Flight to US

[Oliviasmith1432]

Which airline is offering a better rate for tix for US?

[Jgrif96229]

Depends on your destination in US. Probably United or Qatar

[sundaymorningstaple]

I've been afraid to even look. I've always flown United to the East Coast of the US. Can't go any further without being on the way back

[PNGMK]

I would try a direct flight on SQ to the West Coast myself. Probably a bit more but won't be cancelled or have issues with transit.

[Jgrif96229]

If you are headed to the east coast try SIA to JFK. From there you can find a domestic flight to any destination.

I had suggested United as they might be cheaper. They are both members of Star Alliance. You may be checking price on United but with codeshare you are actually flying on another airlines medal for less. Watch for the operated by in the listing.

[malcontent]

Personally, I try to avoid domestic flights within the US. Not so bad on the way out from the US, but on the way in... you’ve got to collect your bags and clear customs on the first point of entry, and may have to pay to check luggage or get a meal on the connecting flight.

If you are heading to the east coast, sometimes flights via Europe can be an option, but try to avoid going via London or Paris, they are a mess.

[Jgrif96229]

I am not sure anyone is going much of anywhere out of Singapore after reading Thursdays Straits Times. Government is looking to a 12 to 18th month till there is a relaxation of restrictions. As stated even if Singapore achieves high vaccination rates there will be countries still not in the clear.

The last two weeks has seen Singapore add restrictions not lowering them.

[Myasis Dragon]

Which airline is offering a better rate for tix for US?

It is a complete mess right now. Most fare search websites and even the airlines themselves won't offer you anything in the way of future dates because of restrictions.

I haven't traveled a lot lately, and when I did, this was my general observation about airline fares.

Emirates was the cheapest. It also has the longest layovers, meaning that your trip will be at least 36 hours long, if not longer. Emirates flies west from Singapore and stops in Dubai. This airline and others on a similar route all end up in New York and you've got to make your own way westward.

All the Asian and most American airlines fly east to land in LAX or SFO. United has been typically the cheapest, and you get the crappiest food, no free drinks, etc. I will say that my last flight in 2018, from LAX to SIN, was on a 787 Dreamliner, 17 hrs, 36 minutes, was actually pretty good. One good thing about United is that while you have to run your own bags through customs coming in, you can check all the way going out, and United handles all the ticketing both ways.

EVA is also a good run SIN-TPE-LAX. You can occasionally get very good deals. I have flown Thai business (SIN-BKK-LAX) for a very good price, at the expense of a bit longer flight going to BKK first.

I also got a good deal on Malaysian Airlines (SIN-KUL-LAX) in business but I don't think they do that anymore.

Singapore Air will always be the most expensive, and I don't know that it is worth the extra moneyin economy... you get about the same seat pitch, and all the other Asian airlines offer good food and free booze as well.

Quite a few United flights run through Narita (SIN-NRT-LAX) and quite often, you'll get an Asia leg operated by Air Japan or Singapore Air. Sometimes United will route you through Hong Kong and your last leg to SIN will be on Cathay Pacific.

My view is that United is almost always the cheapest (unless you want Emirates and excruciating wait times in Dubai), and if you sniff around, and are willing to take a stop on the way to Singapore, you can fly an Asian airline for at least one leg.

Lowest price to fly on United in April is $879... minimal food, no booze but you can fly direct LAX-SIN in 17+ hours.

[Max Headroom]

Unless I'm mistaken, SQ's rates, at least to Europe, have come down quite considerably. Prices now are about the same as I paid more than a decade ago. I think they're operating leaner and meaner these days, as compared to their heyday, for obvious reasons.

I prefer SQ's service vis-a-vis the European airlines, the latter still displaying a sense of entitlement, both on the ground and in the air.

[malcontent]

I have flown Delta to the US more than any other. In fact my very first flight to Singapore in 1996 was Detroit-NRT on Northwest Airlines (before Delta bought ‘em). Delta pricing was pretty close to United, and Delta had improved their planes, food and service greatly over the past 6-7 years... my wife even commented that they were getting close to SQ, and that is saying a lot coming from her! Sadly, Delta dropped all service to Singapore effective Sep, 2019.

Now I will be forced to fly to Chicago (one of the worst airports), which means a longer layover in NRT (even with United, which is the shortest). ANA is usually my second choice to Chicago, they have similar pricing with UA - my main beef with ANA is the meals are just too small, so I usually request a second one if they can spare it.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I believe ANA and United code share on the NRT - O'hara on some of the flights (at least they used to). I usually fly that route on United SG-NRT-Ohara then a local flight from Chicago to BWI in Md. or TPA in FL. Saves the long cross country internal flight with pay for your own food and local service. Sometimes the changeover at Ohara is rather short especially if you have to make the dash out to Terminal 5 which is the most distance away from the Int'l terminal. Depending on where you are heading internally.

[malcontent]

O’hare airport in Chicago... been through there so many times, even though I try to avoid it like the plague! I’ve even got a mug at work with Chicago on it, a memento from the time we flew UA across Canada toward Japan only to return to Chicago because of a leaky toilet. The mug was bought with free vouchers. Our kids were with us and still young at the time, which amplified the pain.

Another time I flew UA and they cancelled the flight due to weather, that time they put me on Lufthansa via Frankfurt to Singapore, I had to make that same crazy transit from terminal 5 to international... an all out mad dash that had left my legs and lungs burning, I just made it, but my luggage didn’t!

[malcontent]

Speaking of Chicago... one unique peculiarity with the passport control at good ‘ole O’Hare is how they stamp U.S. passports upon entry. I’ve flown into many other cities from overseas, LA, NY, Detroit, Minneapolis... none stamp U.S. passports. I once asked an officer in Chicago why, his face turned rather serious and he said, we have always stamped U.S. passports here. He didn’t even want to hear about how other ports of entry didn’t stamp them, he just said it is how we do it here and how it has always been done!

[Lisafuller]

We’ve always flown British Airways because they have the best rates. We go from Singapore to Miami, and take three main routes. We either go from Singapore to London to Miami, Singapore to Tokyo to Miami, or Singapore to New York and then Miami. We take the first route most often, the flight is good, seats are comfy but food is nothing extraordinary.