A trip to Asia can be expensive with the ticket, although the cost of living on the spot is often quite low. In this article, I show you that it is also possible to save on a trip to Asia while sometimes having fun, such as traveling in business class … Yes yes, it is possible!
4 Milesopedia tips to save on a trip to Asia
If you are passionate about travel and you still do not know the site Milesopedia which aims to be the reference to Canada’s travel hacking, it is now time to remedy. The primary goal of Milesopedia is to get you to travel for free or almost, thanks to the accumulation of points, but also thanks to several other clever stuff. Since I am a lover of Asia, I decided to focus in this article on the continent, but do not hesitate to visit their website, you’ll find dozens of articles to help you save on travel in Asia or elsewhere.
Personally, I had never stopped to read and find out their advice before writing this article. Promised, from now, whether on a future trip to Japan, China, Thailand or elsewhere in Asia, I will put these few things into action.
Sleeping for free in Marriott in Asia
Usually, when I go on a trip, it is not to give me the luxury. Whatever happens sometimes, but very rarely. I prefer to travel more often in a simpler way than once a year at an exorbitant price. So, the idea of sleeping in Marriott hotels never crosses my mind. By cons, reading this article on the site Milesopedia, say that it makes me reconsider for the next time. Wondering how to sleep for free in Marriott Asia, here’s how.
- Subscribe to the American Express Marriott Bonvoy credit card.
- Spend $ 1500 purchase in the first 3 months to get 50,000 welcome points (you can take advantage of this to buy your plane tickets).
- You will also receive 35,000 points on your birthday.
- Finally, sleep in the hotels of superior quality.
* The card costs $ 120 annually and requires no minimum income.
Marriott nights in Asia are around 12,500 and 17,500 points. You will have a few free nights by subscribing to this card.
Earn Aeroplan Points with Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is one of the best airlines in the world. I had the chance to use it once and my experience was really nice, I can even say that the food was edible, a feat for me that HATED above all eat by plane.
Recently, the company entered the Aeroplan program. You can accumulate points when flying with this company from Montreal to Asia. Of course, from Montreal, you will often have to fly to Toronto with Air Canada to catch a flight from Cathay Pacific to the Asian continent.
The flights to Asia are very rewarding Aeroplan level given the number of kilometers traveled. You will find that you can quickly pay for a short-haul flight with your points.
Avoid carrier surcharges to these cities of Asia
Once again, we are talking about the purchase of airline tickets with accumulated Aeroplan points.
When you want to pay for a plane ticket to Asia with your Aeroplan points, you’ll notice that it’s often added to the number of points, an X amount that’s named; taxes, fees, and surcharges. These fees include airport taxes (which you will still have to pay) and carrier taxes that can be avoided.
What to do to avoid them?
- You must land in one of the Asian countries that prohibit these fees. For this fact, you can arrive in Asia in the following cities: TOKYO, MANILA, SEOUL, AND HONG KONG.
- You can leave from the United States (Burlington, Plattsburg, New York) to avoid overcharging companies like Air Canada. The UNITED company does not charge such fees and it is easy to reach Asia with them.
Traveling in Business Class with Miles to TOKYO
Traveling in business class … Every time I board a plane and go through business class to get to my seat in the back of the cabin, I secretly dream that one day it will be my turn. I look at people sitting comfortably in their seats and I wonder; but how do they pay for this kind of theft? What luck!
According to Milesopedia, it seems that it is finally more accessible than we think. Since Japan prohibits carrier fees, the direct flight between Montreal-Tokyo business class with Air Canada amounts to only 75,000 Aeroplan points.
But how to quickly accumulate 75,000 points? Some American Express and TD cards allow you to receive a bonus of 25,000 points as soon as you apply for a new card. Once again, this is not for everyone, you have to be vigilant and diligent to have several credit cards in your possession without getting into debt.
Save on a trip to Asia: 2 other sites that I always use for my bookings
- Skyscanner: To give you an idea of the price of flights to Asia, I invite you to check Skyscanner
- Agoda: I suggest you also visit the Agoda site to give you an idea of prices on accommodation in Asia.
My personal stuff to reduce costs in Asia
Landing on one of the hubs
Landing on one of the hubs can dramatically reduce your costs. For example, if you are traveling to Myanmar, it may be better to land in Bangkok and then fly to Yangon. Are you going to Indonesia instead? It may be better to land in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore then join the island of your choice. This is not always the case, but prices are often much cheaper if you land in a city that acts as a hub. Then you can either take the train, the bus or another flight to get to your final destination. This is a way to discover a place that may not have been chosen a priori while saving money.
Traveling by local transport
I can not say it enough, local transport in Asia will save you a lot of money. In Asian countries where tourism is really developed like Thailand for example, you will often be offered tourist minibusses to get from one destination to another. It may be convenient of course, but often you will pay double or triple the price of the local bus. If you are not in a hurry, opt for transport used by locals. You will be more easily in touch with the public and your wallet will thank you.
Use a maximum of one visa
Some Asian countries require a visa to enter their territory. This is the case for example of Vietnam, Myanmar, China, etc. If time permits, extend your trip to use the time allowed on site. For example, in Myanmar, you will have a maximum of 28 days on-site and in Vietnam for 30 days. For my part, I have a multiple entry visa for China for a period of 5 years. I am about to use it for a third time already. Why not?
