[foxl]

My agency says travel costs are running around 5000 - 7000 for two but that seems high to me -- does that fit with current experience?

Thx,
Linda

[KarenInCa]

Are you talking about plane tickets for two and hotel stay for 12 nights, and food??? We are counting on it being about 100 a day for hotel, 20 for food and plane tickets, (around 700 each for plane tickets) some airlines give adoption discounts of 65% or so, and we are taking advantage of that. All together that comes to around 3,000. We are also planning on getting our daughter gifts in China for every year till she is 18, to be given to her either on our Forever Family day every year, or on her birthday every year, that is another 1,000 we are expecting to use. So, for us 4,000 is a good estimate total for EVERYTHING, including the gifts to our daughter yearly. But that is also because we are planning on traveling coach, and at the adoption rates. If we were going business class, or not going on an airline that gives the adoption discounts, Im sure it would be closer to 5000-7000 so with that, yes it seems like a good estimate, but at the high end.

[foxl]

That sounds a "Tad" more realistic. I suppose they thought better to estimate HIGH, in preparing the brochure ... I had the general impression that things were much less, over there.

[Sheba]

I agree with Karen. That seems a bit high. We are also taking advantage of the 65% discount and do not plan on the plane tickets to be much higher than $700. We also are planning on a $100 for hotels daily. And we are taking our son. So he gets an even cheaper ticket price.

Good luck

Julie

[mamie902]

Which airlines offer the discount?

[danimarie]

I think it is Northwest.

[SummerMommy]

Keep in mind that the adoption discount is off of the "full fare" price of the ticket and that usually ends up being much higher than other specials they might be running.

We're expecting to pay about $1000 each for plane tickets and $500 for the one way ticket for the baby. Then $150 per night for a slightly larger room/suite at the hotel and $40 per day for three people to eat. Then shopping $ and tips and taxi expenses would be extra on top of that.

Summer

[Sheba]

I just checked out Northwest and a regular fair for an adult from Detroit to Beijing China in September was $1082 which would put us around $550 with the discount. That very much works for us.

Julie

[annej]

Keep in mind it will depend on what time of year you travel. I am traveling this month and it is quite expensive..there are lots of fares out there but try getting tickets .. we have 6 people going and we are paying double the airfair we paid when I went to China in 2002. The summer is a busy traveling season. My first trip was in January. Our agent had all kinds of trouble getting us flights..especially the in country US ones from the east coast to the west.
Anne J

[KarenInCa]

True Anne, I know that anyone planning on traveling in October will pay outrageous rates too, because of the trade fair in China every October. But, if you buy the tickets early from Northwest, you can change the date at any time, without acquiring any change fees. So, potentially, you could purchase the adoption ticket rate about 2 months early, and change the specific date later....providing availabilty, obviously.

[foxl]

Glad I asked ... I am feeling MUCH better, now ... almost tempted to bring the kids, except for flight duration (still considering).

[Tsmom]

Is the discount only for coach or could we use it for business class?
My agency said they could do all the travel arangements for around $125.00 a day.
Nona

as stated earlier, your adoption airfare discount does not mean 65 percent off the lowest fare you can find. It's off of a FULL FARE. Please contact either NorthWest or United to find out what that is.
We plan on comparing fares (that will be available) on travel Websites, through the travel agency and through the airlines themselves and find the one that is not just the least expensive, but most convenient and safe for us.

good luck
Linda in Madison
DTC 2/25, LID 3/17

[KarenInCa]

Yes, the discounted tickets must be purchased directly through the airlines, but it is still about $300-700 round trip per ticket with the discount from regular air fair to China on Northwest if you go Coach. (I've put in every possible time of the year through their online site, and come up with these rates from their regular rates). November is when we expect to travel, and their regulare fare is roughly $885 during that time of year, so ours will be closer to $300 round trip per ticket with the 65% discounts-Thats DIRT cheap! We were told that our agency also has discounts through a travel agency but they cannot even begin to match these prices. We plan on using the travel agency to book the hotels, and flights from one area in China to the other.
Business is a 50% discount instead of 65%, but the regular fair tickets jump much higher, so the average ticket on business would be about $3,000 per ticket with the 50% discount.
We prefer saving the money, even if it means a tighter squeeze for 11 hours per flight. For us, saving a minimum of $4,500 or more is worth packing into coach seats for the day.

[Momof2boysinOH]

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone could tell me which months are considered "peak times" for travel to China. My husband would like to travel either in the fall or the spring (to avoid the summer heat and the winter flu season). So how would airline ticket prices compare for Oct-Nov vs. Mar-Apr?

Also, do the adoption agencies allow you to make your own reservations? The agency I plan to use states in their info packet that they make all the arrangements. The airfare prices they quote don't seem to reflect the 65% adoption discount offered by Northwest. I wonder if we can make our own reservations and take advantage of the discount.

Thanks for your help!

Mary
Mom to 2 bio sons, waiting for 30 to adopt from China