Amazing Deal Alert: LA to Beijing in China Eastern Business Class From $1,137 Round-Trip
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11:00pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you're using the American Express Platinum Card, you'll need to book directly with the airline or through Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Expedia's courtesy cancellation if you're unable to get the time away from work or family.
China Eastern is currently offering amazing business class fares from Los Angeles (LAX) to Beijing (PEK) from $1,137 round-trip for travel from late August through the beginning of October. The catch to this deal is that it's only available through online travel agencies (OTAs) — not with the airline directly. It's unclear whether this is a mistake fare, and if the airline will actually honor the tickets, so keep that in mind when making additional plans. By DOT law, airlines are allowed to cancel mistake fare tickets. But based on a FlyerTalk thread, this deal has been around for over a week, and China Eastern hasn't cancelled anyone's discounted tickets yet.
If you're still intrigued by the offer, you can use Momondo to find dates that work best for you (the discounted fares do not show on Google Flights), and then book with an OTA such as FlightHub. $1,254 was the lowest fare we were able to find using the major OTAs, such as Expedia and Orbitz, but you may want to consider paying that premium and booking through those better-known OTAs to have the protection of their easy 24-hour cancel policies.
By crediting the flights to Delta SkyMiles, you'll earn at least (more for elites) 150% MQMs, 200% redeemable miles, and MQDs equivalent to 40% of the distance flown — 21,498 MQMs, 28,664 redeemable miles (worth $343.97 based on TPG's valuations) and 5,733 MQDs, respectively. Although some may argue that the mileage run is dead, this deal could definitely be lucrative for someone chasing Delta elite status.
Airline: China Eastern Airlines
Routes: LAX to PEK
Cost: $1,137+ round-trip in business class
Dates: August – October 2018
Booking Link: Orbitz, Expedia or FlightHub
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Prestige (5x on airfare plus excellent trip delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Beijing (PEK) for $1,137 round-trip via FlightHub:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Beijing (PEK) for $1,254 round-trip via Expedia:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don't forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as the American Express Platinum Card (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Citi Prestige (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
H/T: One Mile at a Time