China without a visa
Jun 21, 2017, 2:59 pm
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
I'm looking for some assistance, and to be within the quidance to be more UA Specific. What UA routing and Fares make the best sense to take advantage of the TWOV.
LAX-PVG (transit)..
PVG-???-LAX
All routed on UA with the possibilty of inta Asia on NH?
Any and all suggestions would be appreciated..
LAX-PVG (transit)..
PVG-???-LAX
All routed on UA with the possibilty of inta Asia on NH?
Any and all suggestions would be appreciated..
(BJS would also be an option from the fare rules, but the 144-hour TWOV program does not allow intra-China connections).
Jun 21, 2017, 3:48 pm
#62
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,952
The 144H TWOV for PVG arrivals permits you to exit to a third country (by air) from PVG, SHA, HGH, or NKG. They don't necessarily offer lower fares, but they certainly open up a lot of more routing possibilities via *A and UA codeshares.
Jun 21, 2017, 9:24 pm
#63
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH, YYC
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 753
Some great advice here
This was my experience a few months ago transiting on AC, also through PVG for 3 days
China 72 hour transit visa. Need to inform Air Canada?
The great advice already mentioned which I would repeat:
1. Have a hard copy of all your documents handy
2. Definitely bring a printout from TIMATIC. This helped us immensely when they incorrectly ran their search showing china as the destination
3. Politely but firmly hold your position
The most annoying thing about the program was on arrival. Processing was extremely slow and also involved our names and hotel reservations being written by hand into a book
This was my experience a few months ago transiting on AC, also through PVG for 3 days
China 72 hour transit visa. Need to inform Air Canada?
The great advice already mentioned which I would repeat:
1. Have a hard copy of all your documents handy
2. Definitely bring a printout from TIMATIC. This helped us immensely when they incorrectly ran their search showing china as the destination
3. Politely but firmly hold your position
The most annoying thing about the program was on arrival. Processing was extremely slow and also involved our names and hotel reservations being written by hand into a book
Jul 15, 2017, 8:59 am
#64
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Healdsburg CA and Provincetown MA
Programs: UA 1K and MM.
Posts: 135
OP to add finality.
We left yesterday from Boston. The very nice woman at the United counter saw that I had the paperwork and didn't even look at it. She was more concerned with getting a new 1st flight as we'd have missed the connection otherwise due to a delay.
In Newark (the flight to PVG), they checked the paperwork again at the gate. The gate staff would not take our ANA flight print out for the confirmed flight/seats in 2 days. He insisted that we show a single "united reservation" into and out of China. (Which I had). While not required by China, this seemed to be the only paperwork that got us on the plane. And I was warned of this last month in Boston at the United counter.
In PVG, the 144 hour transit line took about 10 minutes. It was longish since my partner has a nearly full passport. The authorities were looking at each stamp to be certain they were real.
We left yesterday from Boston. The very nice woman at the United counter saw that I had the paperwork and didn't even look at it. She was more concerned with getting a new 1st flight as we'd have missed the connection otherwise due to a delay.
In Newark (the flight to PVG), they checked the paperwork again at the gate. The gate staff would not take our ANA flight print out for the confirmed flight/seats in 2 days. He insisted that we show a single "united reservation" into and out of China. (Which I had). While not required by China, this seemed to be the only paperwork that got us on the plane. And I was warned of this last month in Boston at the United counter.
In PVG, the 144 hour transit line took about 10 minutes. It was longish since my partner has a nearly full passport. The authorities were looking at each stamp to be certain they were real.
Some great advice here
This was my experience a few months ago transiting on AC, also through PVG for 3 days
China 72 hour transit visa. Need to inform Air Canada?
The great advice already mentioned which I would repeat:
1. Have a hard copy of all your documents handy
2. Definitely bring a printout from TIMATIC. This helped us immensely when they incorrectly ran their search showing china as the destination
3. Politely but firmly hold your position
The most annoying thing about the program was on arrival. Processing was extremely slow and also involved our names and hotel reservations being written by hand into a book
This was my experience a few months ago transiting on AC, also through PVG for 3 days
China 72 hour transit visa. Need to inform Air Canada?
The great advice already mentioned which I would repeat:
1. Have a hard copy of all your documents handy
2. Definitely bring a printout from TIMATIC. This helped us immensely when they incorrectly ran their search showing china as the destination
3. Politely but firmly hold your position
The most annoying thing about the program was on arrival. Processing was extremely slow and also involved our names and hotel reservations being written by hand into a book
Jul 15, 2017, 1:41 pm
#65
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,134
This is a completely unreasonable requirement and sounds more like an agent on a power trip than anything else.
Jul 15, 2017, 7:37 pm
#66
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,342
OP to add finality.
We left yesterday from Boston. The very nice woman at the United counter saw that I had the paperwork and didn't even look at it. She was more concerned with getting a new 1st flight as we'd have missed the connection otherwise due to a delay.
In Newark (the flight to PVG), they checked the paperwork again at the gate. The gate staff would not take our ANA flight print out for the confirmed flight/seats in 2 days. He insisted that we show a single "united reservation" into and out of China. (Which I had). While not required by China, this seemed to be the only paperwork that got us on the plane. And I was warned of this last month in Boston at the United counter.
In PVG, the 144 hour transit line took about 10 minutes. It was longish since my partner has a nearly full passport. The authorities were looking at each stamp to be certain they were real.
We left yesterday from Boston. The very nice woman at the United counter saw that I had the paperwork and didn't even look at it. She was more concerned with getting a new 1st flight as we'd have missed the connection otherwise due to a delay.
In Newark (the flight to PVG), they checked the paperwork again at the gate. The gate staff would not take our ANA flight print out for the confirmed flight/seats in 2 days. He insisted that we show a single "united reservation" into and out of China. (Which I had). While not required by China, this seemed to be the only paperwork that got us on the plane. And I was warned of this last month in Boston at the United counter.
In PVG, the 144 hour transit line took about 10 minutes. It was longish since my partner has a nearly full passport. The authorities were looking at each stamp to be certain they were real.
As for the full passport...I've never seen that in China and I go there a lot. I have a double-expanded passport that is now full (minus a spot for two stamps) and I've never once had a Chinese immigration official go through my passport and look at stamps. It does take them a second to find empty space to place the stamp but that's it. I have entered through Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen (airport & land), Shanghai and Chengdu. Tomorrow I'm off to Shanghai and don't expect any issues.
-RM
