Circle Pacific Advice

[Chucksta]

Which routing direction is better for a circle pacific?

CGK-SYD-LAX-LAS-JFK-HKG-CGK

or

CGK-HKG-JFK-LAS-LAX-SYD-CGK

1. Does LAX or JFK have 'shorter' queues for immigration?
2. Which direction would have less jet lag?
3. Is it worth going First class over Business Class? (There would only be 2 real first class flights (SYD-LAX and HKG-JFK)

Thanks

Chucksta

 

[drron]

when our son was living in NYC we always flew BNE-NRT-JFK.Yes the real reason was JAL was 30% cheaper than QF in J but we always found arrival in JFK easier than LAX
Jet lag though I would find better flying JFK-HKG than flying LAX-SYD but that is because flights to Asia are daylight flights in general arriving late afternoon or early evening whilst back to SYD are overnighters arriving early in the morning.
Personally I wouldn't do it in f over J but we are all different.

 

[dajop]

2. Which direction would have less jet lag?
3. Is it worth going First class over Business Class? (There would only be 2 real first class flights (SYD-LAX and HKG-JFK)

In terms of direction, I don't think it really makes much difference (unlike round the world fares, you still need to easterly one way and westerly another), probably timing of flights has more of an influence (FWIW though I have found late afternoon arrivals into JFK more palatable than morning arrivals into LAX). As for the First question, if you did that it would be worth trying to route from LAS back to SFO or LAX to take advantage of the transcon F rather than routing direct out of LAS on stock standard F.

 

[Hawkeye]

What's the total cost of a DCIR26 and ACIR26 leaving from CGK? AT a rough guess, the fare difference is probably about $3000AUD.

While you only have 2 true F segments, QF F SYD-LAX and CX F JFK-HKG are up there with as good as it gets.

I'd do it, but ultimately only you can decide if the cost differential is worth the incremental benefit of F over J.

 

[serfty]

what's the total cost of a dcir26 and acir26 leaving from cgk? At a rough guess, the fare difference is probably about $3000aud. ...

It's ~USD2600. DCIR26 is USD6653 and ACIR26 is USD9264.

 

[Scrimo]

What's the total cost of a DCIR26 and ACIR26 leaving from CGK? AT a rough guess, the fare difference is probably about $3000AUD.

While you only have 2 true F segments, QF F SYD-LAX and CX F JFK-HKG are up there with as good as it gets.

I'd do it, but ultimately only you can decide if the cost differential is worth the incremental benefit of F over J.

I am trying to decide exactly the same thing at the moment but buying out of HKG. As mentioned the only true F class is mentioned above so its a tough question. Current pricing ex HKG is DCIR26 $6591 or an ACIR26 is $9411... So $3000 for two of the best F flights in the world with QF and CX, hmmmm what to do. Not to mention that in F this trip could give you around 1500 status credits and its still $2000 less than buying the fare out of AUD

 

[Hawkeye]

I am trying to decide exactly the same thing at the moment but buying out of HKG. As mentioned the only true F class is mentioned above so its a tough question. Current pricing ex HKG is DCIR26 $6591 or an ACIR26 is $9411... So $3000 for two of the best F flights in the world with QF and CX, hmmmm what to do. Not to mention that in F this trip could give you around 1500 status credits and its still $2000 less than buying the fare out of AUD

The cost difference, imo, is worth it for the CX segment alone. The in-flight dim sum for breakfast, washed down with a couple of glasses of Krug, on a morning departure from JFK is as good as it gets!

Using that rationale, the QF F segment then becomes a "free" bonus.

See ... easily justifed!

 

[Scrimo]

The cost difference, imo, is worth it for the CX segment alone. The in-flight dim sum for breakfast, washed down with a couple of glasses of Krug, on a morning departure from JFK is as good as it gets!

Using that rationale, the QF F segment then becomes a "free" bonus.

See ... easily justifed!

Love your thought process! Might just do it

 

[jamesatfish]

I flew an ACIR26 a few months ago - CBR-SYD-HKG-(YVR)-JFK-DCA-JFK-LAX-SFO-LAX-SYD-ADL-MEL-CBR.

That was my first CX flight ever, and I would fully agree it would be worth the extra expense over a DCIR26 to experience their First cabin. Whilst I was a bit bemused at ending up on the flight connecting through YVR (and it's a rude shock to step out of the luxury of the First cabin into an airside holding pen with only a few vending machines in way of facilities) it did mean experiencing 2 dinners, 2 rounds of Krug etc. Dinner YVR-JFK included Lobster and Venison mains (I had both) - fantastic.

I agree you should do the US transcon leg JFK-SFO or JFK-LAX before heading to LAS - if you can book an AA 777 with their Flagship Service that's a pretty good experience as you get the individual 'suites' in a 1-1-1 arrangement rather than the 2-1-2 of the 762s. If you're hunting for extra SCs maybe also try JFK-MIA-LAX as the 777 flies MIA-LAX as well.

 

[impact]

I need to be in Seoul in late June, Denpasar in mid July and Vancouver in mid August. I would like to spend about 10 days each in Japan and Korea, 3-4 days in Bali, about a week in Canada and a couple of weeks in the United States. However, I want to come back to Australia between the substantive Asian trip and the substantive North American trip.

Is it possible to think of a Circle Pacific fare to cover the whole travel? I could use KL or HKG as transit hubs in Asia, as they both connect with my Asian destinations. In North America, I could access Vancouver via Tokyo or DFW.

Is it feasible to start and leave in Melbourne but to enter from Asia and leave for North America from another city?

Would it be easier and cheaper to buy a Circle Pacific fare from KL, returning from there to Melbourne using the 23.59 hours rule??? Are the fares cheaper to buy from Hong Kong?

Finally, is it possible to fly Premium Economy on a Circle Pacific fare. Is it paid for the whole fare or only for specified segments?

Advice is welcomed

Thanks

Impact