Cheap internal flights in China

[maxham]

Hi everyone

I need to fly from Beijing to Hong Kong on 19 January, or Shenzhen would be OK, or even Guangzhou. Just wondering if anyone's got any tips about where to find the above? What about the touts that often hand out cards near the subway stations? Are they trustworthy and reliable?

Thanks........

[hakkaboy]

I would buy from the airline office and ask for a ticket with a big discount. You can nearly always get discounts.

[roddy]

There are always discounts, but I suspect 19th January is just before Spring Festival (it's early this year, no?) so a) there won't be so many discounts, and B) if other holidays are anything to go buy, there might not be any until the airlines decide what they can get away with charging.

As for buying, I price check on ctrip.com and elong.net, then usually buy from the local travel agent. Just make sure you're buying from somewhere who's on the network and can issue the ticket right away, rather than running off to buy it elsewhere.

Roddy

[gato]

I've bought plane tickets from this outfit in Beijing a couple of times. Around the 10/1 holidays, they got me roundtrip tickets to Shanghai for about 1500 yuan, including taxes, airport fees, insurance, etc. More recently, it was around 1300 yuan. One thing I learned from buying the tickets around 10/1 is that the deeper discounts only become available three, four days before the flight. So if you are anxious to get your tickets early, you'll have to settle for more expensive fares. Also only a few days are peak days. For example, fares for 10/1 and the few days after 10/5 were more expensive the ones for the days in between. I suspect the same pattern would apply for the Chinese New Year.

Their phone number is 6606 1285. I think they probably only speak Chinese. They offer free delivery. You pay upon delivery.

[phbriggs]

Also look at elong.net

[Alicante9797]

I know there is a company handing out some blue credit card like sized cards offering discounts. Do it at airports and other places perhaps. Do not remember the name.

My chinese friends used that and had no problems whatsoeever. Only isue was thta we had to order some days ahead of the travel, because they physically had to bring the tickets to us at the address.

So, some planning + being able to speak Chinese and it worked fine, I think savings were about 20%.

Perhaps there are now also some discounts available online, as e-tickets.

Ordering E-tickets online directly at the airlines themselves, even from abroad, is no problem so it should work internally in China with discount agencies, if any, I will guess.