardlink.com/~markdu/OWFiles/OneCirPac.html
and ask question on the OW forum.
To get prices see here -> http://www.hardlink.com/~markdu/OWFiles/OneCirPac.html (within the star file)
Apr 10, 2004 | 2:48 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: PVD
Programs: Priority Club Plat
Posts: 12,312
CX's pass is $999, but you need to add:
$300 for summer travel
$400 for Shanghai
$500 for Sydney
$500 for Auckland
And Beijing is only served 3 times a week.
---
MH's pass is $1099, but you need to add:
$660 for Beijing
$660 for Shanghai
And it doens't include Seoul, Tokyo, Sydney or Auckland.
---
I don't see how either can be a good deal for the OP.
$300 for summer travel
$400 for Shanghai
$500 for Sydney
$500 for Auckland
And Beijing is only served 3 times a week.
---
MH's pass is $1099, but you need to add:
$660 for Beijing
$660 for Shanghai
And it doens't include Seoul, Tokyo, Sydney or Auckland.
---
I don't see how either can be a good deal for the OP.
Apr 11, 2004 | 9:12 pm
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,451
here are my thoughts:
OPTION 1
1) fly to PEK via ICN and returning from SIN on KE or OZ ($700)
2) buy a ticket from PEK to SHA ($60)
3) use miles to fly SHA-NRT-SIN (20K-40K depending on carrier or class of service
4) buy a ticket from SIN to your preferred ports of call in australia/NZ ($500)
OPTION 2
same as above, but fly to PEK via NRT (on NH or NW) instead of ICN and use miles to do SHA-ICN-SIN. i'm guessing this option would cost you about $200 more than the first (because NH is more expensive than KE/OZ) and maybe a few more miles for the intra-asia award, but i would probably do it anyway because NH's IAD-NRT flight is a great time saver.
OPTION 1
1) fly to PEK via ICN and returning from SIN on KE or OZ ($700)
2) buy a ticket from PEK to SHA ($60)
3) use miles to fly SHA-NRT-SIN (20K-40K depending on carrier or class of service
4) buy a ticket from SIN to your preferred ports of call in australia/NZ ($500)
OPTION 2
same as above, but fly to PEK via NRT (on NH or NW) instead of ICN and use miles to do SHA-ICN-SIN. i'm guessing this option would cost you about $200 more than the first (because NH is more expensive than KE/OZ) and maybe a few more miles for the intra-asia award, but i would probably do it anyway because NH's IAD-NRT flight is a great time saver.
Apr 13, 2004 | 1:08 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: IAD
Programs: UA PrmEx
Posts: 162
How about ANA?
Originally Posted by moondog
here are my thoughts:
OPTION 2
same as above, but fly to PEK via NRT (on NH or NW) instead of ICN and use miles to do SHA-ICN-SIN. i'm guessing this option would cost you about $200 more than the first (because NH is more expensive than KE/OZ) and maybe a few more miles for the intra-asia award, but i would probably do it anyway because NH's IAD-NRT flight is a great time saver.
OPTION 2
same as above, but fly to PEK via NRT (on NH or NW) instead of ICN and use miles to do SHA-ICN-SIN. i'm guessing this option would cost you about $200 more than the first (because NH is more expensive than KE/OZ) and maybe a few more miles for the intra-asia award, but i would probably do it anyway because NH's IAD-NRT flight is a great time saver.
Also, ANA has direct flights from DC to Tokyo, so that could save A LOT of time. Looks like I could fly for ~$1000 in June, and then take a Qantas flight from NRT to MEL for ~$700.