Flying right now is a nightmare for casual travelers and experienced road warriors alike. Here’s the harrowing journey I planned for a trip to Armenia.
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Business Trip But Also Watching The Budget
In addition to being an award-winning travel writer (not really), I am also a partner in a couple of businesses. As an owner, I watch expenses far more closely than I did when working for someone else’s business. It’s not right, but it’s true. As such, I am more careful with my company funds and find that some expenses are just intolerable but necessary.
I had a business trip to Yerevan, Armenia that I needed to fulfill within a very specific date range due to upcoming commitments. However, for anyone that’s flown recently, the costs are laughable, especially for the class of service.
Ideally, I was searching for a reasonable coach ticket that I could upgrade using instruments or miles. However, coach rates from Pittsburgh any time during the week I needed topped $3,000 and none of them included a business class/first class segment, not even domestically. In fact, the best rate I could find from any nearby city (New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia) didn’t dip below $2,000 no matter when I flew on any carrier from any of those airports. Due to the length of the journey, business class was a must so I was stuck looking for space and patching together a ticket.
Finding Space
After searching nearly 100 different permutations from the aforementioned airports to any place with direct flights into Yerevan that doubled as major hubs (Paris, Warsaw, Athens, Frankfurt, Vienna, and Dubai), I found a unicorn.
United Airlines not only had a reasonable flight to Paris from Washington Dulles for the date I wanted but it also had confirmable upgrade space even from the cheapest economy fare using Plus Points that I had not been able to use heretofore. However, it was only one leg and just to Paris. That didn’t get me to Dulles nor from Paris onward.
Searching for onward flights, Google pointed me in the direction of an absolute bargain for the journey at more than $800 roundtrip in coach making that short segment unbearably long. Air France wanted $1600 for the non-stop in coach on an A320. I also worked on getting using SkyTeam miles to complete the segment but no award seats were available short of 171,000 Air France miles. Oneworld has almost no routes into the city (just Qatar flies from Doha following the suspension of S7.)
I headed back to United.bomb where I found one-way economy space for 17,000 miles or 28,500 in business. I attempted to complete the booking for economy but couldn’t get it to ticket so I snagged business class on the advice of the unimitable Matthew Klint, Award Expert.
On the way home, for my week of travel (lots of flexibility given) there was not a reasonable coach seat (upgradeable nor tough-it-out) and no business class seats on offer from the city. Getting back to Paris for a return left me with no such magic as I found on the outbound.
American Airlines website showed phantom space through Royal Air Maroc but wasn’t bookable online nor even on the phone. The rep could recreate and display the availability but not ticket the flights. Not from Yerevan, not from Dubai, not even from Paris.
This is how busy and bad travel is right now. For two weeks there’s not a single bookable award seat on any alliance from Yerevan.
I am hoping this changes, but for now, it appears that I’ll be traveling to nearby Tbilisi, Georgia to ultimately fly an incredibly painful route home. Here’s my journey:
Outbound
- Pittsburgh-Washington Dulles
- Four hour drive
- Washington Dulles-Paris
- 8 hour flight
- 13 hour layover
- Paris-Vienna
- 2.5 hour flight
- 25 minute connection!
- Vienna-Yerevan
- 2.5 hour flight
- 3:55 AM arrival
Return
- Yerevan-Tbilisi
- 5 hour bus ride
- Tbilisi- Warsaw
- (6 AM departure)
- 2.5 hour flight
- 12 hour layover
- Warsaw-Brussels
- 2.5 hour flight
- 12 hour layover
- Brussels-Washington Dulles
- 8 hour flight
- Drive back to Pittsburgh
- Four hour drive
Making It Work
The journey from Pittsburgh to Armenia is always a long affair, even with the tightest of connections. Flights into Yerevan from Europe are almost exclusively at night arriving in the very early morning due to a short distance but several time zone changes. For example, departing Paris for Yerevan with just a 25-minute connection in Vienna (fun) departs just after 8 PM but doesn’t arrive until 4 AM though the distance is just about 4.5 hours of flying time.
The rest of the journey presents some interesting new challenges. I hope to be able to adjust my return with space opening up closer to my departure, but as it sits now, I will just have to make this work.
All told I spent about $800, 80 Plus Points, 97,000 miles for a business class roundtrip which feels like a bargain, but I will be earning those savings.
Conclusion
I’ve never seen it this hard to book a trip, not on short notice, not in the heights of summer – never before in my life. That said, I was still able to get this trip to something I can live with for a price I can live with and a travel… adventure – no – experience that will be interesting at the least.
What do you think? Have you concocted such a franken-trip before?
