International Flights. Any tips on getting them cheap?

GnarShredd

The girlfriend and I are finally pulling the trigger on a big trip and we're headed to China in June. Any experienced international jet-setters have any websites or tips on getting a cheap fare? Or are we ok sticking with the usual travelocity/kayak/etc.?

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

I do not have any tips, but WHY are you going to China of all places?

b_girl · Posted: Jan 18, 2012 11:03 am Post subject:

I don't have any tips either - not for travel to China at least... but would love to go to China!

as a bit of a shameless plug... a friend of mine runs a website offering free travel advice... so she may be able to help you out. http://thetravelingwaitress.com/

GnarShredd · Posted: Jan 18, 2012 11:27 am Post subject:

wakeboarderdave1 · Posted: Jan 18, 2012 11:44 am Post subject:

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

Yeah, I guess it helps having someone there to show you around. My friend goes there almost monthly for business and hates China. Laughing

GnarShredd · Posted: Jan 18, 2012 12:18 pm Post subject:

wakeboarderdave1, One friend lives in Beijing and another just outside of Beijing in Tianjin. We're planning all of our stops now but we'd like to do the usual touristy things plus whatever our friends can show us of local flavor. Great wall, Forbidden City, temples, maybe something with pandas since that's key to any China trip. If it's cheap I'd like to try and pop over to South Korea for a couple days for a change of pace, but doubt we'll be able to on limited time.

We'd also like to take some kind of a train trip away from Beijing for at least a couple days (we'll be there two weeks total) but haven't quite figured out where. The girl wants to go to go to hong kong but it's really far and really westernized so I'm not too interested. Hopefully I can talk her in to going to some smaller villages to check out rice fields or something neat like that. We're also trying to plan around seeing the dragon boat festival but it depends on our flights if we'll be able to or not.

If you've got any must see things let me know!

GnarShredd · Posted: Jan 18, 2012 12:23 pm Post subject:

ontrider, We're definitely going to see a different side of things from a usual trip while there. My friends are super social/outgoing and know a bunch of people over there, locals and international transplants alike. I'm most excited for that I think, just hanging out with friends in a new city with the locals.

One of my buddies was on a national dating show somewhat recently and got pretty famous, haha. He had to change his email/phone numbers and all his work calls get screened because of girls calling him all the time.

Justin 1933 · Soul Rider Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 364 City: The OC, CA

Been to China 45 times, but never to the tourist places. I hate Southern China. Hong Kong is cool, but I would go to Shanghai.

Broccoli B · Posted: Jan 18, 2012 12:47 pm Post subject:

Justin 1933, What happens when you run out of space for stamps on your passport?

jjaszkow · Posted: Jan 18, 2012 1:00 pm Post subject:

Broccoli B, you send your passport in and they add pages.

What I hate is when a customs official finds a blank page and stamps it even though there is room on the other pages. Generally visas require two adjoining blank pages, so wasted space is frustrating.

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

Here if I remember correctly, you have to apply for a new one when you run out of pages.

Justin, my friend goes to Shanghai all the time and doesn't like it much there either!

timmy · Addict Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Posts: 882 City: Jupiter, FL

aa.com has had good prices lately. I saw r/t miami to shanghai the other day for $934

BrentC5Z · Posted: Jan 18, 2012 5:54 pm Post subject:

It like any other travel really. With at least 3 weeks notice, you can find good deals on all the popular sites. You should try several airports for destinations in the area though. I booked Intl flights for next week, one airport was $4,400, another one (3 hour drive away) was $1,600... I told my boss we could rent a speedy car with the money left over & just drive.

USMGolfer · Addict Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 628 City: Hixson

As a general rule for booking flights Tuesdays tend to be the cheapest day of the week to book tickets. Also make sure you get the airline reviews before you buy your ticket. Korean Air and Singapore Airlines (there are a couple of none-stops in from the US to China w SIA) tend to have some of the highest rating where as China Eastern has lower ratings. Seat Guru will also give you reviews of airline interiors and which seats to look for. Hopefully this helps.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

<<<<<Really wants to see China, especially the country.

wakeboarderdave1 · Posted: Jan 18, 2012 10:18 pm Post subject:

GnarShredd, what time of the year are you going? If it's summer Beijing will be HOT. When we were there and went to the various tourist spots we'd come back from the place drenched in sweat. Other than Beijing we went to Xi'an (terra cotta army) and Datong[, my sister in laws hometown. I'd highly suggest going to Xi'an.

In Bejing you should get Peking Duck (I'll have to look up the place we went too) and to eat at a Hot Pot somewhere in China.

I'm sure you know this, but don't drink any water that is not bottled. Even to brush your teeth.

PM me if you've got any specific questions and I can ask my SIL for info.

GnarShredd · Posted: Jan 19, 2012 6:43 am Post subject:

wakeboarderdave1, We'lll be there in June. My buddies have been there for 3 years now so hopefully they can tell me what to pack. Would like to go when it's cooler out but work schedules are kinda wonky. Terra Cotta army is definitely on the list.

Thanks for all the info. I'll probably hit you up at some point with some "is it worth it to visit ______" questions once we get things hammered out.

haugy, Lots of pictures/videos will be coming out of this trip. Just got a new HD camera and am itching to use it.

E.J. · Ladies Man Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 7597 City: Mogadishu

Justin 1933 · Soul Rider Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 364 City: The OC, CA

Definitely do not drink any water and brush your teeth with bottle water. Make sure to get lots of massages. Foot massages are great and cheap. June will be humid and hot. Try lots of food, but stay away from the pig intestines (worse thing I have ever ate, and I have had dog).

EVA airlines has a economy deluxe class which is great. Highly recommend it. I have flown economy and hated it. It is one long flight. Flying through Japan is a nice break up.

EJ, IW is one of our bigger accounts and carrying all of our products. The CA9 is a nice stick at a good price. Basically the same as sticks that cost $179/$189, and ours cost $149.99

BrentC5Z · Posted: Jan 27, 2012 4:41 pm Post subject:

Bump. I was overseas this week, just got home. Wb.com told me I was banned every time I tried to log on.
Mad

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

Ed probably blocked the entire country because of spam bots.

Chris · Outlaw Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 188 City: Spokane

I'm in China right now so its not that Smile

IMO fares tend to start high then drop, usually the lowest around 3 weeks before your departure....

rozealbert · Newbie Joined: 03 Feb 2012 Posts: 1

If you are planning for a trip then you can easily find cheap domestic flight tickets as well as international flight tickets online. If you search online then you will find that several airlines are offering cheap flight tickets for several domestic and international destinations.

GnarShredd · Posted: Feb 06, 2012 6:48 am Post subject:

Surprised it took so long for a spammer to show up on this one...