Booking via Qantas vs Webjet

[Bajar]

Hi all,

I've been very fortunate to receive some funding to do a small (2-3 week) round of study in China next year. Once my host university confirms dates, I need to be super quick in booking flights to ensure time off work, etc.

Looking at the approximate dates on the Qantas site, I came across this:
July 2, 2017: Dep Canberra, Arr Ningbo. Cost is $3,784 one way, economy

Go onto Webjet - same dates + flights. Cost is $702 one way, economy

Both sites utilise identical flights and times, so why is Qantas over $3,000 more expensive? Virgin aren't flying into this city, and I'd rather book with either QF or VA as opposed to Singapore Airlines.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Pedantic here but, don't forget that Webjet does have some fees that you have to take into account, booking with them.
So the fare difference might have to be $2975 or so, rather than a difference of $3000.
Even though so, for a one way fare from Au to Ch, at $7xx seems a bit too cheap.

 

[Bajar]

The $700 price is also on Qantas for flights to Shanghai, I believe it's because I am booking so far in advance.

 

[ajd]

That's not quite what I'm seeing here - QF site is quoting $4915, and Webjet is quoting even higher for any QF routing that's <40 hours.

Looks like QF is only selling Flex fares for some reason?

 

[TheInsider]

Maybe look at booking the CBR-PVG seperate then the PVG-NGB on it's own again.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all,

I've been very fortunate to receive some funding to do a small (2-3 week) round of study in China next year. Once my host university confirms dates, I need to be super quick in booking flights to ensure time off work, etc.

Looking at the approximate dates on the Qantas site, I came across this:
July 2, 2017: Dep Canberra, Arr Ningbo. Cost is $3,784 one way, economy

Go onto Webjet - same dates + flights. Cost is $702 one way, economy

Both sites utilise identical flights and times, so why is Qantas over $3,000 more expensive? Virgin aren't flying into this city, and I'd rather book with either QF or VA as opposed to Singapore Airlines.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Whichever way you go I echo the other comments on here that webjet has extraordinary fees and charges which aren't levied by any other travel agent that I can think of. The 'fare lock guarantee' I simply cannot understand and is a very expensive addition to your fare.

I'd call any other travel agent, even flight centre and have them match what you can find on webjet - without the fees and charges.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Can you fly into PEK instead, and then use land transport? I think I read there is a high speed bullet train that does this route in 6.5 or so hours. 596CNY in train first class.
I can see CBR - PEK (on the QF website) via SYD one way for about $775 in whY for about first week in Jul 17.
That is what I would do.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That is what I would do.

totally agree.

 

[ftm]

This is an interesting one about what Qantas shows on their website versus what their fares are built for. What they're showing is a full Y one way fare for $4915, but when I do a fare search to see how they construct their fares between Sydney and Ningbo, the cheap ones route via HKG and connect with KA/CX. Problem with HKG is that the flights don't connect outbound and you have to overnight, which is probably why the QF website isn't showing them.

Do you know your return date? A return will be cheaper than two one ways, so try and do that if you can.