Cheap travel options, be they cheap airplane tickets or cheap vacation packages are available to Asia. The trick is knowing when to buy and fly.
Well over half of all trans-Pacific passengers from the U.S. fly to or connect through China (14 percent), Japan (29 percent), or South Korea (16 percent). United Airlines offers the most weekly flights to Asia, closely followed by Delta.
Airlines typically release their most inexpensive seats for international travel much earlier than domestic flights, about five months prior to departure. While tickets can be purchased up to eleven months prior to departure, you run the risk of over paying if you purchase too early.
Asian airfare sales tend to be less frequent than sales on domestic routes and are often not matched by the competition. You should start shopping early to maximize your chance of finding a sale. Shopping should involve checking prices to/from different destinations and departure cities on a regular basis. By signing up for email fare alerts for your selected route(s) and being prepared to buy immediately you improve your odds of taking advantage of a significant price drop.
Airfare to Asia usually is discounted about $30 in either direction for departures on Mondays through Wednesdays. Cheaper days to fly often vary by airline with U.S. airlines viewing Friday through Sunday as a premium departure window whereas airlines like Korean Air do not rank Sunday as a premium travel day.
Few flights to Asia can be found for under $1,000 roundtrip. The cheapest fares usually have West Coast departures. Direct flights to your destination usually cost $150 to $200 more vs. connecting flights.
Airfares to Asia tend to be a couple hundred dollars cheaper in the fall (September through November), increase significantly for December and January departures, then drop slightly for spring and summer.
Sometimes you can save money by purchasing a domestic ticket from your originating city to a west coast city and then buying an international ticket to your final destination. www.cheapfares.com