Why wouldn’t it be right to watch expenses/spending in businesses you own? Most would say that is prudent.
He said he watches expenses MORE CLOSELY.
If this is truly an important meeting why are you risking a 25 minute connection in Vienna. You’re likely to miss your flight. Will you then miss your business meeting? Your business meeting is important, otherwise you wouldn’t be flying that distance. Don’t take an unnecessary risk on that connection. If you’re meeting isn’t worth the expense than don’t go. Otherwise pay to ensure you’ll make it and not be exhausted.
I flew to Armenia and back from Los Angeles this summer in June(not at a height of summer travel i must admit. It was a breeze. Wanted to stop.in Poland first for few days and then to Yerevan.
Return Yerevan to Vienna and then to LAX ( 3 hours stopover in Vienna) on Austrian airlines. Cost 33,000 united miles plus $90. Trip to Poland to Yerevan similar price.
United.bomb?
He’ll have a blast of a trip.
Crazy me is thinking that I would have wanted to experience this itinerary with you, Kyle.
One article which I have posted today is part of my trip to Vilnius in Lithuania. I arrived at approximately 2:45 in the morning after riding a bus from Riga; and I walked with my luggage in the freezing weather from the bus station south of the city to the hotel in the northern part of the city — and I arrived at the hotel too early to check in. The front desk agent agreed to keep my bag in storage while I explored the sleepy city until after the sun rose.
During that time, the soles of both of my running shoes decided to fail on me.
After staying in Vilnius for a couple of nights, I then went to the airport and boarded an airplane for a flight to Minsk…
…anyway, safe travels to you, Kyle. You should have plenty of articles to write after this trip.
I’m surprised US Airways doesn’t have a nonstop from Pittsburgh to Yerevan.
I hope travel returns to normal soon. However, Armenia’s problem is bigger than this summer’s travel issues. Its neighbors Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia has wonderful airports, however Armenian army either invaded its neighbors’ territories or asks their territories. Plus Armenia chose to side with Iran and Russia in the region, both has West’s sanctions. So no easy transportation for Yerevan, unless Armenia cease fire.
@John – Not sure that’s all accurate, and applicable. “Its neighbors Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia has wonderful airports, however Armenian army either invaded its neighbors’ territories or asks their territories.” So Yerevan doesn’t have a better airport because it invaded those three countries? I’m not sure that tracks.
“Plus Armenia chose to side with Iran and Russia in the region, both has West’s sanctions. So no easy transportation for Yerevan, unless Armenia cease fire.” Some Armenians do support Russia and the country is overrun with Russian expats at the moment. However, Armenia was officially neutral along with about 30 other countries on the UN vote where sides were picked. Armenia doesn’t face any sanctions from the West to my knowledge so that doesn’t really factor in. Also, the majority of Armenia’s traffic is out of the European countries I listed with Warsaw flying a 787 on some days. All of Europe has sanctions against Russia at the minimum, yet the flight cities I mentioned were Frankfurt, Paris, Athens, Warsaw, Vienna, and Dubai and Doha in the Middle East. If sanctions were the issue, those countries wouldn’t be able to offer flights, yet that’s the bulk of Yerevan departures.
“however Armenian army either invaded its neighbors’ territories or asks their territories”
This all sounds like anti-Armenia propaganda.
My Georgian friend please don’t try to promote your country through this wicked way by making Armenia the bad country. Airlines incapabilities does not have anything to do with politics. Every government is doing the best for the country and dont forget that for Turkey andAzerbaijan next country in line would be Georgia.
What’s gonna happen when you miss that 25 minute connection in Vienna (and you WILL miss it…)
I can see that you are a very well uneducated person, as you failed to learn history. Armenia is never invaded to any country. It’s a turkey that occupied all Western Armenia and did Genocide to native American nationals. Azerbaijan is doing the same and it’s a big shame of entire Europe that is pissed on it’s pants to stand against one turkey for blaming or stopping to kill and invade Armenia.
I’m sure we’ll be getting a nice post about it either way. Either he sprints like he has never sprinted in his life and was able to board the plane as a breathless sweaty mess, or he misses the flight and blames on the airport staff and airport in general.
Looks like fun!
Good luck with that 25 minute connection!
Listening to your “tale of woe” makes me glad I sit in the left hand seat up the pointy end………
This is a common type of exaggeration of everything. First of all there are multiple ways you can travel to Armenia and one best way is Via Dubai or Qatar just for 1 stop. Then I don’t want to go for more details about entire article because if other airlines is not able to provide proper service then what Armenia should do? Also the whole meaning of your article is not matching its title, which gives me an idea that you’re a one of a bullshit ones that’s trying to black the name of the country with making a stories. Armenia is a wonderful country to book, to travel, to do business, entertainment and more.
