open jaw vs round trip

[ferret]

I hope I explain this right.

 

I'm taking a cruise that starts in Singapore and ends in Dubai. I live in Philadelphia (but will go to NYC for an airport if needed).

 

Now, I checked open jaw flights (JFK-singapore and Dubai-JFK) on Emirates and it's going to be about $2400.

 

Then, for fun, I did a round trip from NYC to Singapore. It's half that much and it has layovers in Dubai. So it's essentially the same flight, but an extra flight from Singapore to Dubai that I don't want to use.

 

Is this okay? In other words, if I have a flight with a stop, is it okay to miss the first part and board at second part?

[greatam]

I hope I explain this right.

 

I'm taking a cruise that starts in Singapore and ends in Dubai. I live in Philadelphia (but will go to NYC for an airport if needed).

 

Now, I checked open jaw flights (JFK-singapore and Dubai-JFK) on Emirates and it's going to be about $2400.

 

Then, for fun, I did a round trip from NYC to Singapore. It's half that much and it has layovers in Dubai. So it's essentially the same flight, but an extra flight from Singapore to Dubai that I don't want to use.

 

Is this okay? In other words, if I have a flight with a stop, is it okay to miss the first part and board at second part?

 

No, if you miss the first flight on your return trip, your entire itinerary will most likely be cancelled.

 

There certainly are flights a lot cheaper than $2400.00. Cathay-one stop HKG (long layover) about $1600. American through Tokyo, return to JFK on AerLingus with a stop in Dublin from Dubai. AA in the neighborhood of $1800.00. Korean Air is the cheapest out of JFK-about $1550, with a connection through Seoul going to Singapore and then return again via Aer Lingus through Dublin. IF it was my choice, I would take the Cathay Flight, even with the 12 hour layover in HKG. If you post your dates, it will help to point you in the direction of cheaper fares.

[Nanatravel]

Try using Multi-city flights. Watch for airlines that do a code share; example, Northwest and KLM or Alitalia. I am not familar with the Orient. Also, ask your TA to check with the cruise line to determine what flights they would book you on if you decide to pay a Deviation Fee as you are thinking about going out a few days early. This will help you figure out the cheapest ways to fly to/from each port.

 

Bon Voyage

[Globaliser]

If you post your dates, it will help to point you in the direction of cheaper fares.

I agree. A search of random dates in April/May throws up a fare of $1316 to do JFK-SIN/DXB-JFK on Emirates. So it's critical to see why you are being asked for almost double that for your dates, and then we can see who else might be able to do any better.

Korean Air is the cheapest out of JFK-about $1550 ...

FWIW, and this is a personal view: I would not fly this shower even if they paid me to do so. Unless there truly was no alternative.

[FlyerTalker]

If you have a ticket that has a number of segments, and you deliberately don't take one of them, your onward ticket will be cancelled.

 

What you were hoping for was to ticket:

 

(segment 1) JFK-DXB connecting to

(segment 2) DXB-SIN.

Then

(segment 3) SIN-DXB connecting to

(segment 4) DXB-JFK.

 

Then you would fly segments 1&2 to get to your cruise, then not fly segment 3, but do fly segment 4 to get from DXB to JFK. However, once you don't fly segment 3, segment 4 is cancelled and the ticket voided out. The fact that you would be connecting in DXB doesn't make this possible.

 

Another option is to look at a Round the World (RTW) fare. These are based on mileage, allow you to have open segments, and are very flexible. You would likely have to make some additional stopovers (not connections) as most RTW's require at least 3 stopovers on the fare. So you could get some additional vacation spots along the way. RTW's require you to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific, so you really do go "around the world".

 

Another option is a custom package put together by a RTW or Circle Trip consolidator. Put in "round the world airfare" into Google for a recommendation.

 

Also, you might be getting a higher fare if your trip is over 30 days long. Some fares have a maximum stay limit that puts a crimp into longer cruising.

[ferret]

I really wanted to take Emirates. I am flexible, but I liked that they had a non-stop from Dubai to my area.

