jrquad

Flights through Japan NRT and HND to South East Asia this summer are expensive. But it is not just the money. Without HKG in the mix, trips to Southeast Asia require 7 or more hours on partner carriers. There are lots of reasons it was better flying into HKG on United metal leaving only a short flight on partner airlines to Bangkok, Viet Nam or other SE Asia destinations.

Does United have a plan for the East Coast US passenger? Is the plan to wait for HKG to be a vibrant hub again? Is there an alternative HUB in the mix? I noticed some increased talk of partnerships with Singapore Airlines and maybe some United metal from the west coast.

I look forward to the long upgrade flights to HKG and then a short flight on the partners if this is the plan.

Unitedloyalflyer

HKG hasn't been a hub ever since CO took over. They even quickly dehubbed NRT

jrquad

I guess I mean a viable connector to other areas in the region. And will they continue to offer daily service.

MatthewLAX

At this point, no way. Hong Kong is taking a ridiculous approach to COVD, just like the Mainland (IMO of course). There will not be flights until the onerous restrictions are dropped. I have a Hong Kong ticket I have not been able to use in over two years. No way I am going to quarantine for even one week for vacation.

I'm not sure we'll see UA back in HKG in 2022 or even 2023.

paperwastage

On UA 016 ticket/same itinerary?

Pre COVID, i see united selling CONUSA-HKG, HKG-XYZ via Cathay dragon/Jetstar, where XYZ is in south Asia
I feel like TYO is probably a better connector via NH for east coast, or let's see how much that SQ-UA SIN MoU/code share goes

SQ / SIA signs MOU with United Airlines (Adding 19 new codeshares)


On separate tickets? You really want to take that risk right now?

UA_Flyer

Hong Kong currently only requires one-week quarantine for qualified travelers, but it is still an isolated and expensive requrement.

I beleive transit is possible at HKG, but they are so limited flights to/from Southeast Asia, so it is not just an UA issue. It is an HK issue,

Now UA and SQ has a full code-share agreement, suggest OP to look at flying to SIN via SFO on UA and conenct to other Southeast Asia destinations via SQ,,,much better airlines and nicer airport. The new Silverkris and Krisflyer Lounges are very nice at T3.

kevflyer

Transits are allowed as long as the flights are on the same ticket / booking. Not aware of SE Asia restrictions other than can't use HKG to transit to mainland China.

WineCountryUA

Unless connecting to eventually to mainland China there are multiple viable options -- Japan (NRT/HND). SIN and TPE is opening faster then HKG. HKG is fast loosing it special place due to multiple self inflicted clauses.

angetenar

Even Cathay is barely flying at the moment, and Hong Kong's days as a global aviation hub are likely in the past. In parallel, SIN has a very good chance of replacing HKG as a major connecting point for Southeast Asia, with SQ offering service to JFK and EWR. I think that a lot of it will depend on how the UA/SQ relation develops, particularly if they enter into a JV agreement a la the one with NH or LH and co.

Edit: with regards to your question about US east coast to SEA connectivity, consider this map. I chose EWR to HKT as a representative route that is unlikely to ever have non-stop options, and you can see the lengths when connecting at NRT, SIN, FRA, and HKG. While HKG is indeed the closest, connecting at FRA is only ~200 miles longer. Connecting in SIN is ~700 miles longer, and the total segment length SIN-HKG is only 607 miles.

travelinmanS

Fly to SIN if you must take UA to SE Asia. HK isn’t just dead as a hub, it’s dead as “Asia’s World City”.

SFO_LOW_CLOUDS

SFO SIN nonstop. Fairly cheap too.

MDTyKe

I would say Hong Kong is just dead, period.

n198ua

Can’t find the data. but I’m sure someone here knows, didn’t UA at one time or another have 1or2 dailiys from SFO, 1 from LAX, 1 from ORD, 1 from EWR, and (maybe) 1 from IAD to HKG at one point or another in the past ? Certainly at some point, some time, a couple of those flights have to come back. IIRC, the 2nd daily SFO flight was announced but never made it due to COVID.

kevflyer

It ran from Oct '19 to Jan '20. Started on Oct 15 IIRC (The day after HKG-GUM was terminated)

mabatross1

If I remember correctly it had 3 flights. ORD, Newark (From continental), and 1 from SFO. I think they stop the ORD to HK and started 2 from SFO (morning and evening departure). The ORD was a UA plane and sometimes stopped in Bejing for fuel. Go back longer. The Neward was the extended range 777, so no need to stop for fuel. They did have HK to SIN and HK to NRT, but that has been gone for a long time. I have been lucky to take all of these flights at one time... Remember taking off North out of ORD and over the North Pole (within 60 miles) via 747 and later 777.