@Gor – Be serious.
“First of all there are multiple ways you can travel to Armenia and one best way is Via Dubai or Qatar just for 1 stop.” I listed both of those in the post plus my prior trip that covered a stop in Dubai and detailed my experience.
Then you admit to not reading the article and then type this gem: “trying to black the name of the country with making a stories.” Search Armenia on this site, a have an office there, I have posted several articles about what a beautiful country it is and why people should visit. That doesn’t make it easy or reasonably priced to visit right now for other reasons I cite (high demand, summer, etc.)
Read it first and then comment.
You are a drama queen. It was not necessary to travel in such a ridiculously painful way but you just loved pretending that it was true. It is so easy to get to Yerevan from anywhere in the United States with so much less of the hassle that you supposedly went through. What a bunch of spoiled candy ass complaints you gave in your article. Completely avoidable.
Well Gor, let me share my strongest feeling thst no uneducated restricted minded travellers are in need for Armenia the most cordial peaceful country and nation which had heavily suffered from so called democracy and freedom of European indifferent civility in evidence to turkish azeri destroying genocidal policy!!
100% agree with you. He is a drama queen who wants to make it look very very very difficult to travel to Armenia. The only nightmare here is his horrible exaggeration. So many people have gone to Yerevan in the past 30 days from New York and California and Miami and Chicago quite effortlessly in probably half of the time it took him to get there.
How many hours would you estimate you spent planning this journey?
@Bruce: If I started a stopwatch every time I performed some sort of a search, I would have logged about 3 hours I would suspect.
Well… Where do I start?
I will start with a conclusion.
You are definitely not as experienced traveler as you are presenting yourself in the article. Unless someone is escaping a war zone, nobody would get such an itinerary. The itinerary is as amateurish as it gets and title of your article is misleading. Its your planning that is a nightmare, not the trip.
Two things:
1) Summer flights (high season June-Sep) to Armenia is super expensive (experienced travelers know this). This is a classic supply & demand situation, same as any other touristy destination.
2) because flights through Russia are no longer available, the second best option is through Doha (Qatar Airlines). Here you could also get your business/first class options aling with points redemption. Qatar has one of the best airlines in the world.
Your choice had saved you about $500, However, you’ve got yourself an itinerary that wasted your valuable (business) time.
Next time, contact your local Armenian travel agent. Cheers.
@Arthur – Thanks for your detailed response. I’d like to address those notes.
First, I think I pretty clearly stated the reasons for my routing and planning. It comes down to cost and travel time. Show me an itinerary from Pittsburgh to Yerevan in the next few weeks that is, a) under $3,000 in coach, and b) less than 24 hours in travel time.
1) Yes. I said this in the post, but even for summer, even for this year, these costs are absurdly high.
2) Russia has nothing to do with it. I have been shopping this route for more than a year (this is my third visit, my business partner has visited three times as well) and none of those itineraries went through Russia even before the Ukraine conflict. The second best option is not through Doha, in fact, for both award space and cash tickets, DOH is far more difficult than Dubai (covered in a previous post) and both of those take more time than FRA, CDG, or ATH. I also noted that there are zero award redemptions out of EVN on Qatar for weeks and the only one is in coach. Qatar Airways is great, you will find several posts on this site detailing its service offering, but it’s expensive and there’s no availability for awards over the proposed period.
I am really confused as to your calculations. I outlined that I spent $800 in cash and about 100,000 points for business class comopared with $6,000 for business class for the same flights – that’s a $5,200 savings, 10 times what you’ve suggested. Even in coach, the cost would be $3,000 so I would have saved $2200 and been in a better class of service.
I’ll stick to travel agents that can run the math properly before I make changes, thank you.
PIT-FRA on *A for right now 1080 USD / FRA-EVN 380 USD.
8hrs layover in FRA.
You’re welcome.
Not for my dates, not close.
When will you be in Armenia. Will be there in 2 weeks for the Starmus Festival.
That festival looks really cool, and if I was going to be here for it, I would see if I could get in. However, I will not be there during the festival.
I agree with previous comments that the 25-minute connection is plain silly. Vienna may be an efficient place to connect, but you are leaving Schengen so you’ll have to cross passport control, and, even if your inbound flight arrives on time and there isn’t a long queue, you only need to find yourself behind a couple of complex cases (e.g. overstayed Schengen visa) to lose 10-15 minutes and miss the flight to EVN.
I think the desire to upgrade is what landed you in a pickle. I live in Tbilisi. You can get a flight from DC or NYC for $900/rt easy, either direct or 1 stop, then take a TRAIN to Yerevan for +/-$60 first class. The bus is horrible.