 

and some of those rates you guys are finding aren't the real rates. When I go to orbitz and do a search on the flights, then click the flight I want, the fare suddenly goes up. There are some that are in the vicinity of $1500-1600, but they are pain in the butt flights with lots of stops.

 

The RT JFK-SIN on Emirates was a little less than that, with a non-stop and it's a highly rated airline.

 

But it's kind of moot since I know now that if I miss the first portion of the flight, that the whole thing is cancelled.

 

FWIW, I'm trying to leave here on Apr 26, 2007 and leave May18, 2007

this is the cruise I'm taking:

http://www.crystalcruises.com/cruise_itinerary.aspx?CID=7211

 

I want a couple of days in Singapore before the cruise and one extra in Dubai.

[greatam]

FWIW, and this is a personal view: I would not fly this shower even if they paid me to do so. Unless there truly was no alternative.

 

I agree. Not the exerience you and I are looking for. The safety record has improved. However, for people who get on a plane once a year and are looking to save a few dollars, it may be a vaiable alternative. The flight times were quite good, with a minimal layover in Seoul.

[ferret]

I agree. Not the exerience you and I are looking for. The safety record has improved. However, for people who get on a plane once a year and are looking to save a few dollars, it may be a vaiable alternative. The flight times were quite good, with a minimal layover in Seoul.

 

I am willing to spend a little more for a good airline and for fewer stops.

 

I actually cheked the open jaw flight rate is it's $2723 on Emirates (it's not the trick rate on orbitz). It would be cheaper to get a RT JFK-DXB and a one-way to Singapore on the same line. A lot cheaper! (but even cheaper to do a complete round trip, but unfortunately, not an option.)

[greatam]

and some of those rates you guys are finding aren't the real rates. When I go to orbitz and do a search on the flights, then click the flight I want, the fare suddenly goes up. There are some that are in the vicinity of $1500-1600, but they are pain in the butt flights with lots of stops.

 

 

I want a couple of days in Singapore before the cruise and one extra in Dubai.

 

Yes, I am sure what I posted and what Globaliser posted were REAL rates, with REAL availability. Came directly from airline databases (paid for by my company) or directly from the airline website. Bookable per the fare class shown in the database. The fares did not come from a third party booking agent.

 

I certainly didn't think one stop in HKG, one stop in Seoul, or one stop in Narita were poor flights. The worst part outbound was the 12 hr layover in HKG on Cathay. On the return, AA/Swiss through Zurich, AerLingus through Dublin are certainly not bad connections.

 

If you want to fly Emirates, fly Emirates.

[ferret]

unintentional double post

[ferret]

It is not my intent to argue rates. I'm saying I saw similar rates on Orbtz, and when I clicked on them, they went up. These are the same as on the airline's website.

 

I'm not trying to find the cheapest flight, but how to find the cheapest way to do the flight I want to take.

 

There are 3 different rates depending on how you figure.

 

There is the round trip rate...that was $1400ish

 

There is the open jaw rate....what was $2700ish

 

I would obviously prefer to take the first flight since they are the same exact flight (in theory). But now I realize that airlines don't allow it.

 

Then there is the RT from JFK-DXB with a one-way from DXB-SIN, which is $1600ish. That's probably the way to go.

[ferret]

It is not my intent to argue rates. I'm saying I saw similar rates on Orbtz, and when I clicked on them, they went up. These are the same as on the airline's website.

 

I'm not trying to find the cheapest flight, but how to find the cheapest way to do the flight I want to take.

 

There are 3 different rates depending on how you figure.

 

There is the round trip rate...that was $1400ish

 

There is the open jaw rate....what was $2700ish

 

I would obviously prefer to take the first flight since they are the same exact flight (in theory). But now I realize that airlines don't allow it.

 

Then there is the RT from JFK-DXB with a one-way from DXB-SIN, which is $1600ish (even less if I fly Gulf Air on the One way). That's probably the way to go.

