Job Discussion Forums

[poopsicola]

WELL! I don't think much of www.asia.com.

I tested it against the internet price with Singapore Airlines, Shanghai - Sydney. Total price, including taxes, for return flights to Australia was $1352 AUD.

www.asia.com, in giving me the cheapest flights, didn't even mention Singapore Air. It concentrated on China Eastern, etc. and the best price going was, including taxes, about $1590 AUD!

Dates: 29 Jan 2007 - 18 Feb 2007 ex. Shanghai.

So www.asia.com's price is about $240 dearer than SIA's on-line price. Who'd pay China Eastern an extra $240 for the sake of flying with them instead of SIA!

There are snake-oil salesmen working on this forum.

[chufeng]

Yeah, NathanRahl is full of crap. Love the "experienced" advice. Hey Nate, you've been in China, what, a week now?!? Apparently he's a fast learner....

When I bought my first ticket from the States, I shopped airlines, orbitz/expedia/etc., consolidators, and agents. For flights to China, agents have always been able to get me better prices than other sources. (For domestic flights, I've generally found the major internet sites and airline websites to be the best.) YMMV. I know others who swear by a consolidator, or a particular internet site, or buying direct from an airline.

For flights from China to the US, I've generally found that direct from the airlines is the cheapest, oddly. (For example, I got my last ticket by calling the NWA China reservations line.) I have a couple websites that I use for research, and I always check with a few agents as well, but if they can't get me a better price, then I just go with the airline. At least when you're dealing with the airline directly, you can pay with a credit card (at no additional cost) and get your eticket set up over the phone. I'm still not comfortable running around with RMB 10,000 in cash to give to an agent (or better yet, a non-English speaking courier) in exchange for my ticket.

Also, keep in mind that many websites can only sell tickets that originate in one country, or at least they can only get you good deals originating from the country they are based in. For example, orbitz can only sell tickets originating in the US. (So they would be useless for a ticket from Shanghai to the US or Australia.) Many US-based agents and consolidators can sell you a ticket originating in China, but the price will be higher than if you go with an agent based in China.

It's a royal pain....

[NathanRahl]

I payed 824 dollars from USA to china, I do not know how much their fares are to singapore or anywhere else. If anyone else payed less then me, speak up, I am guessing it is not too many people. Therefore, I am not full of it.

Also, it depends on the day, availability, and when you will be traveling.

On another note, I think it is sad that there are so many sneaky, coniving, envious people on here that they attack someone even when they are trying to be helpful. as if they are the only people on here who can offer helpful advice.

I think more of you should stand up to them, and you know who they are, those who smack you down no matter what you have to say. Really they are just a bunch of trolls in sheeps clothing, and they only get away with it because you let them, stand up to them already. Or are all the decent non weasels here just plain cowards?

[Lute451]

We went to www.flychina.com for our tickets from the US to China. We paid 672 each for one way from Seattle to Shenyang via Beijing.

It was a very easy process, and that was the cheapest I was able to find after looking at ticket prices for about 2 weeks. Also, we booked the tickets 13 days before leaving. I think we got a pretty good deal.

[NathanRahl]

I booked mine 7 days before leaving.

Also, it depends on where in china you are going, I had to buy three seperate tickets, and had three seperate connections. Unless you left from where I did, and went where I did, there's no way to say who got a better deal, china is a big country you know. Later matey

[no_exit]

[NathanRahl]

Hmm, well that was the best price I could find at the time. A lot of things influence price, and I was flying at a peak time, and three years was a long time ago. I will check out this other sight when I fly back, but if I already checked it and the price I got was worsethen the one I paid, I will let you know later.

[GS1981]

http://www.flightseverywhere.co.uk/ seems to have some very good prices: I was looking at flights with KLM to China: has anyone used them before?