@Lia – You’re right about those prices, and thanks for the tip on the train over the bus. That said, there are no direct/non-stop flights from TBS to either Washington DC nor any New York metro airport from what I can find. Can you shed light on this?
Here is what your absolute b******t of a post is, anti-Armenian propaganda dying for attention. Go to Armenia’s so called neighbors with their “nice” airports. Armenia has had an incredible number of tourists this year which burns your favorite countries. Hence, your time-wastinh nonesense of a post. Can’t believe I spent my dear time reading this.
@Hayoohi – Did I write that Armenia’s neighbors have “nice” airports? I doubt it since I haven’t been to Georgia yet and that’s the only neighbor I mention.
You are the most ignorant and uneducated traveler ever. Your “article” is filled with nonsense. I flew to Armenia, for business, because it is becoming a major tech hub.
I paid $1,400 for a round-trip frim LA with one connection in Germany.
Let me know next time you are flying, I will use my brain for you.
@Ella – I’ve been shopping these flights over the last 18 months, we have an office in Armenia. If you found that price, it wasn’t recent. Why don’t you send your receipt to me and I will post a correction?
You could literally just use Qatar….
@Shant Davidian – Yes, but for $3000 in coach, $8000 in business which misses part of the point of the post. There is no award availability at all on Qatar to or from Yerevan for months.
You should have look better tickets 1500$ and 21 hour flight , simple is that
@Chris – Not for my dates.
I would much rather fly coach than do this itinerary. 4 house bus trips in Georgia eek!
And yes always take trains instead of buses imo. Way quicker and more relaxing.
It’s 800$ plus the points right? What are they worth? And the plus points?
I just spent 46.5k ua points to fly my family of five from catania to Munich next week direct. Saved me $1500!
@Mick – Even in coach it’s a $3,000 28-hour journey which doesn’t seem better to me.
The trains I found to Georgia were all-night trains but not in sleeping cars (unless they have updated their fleet but not the website) and my flight from Tbilisi would leave in the late afternoon. That would potentially leave me with a sleepless night on a rattling train ahead of a very long day before a short two-hour flight, a hotel check-in, sleep, then an early morning departure for another two-hour flight before another day in another city. It’s too much for this old man.
Good question on the value of the points. I usually value my points based on what I would spend out of pocket not what the ticket is selling for when I booked. For example, I once used 110,000 points for business class instead of $1,900 in coach, or $18,000 in business class. I would never spend $18,000 on any airline ticket – the food isn’t that good. Instead, I value the points based on what I would have actually spent out of pocket, in this case about 1.8¢/point. For this trip, I spent 97,500 to replace about $1900 in coach tickets, but got to fly in business class. That is higher than where I usually value United Mileage Plus points and with the added benefit of business class, absolutely worth it. For the Plus Points, that’s trickier. I would normally value these at about $500 per 40 plus points because that’s what I would pay at check-in in cash to upgrade to business on the fly. But this was 80 plus points to secure it in advance. Is that worth $1000? No. Why not? Because I have found them incredibly difficult to use, and unlike similar instruments on American and Delta, on United you have to book into a higher economy or premium economy fare class just to be considered for the upgrades. That’s not a gamble I like to take, and in my experience, they are hard to redeem. If I have a voucher for $7,000 on Air Asia but only if I fly on Tuesdays in March from Bangkok to Vietnam and it’s standby – do I really have a $7,000 voucher? I’d argue that I do not.
You got a great deal on your family trip – congrats.
For someone who is a “traveler” it seems the author doesn’t know much about traveling. I fly to Armenia 3 times a year on humanitarian missions and its never that complicated. One must be really cheap to do this, because you might save $100, thats it! This whole piece screams to me a hit piece on Armenia. The title should be ” Dont go to Armenia, go to Turkey or Azerbejqn instead.”
@Alex Khar – Welcome to the site. As it’s your first time here, I wanted to let you know that we have a search bar in the top right corner and from there you can type “Armenia” and see about our kind coverage of the country when appropriate, my post about the genocide, and the fact that I employ people in one of my businesses that has an office there.
That said, when reading for comprehension, I clearly note that coach would have started at $3,000 for my dates, I acknowledge it’s peak season and flights are full, but that’s still a true statement. I also mention business was available for about double ($6,000) so please help me understand a) how this successful flight booking only saves $100 (show your work) and b) how this is in any way a hit piece on Armenia. I could see how American Airlines could take offense as I called out their terrible booking system which shows award space for unbookable tickets. United could be mad that I highlight a decade of their own IT troubles. But Armenia? Come on.