Generally, if a deal requires long layovers or stops in out-of-the-way locations I skip it, though sometimes a long layover or a stopover is a great opportunity instead of a hassle. But today, Xiamen Airlines is having one of its periodic sales, with some fantastic prices to many Asian cities from Los Angeles. I’ll let you decide if the “convenience vs cost” trade off is worth it.

• Taipei, Taiwan from $427
• Ho Chi Minh City from $461
• Hong Kong from $464
• Denpasar, Bali from $475
• Tokyo from $483
• Seoul from $513
• Singapore from $516X
• Cebu City, Philippines from $576

Additionally, the airline is running a promotion celebrating its 2 year anniversary from LAX. By searching from the US Homepage specifically and entering the code LAX2YEAR (all caps required it seems), some of these fares are a further $50 off . I got this to work for Taipei but Soul repriced to a higher cost. Your mileage may vary. I recommend searching Google Flights for sale dates and then trying the promo code on the airline’s site. See the promotion page for more details.

These deals come with one major limitation: at least one leg is getting a long layover. By long I mean 8 – 23 hours. To me, I’d actually prefer nearly a day stop somewhere (to explore a new place) compared to essentially a work shift in a foreign city, but in either case that’s a major flexibility issue for travel. And while I am sure Xiamen, the Chinese port city across from Taiwan, is quite interesting, I don’t know enough about it to choose it over, say, Fiji. But at some of these prices it’s definitely worth considering.

Xiamen China by Pixabay user Aeter

These are economy fares, as most major airlines don’t offer basic economy from the U.S. to Asia (yet). That includes 2 checked bags, seat selection,  meals and alcohol. Make sure to check the specific flight times and layovers for these fares, especially if you have positioning flights from LAX back home. Crossing the international dateline can wreak havoc on booking connecting flights on the right day. These deals are generally available until early December. However Xiamen ran a similar sale earlier this year for spring and summer travel, so you may get to decide between time vs. money for Asian travel again relatively soon.

How to Book

• Visit Google Flights or the airline to search for sample dates and destinations

Travel Dates

• Sale dates available from fall until mid-December, 2019.
• 7-day stay required
• Promotional code available for travel until December 31st. Must purchase by July 25th.

Good luck and happy flying!