China & Hong Kong: €1,222 Finnair Business Class From Stockholm

Finnair has entered the battle for business class customers on the routes from Stockholm to Asia. Star Alliance carriers and Etihad are currently selling discounted tickets for flights in their premium cabin, now the Oneworld member from Scandinavia is catching up. Prices for a round trip start at only €1,222 to Beijing, Hong Kong and Xi’An.

There’s decent availability from now until March 2020, and you should even be able to find the occasional trip over the winter holidays.

All trips include a layover in Helsinki, Finnair’s hub. And here’s the most significant advantage of this deal over the ones from Qatar and Etihad: only one stop and the long-haul flight will be directly from Europe to Asia. Also, the carrier will operate an Airbus A350 on all intercontinental flights to Hong and Beijing. Great service and an excellent hard product are guaranteed. Check out this review to learn more:

• Finnair business class Airbus A350

Search & Book

Tickets for this deal will be sold until January 27, 2020, and the offer is valid for trips commencing between February 10 and November 30, 2020. A blockout applies from June 19 through August 23, 2020. There are minimum stay requirements of 5 days or one night from Saturday to Sunday. And you can spend up to 1 month at your destination.

If you care to visit a second city during your trip, then one stopover in Helsinki is free of charge. But you can’t just start your journey there. Although skipping the last segment on your way back is a possibility. Find out more in this article.

Use Google Flights (instructions) to have all discounted connections displayed. Choose from the multiple options and take those dates to our flight search to compare prices that OTAs offer. Or book via the carrier’s website. This might result in higher prices, but we recommend it.

Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?

More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:

Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.

If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.

This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.

Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.

This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.

Mileage

Tickets for all flights should be issued in booking class I. This will get you an earning rate of around 125% on most Oneworld frequent flyer programs. Here’s an example of the miles you’ll be credit with for a trip to Hong Kong:

Further, the trip is worth 360 tier points in British Airways Executive Club, granting instant Oneworld Ruby status and taking you half the way to Oneworld Sapphire, for which you need 600 tier points.

Information & Tips for China

China offers a wide range of sights, from historical landmarks like the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army, and the Forbidden City to modern cities like Shanghai and scenic areas such as Zhangjiajie and Guilin. The currency is the Chinese yuan (CNY), and mobile payments via apps like Alipay and WeChat Pay are widely used, though cash is still accepted. Prices vary—major cities can be moderate to expensive, while rural areas are generally more affordable. Weather conditions differ greatly by region, with cold winters in the north, hot, humid summers in the south, and a generally best travel period in spring or autumn.

China has a highly developed transport system, especially in urban and coastal areas. Most major cities have extensive metro networks that are cheap, efficient, and easy to navigate with English signage. For travel between cities, the high-speed rail network is one of the most advanced in the world, connecting even distant regions quickly and reliably. In rural or less-developed areas, transport options can be more limited and slower, but basic bus or train connections are usually available.

We’ve compared various eSIM providers, such as eSIM4Travel, RedteaGo, and Textr. To see which plan is best for your travel needs, and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:

The Best eSIM Plans for China 🇨🇳 Compared

→ All Dealz for China

Information & Tips for Hong Kong

Hong Kong is known for its skyline, Victoria Peak, harbour views, and a mix of modern and traditional sights like temples and street markets. The local currency is the Hong Kong dollar (HKD), and credit cards are widely accepted, though cash is still useful in smaller shops and markets. Prices are relatively high compared to much of Asia, especially for accommodation and dining. The weather is hot and humid in summer, with a cooler, more pleasant season from October to March. Typhoons can occur between June and October.

 

→ All Dealz for Hong Kong

Source: YHBU – Thanks!