[ferret]

sorry...did it again

[Globaliser]

I am willing to spend a little more for a good airline and for fewer stops.

As a compromise, what about this:-

 

Thu 26-Apr-07 BA 186

Newark (EWR) Depart 8:00 am

London (LHR) Arrive 8:05 pm

 

Thu 26-Apr-07 BA 15

London (LHR) Depart 9:50 pm

Singapore (SIN) Arrive 5:35 pm +1 day

 

Total duration: 19hr 50mn (21hr 35mn with connections)

 

Fri 18-May-07 BA 106

Dubai (DXB) Depart 1:20 am

London (LHR) Arrive 5:55 am

 

Fri 18-May-07 BA 185

London (LHR) Depart 8:55 am

Newark (EWR) Arrive 11:30 am

 

Total duration: 15hr 10mn (18hr 10mn with connections)

 

Total price for this trip: $1,523.75

 

Alternative return flight

 

Fri 18-May-07 BA 108

Dubai (DXB) Depart 9:00 am

London (LHR) Arrive 1:30 pm

 

Fri 18-May-07 BA 187

London (LHR) Depart 6:40 pm

Newark (EWR) Arrive 9:50 pm

 

Total duration: 15hr 40mn (20hr 50mn with connections)

[Globaliser]

Yes, I am sure what I posted and what Globaliser posted were REAL rates, with REAL availability.

Actually, to be fair, I think that there does seem to be an issue with EK somewhere along the line.

 

The price that I saw for EK was returned by the ITA Software search engine. However, neither Travelocity nor Expedia would return that fare. So it would not surprise me if EK is showing availability in the booking class that prices like that, but the booking engine cannot even get a SS to firm price the fare, let alone HK the seat.

 

The BA fare that I posted, though, was firm quoted by both Expedia and Travelocity, so I'm confident that that one is available. There is one more stop than the EK open-jaw route. But the EK open-jaw route is itself one stop more than the theoretical minimum, which is EWR-(SQ)-SIN/DXB-(EK)-JFK.

 

One other advantage of the BA route: It uses EWR in both directions, which is closer to Philly than JFK.

[ferret]

that is very helpful, Globalizer...and you're right, EWR is more convenient.

 

I wish I had the tools you guyshave to find rates. I'm stuck with orbitz and airline websites.

 

I also looked in the RTW fares you suggested. They seem to be a good deal for business or first class, but not economy....not without doing a bunch more stops.

[banditcat]

We had a similar issue with a Seabourn Cruise. Starting in Singapore and retruning from Hong Kong. We started with consolidators. I will admit that my husband refused to go coach so we up to Business. The flight to Singapore is a direct flight on Singapore Air from Newark. Return is on United from Hong Kong. We ended up using Seabourn Air because the connections were better than what we could get through consolidators and the cost was not much more. We were quite suprised by this! If you have a TA they should be able to work with several consolidators to get you the best price available.

[Globaliser]

I wish I had the tools you guyshave to find rates. I'm stuck with orbitz and airline websites.

Actually, I don't use anything that's not publicly available.

 

A wonderful first search tool, with wonderful flexibility but not always up-to-the-minute accuracy: ITA Software demo page. This is the software house whose software drives Orbitz, amongst other sites. But Orbitz runs a clunky stripped-down version; the demo page seems to have all the bells and whistles. You can play with the parameters as much as you like to widen or narrow your search. The only complaint I have with this is that you can't search for both the day before and the day after as well as the selected date.

 

In addition to Orbitz, don't forget both Travelocity and Expedia. Neither is perfect, and both seem to be biased (in different ways). But they can sometimes throw up ideas that are worth following through elsewhere.

 

And be creative about the airline websites you try. For international trips, don't stick to US airlines, which generally give you worse service anyway.

 

Incidentally, I've just noticed that the BA website will do that itinerary for $5 less than Expedia - probably an Expedia service fee that you'll be avoiding, plus you can deal directly with the airline.

[shaq]

Check out kayak.com. They always seem to have the best fares and usually have open jaw flights.