For Cheap Intra-Asian Fares, Try Priceline

[bigdelta 46]

June 18, 2004 -- If you're trying to design a multi-city Asia trip, there are a few ways to keep airfares down. You can use Asia's new low-fare airlines, such as Air Asia and Valuair that we wrote about earlier. Or, you can buy Cathay Pacific's All Asia Pass or the Malaysia Airlines pass, which can bring your multi-city fares (www.tulipstravel.com/travel/airpasses/index.asp) down to $999 plus tax. We discovered a new weapon in the Asian airfare arsenal recently - Priceline Asia.

 

Yes, discounter Priceline sells tickets not just for flights to Asia, but also for flights within Asia. Or, more accurately, their partner Priceline Asia does; it's a joint venture between Priceline and Chinese mega-conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa.

 

Priceline Asia sells round-trip tickets from Hong Kong, Singapore, (sometimes) Macau and (soon) Taiwan to anywhere else in the world. Just like with Priceline USA, you can 'name your own price' for your tickets. And just like with Priceline USA, you must buy round trips. Unlike Priceline USA, though, you can demand nonstop flights on most intra-Asian routes.

 

Why bother bidding on Priceline Asia? Let's say you want to visit Hong Kong and Sydney, Australia. A multi-legged flight bought in the US from New York to Hong Kong to Sydney and back to New York can cost up to $2,500. If you use the Cathay Pacific All Asia Pass, you're looking at more like $1,700 after taxes.

 

On the other hand, you can get a simple roundtrip from New York to Hong Kong for around $750. Priceline Asia sells standard Hong Kong-Sydney tickets for $790 without bidding. Let's assume a 30% discount for bidding - that makes the ticket $550. Now you're paying as little as $1,340 for your two-city itinerary. Using a combination of US-purchased roundtrips to Hong Kong or Singapore and Priceline Asia can shave $100-200 off low fares for other two-city itineraries within Asia, too. (Just remember that Priceline Asia probably can't beat Air Asia or Valuair fares. It's worth trying to underbid the low-fare airlines anyway.)

 

There's one catch: you need a mailing address in the Asian city where your roundtrip will start, in case Priceline Asia finds you paper tickets. You can use a hotel, a business acquaintance or a friend as your mailing address. You're allowed to pay for the tickets with a US-based credit card, no problem. You must buy Singapore and Taiwan-based tickets three business days before traveling. You can buy Hong Kong-based tickets two business days before flying.

 

To buy tickets from Hong Kong or Macau, go to www.priceline.com.hk. To buy tickets from Singapore, go to www.priceline.com.sg. To buy tickets from Taiwan when they finish that Web site, go to www.priceline.com.tw.

 

Priceline Asia also sells hotel rooms, but they use the same hotel database as Priceline USA does, so there's no reason not to just use Priceline's US site for Asian hotels. Priceline.com is a great source for hotels in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok; bidders regularly get four and five-star hotels in Hong Kong for $65-80/night. Check out www.biddingfortravel.com to see the recent prices bidders have grabbed.

[BigDUSA 71]

I've used www.biddingfortravel.com No hassle excellent price on a 4 star hotel in Hong Kong. Room clerk was amazed at how cheap I got it. I think I paid $30 or $40USD for the room.