China Transit Without Visa While Nonrevving?
I am trying to get to BKK and have no ZED options. It would work perfectly to nonrev on DL LAX-PVG and buy a confirmed ticket from PVG-BKK. I know with certainty this is OK per timatic and Chinese policy, but has anyone done it with DL?
I worry that I will get an agent that doesn't understand the policy, or will claim that it does not apply to nonrevenue travel. I will have a confirmed ticket about 4 hours after LAX-PVG arrives on a different airline.
Thanks for any insight or experiences.
I have not done this but there have been a couple on the forums that have done this.
Have you thought about staying in China a couple of days to sight see? I highly recommend going through PEK and seeing the great wall, if that route works.
Offroader - NonRev Correspondent - Utah
DL to SIN then Thai SIN - BKK. $50
ddagencylv - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Global Aviation News
Yes, I did this in 2013, not long after the policy began.Originally Posted by pjpoker
We went DAY-DTW-PEK-ICN-DTW-DAY.
I was concerned as well, and actually, the agent in DAY did not want to let us board. In DTW, the agent was aware of the policy, but they called United to make sure we had a revenue ticket to ICN (We used miles for Air China).
It all went smoothly after that.
I think the policy has been in effect long enough that you should not encounter any problems.
I second PEK. The Great Wall was amazing, and simple to get to.
Vulindlela - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Indianapolis
Migflanker (01-Sep-2018)
Thanks for the advice, everyone.
I thought about SIN as tickets are very cheap out of there, but my girlfriend is coming into BKK separately on a confirmed ticket on China Eastern. Her arrival is around midnight so I want to keep it close to that and SIN flight times don't work out well.
I used HKG last time and will most likely do the same later this month. several connecting flights that would arrive at your time.
curious about your decided route?
I haven't decided yet. I'm not leaving until 09/22 so I'm just keeping an eye on it. I'll be in LAX at that time, so PVG/PEK would be convenient. It's a bit pretentious, but I don't want to fly any route that won't put me in business class on DL for the flight over. If PVG doesn't work out, I'll find something else. LAX-SEA-HKG is an option I'm looking at as well. One of the few Asian ZEDs I have is on EK, so that would be a bonus with HKG as EK flies an A380 between HKG-BKK.
Will follow up with how it all really goes when the time comes.
EK? I can't do ZED as far as I know. HK Air or Thai air works. most likely same time as you.
Late reply, but my route ended up being LAX-PVG-BKK. Nonrev LAX-PVG on Delta and I bought a confirmed $100 ticket from PVG-BKK on China Eastern. Delta initially denied me in LAX because I didn't have a visa. Luckily I had printed out pages from Timatic indicating that I do not need a visa if I hold a confirmed ticket onward. It took like 3 agents before they found someone who was certain and they let me go. D1 suite on the A350 was great.
And just for fun, the routing of my entire trip was as follows -
FLL-LAX-PVG-BKK-KBV-HKT-REP-PNH-SGN-DAD-HUI-HAN-HKG-LAX-FLL
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