Last Updated on 2023-06-25
Purchasing airline tickets is a complex matter, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution as ticket prices depend on various factors. Apart from the number of layovers, factors such as layover duration, whether it’s a connecting flight, the need to change airports during layovers, and the desire to have a stopover at the layover destination should all be considered.
Flight Search Platforms
If you prefer not to go through a travel agency, you can use flight search platforms to compare ticket prices. Common platforms include:
Purchase from Official Airline Websites
While the prices on airline websites are usually not the cheapest, booking directly through the airline offers the advantage of being able to seek assistance directly from the airline in case of schedule changes or flight cancellations, without the need for additional fees charged by travel agencies. Unless the travel agency offers a customized package, search results typically provide options from airline websites or other travel agencies.24-Hour Cancellation Policy
For any flights to or within the United States, as long as the tickets are purchased more than 7 days before departure, you can enjoy a free ticket cancellation within 24 hours of purchase.
Connecting Flights
A multi-segment ticket is issued by a single airline (each segment may be operated by a different airline). In the event of baggage transfers or flight delays during the journey, the airline is responsible for handling these issues to ensure passengers reach their final destination.
Pros and Cons of Connecting Flights
✅ Assistance provided for connections, complimentary baggage transfers between segments, and no additional baggage fees for international-to-domestic transfers.
❌ Passengers must travel on all segments and cannot skip the starting or intermediate flights. For example, if flying from Taipei to the United States with a layover in Japan, you cannot skip the Taipei departure and go directly to Japan to catch the flight.Compared to non-connecting flights, where each segment is sold independently, passengers are typically responsible for their own connections and baggage transfers, which may require collecting checked baggage and rechecking it. Additional fees may apply for checked baggage on domestic flights within the United States, costing around $70 to $80 for two bags. When travel agencies offer tickets, they may bundle non-connecting flights together, so it’s important to pay attention to the baggage regulations of different flights.
Layover Time
International-to-Domestic Connections
When arriving in the United States from an international flight and connecting to a domestic flight or traveling from Canada to the United States, passengers will need to go through immigration, retrieve checked baggage, and clear customs. It is recommended to allow a minimum of 3 hours for layovers in such cases.
Domestic Connections
Domestic connections within the United States typically have gates in close proximity. Furthermore, if you have a connecting flight as part of a connecting ticket, the airline will do its best to ensure a successful connection. If there are flight delays or a short connection time, you can inform the flight attendants about your connection needs, and they will usually arrange for you to disembark with priority. Generally, reserving 40 to 60 minutes is sufficient. However, if you have non-connecting flights and the connection is missed, you may need to negotiate with the respective airlines on your own.
Stopover
When searching for connecting flights, the default is to minimize the total travel time, so the layover time is usually within 24 hours. In some cases (such as wanting to visit a city or see family and friends), passengers may not want to immediately continue their journey and prefer to have a stopover, which means a layover exceeding 24 hours or even several days. Typically, if the layover exceeds 12 hours, passengers need to retrieve their checked baggage and recheck it before the next flight segment. During the stopover, passengers can leave the airport and stay overnight in the city.
To have a stopover in a specific city, you can either purchase separate tickets for each segment or use the multi-city search function to find connecting flights. You can first use the one-way search option to get an idea of feasible flight segments and then set the stopover city, arrival time, and departure time in the multi-city mode (usually the stopover city must be the same). The price of a flight with a stopover is not necessarily more expensive. If you don’t mind carrying your luggage and moving around, it can be a worthwhile option to consider.
Advantages of Stopover
✅ Relaxed and leisurely connection with the opportunity to visit the stopover city.
✅ Visiting family and friends.
✅ Exploring another city before starting school.
❌ The need to carry multiple pieces of luggage around.
Airlines for Taiwan-US Routes
Most Asian airlines depart from Asia in the evening, while American or Canadian airlines usually depart in the morning and arrive in the evening.
Common airlines and destinations for nonstop flights to the US and Canada
- China Airlines: New York JFK, Los Angeles LAX
- EVA Air: New York JFK, Los Angeles LAX, Chicago ORD, Seattle SEA, Houston IAH, Toronto YYZ
- Foreign airlines: San Francisco SFO (United), Toronto YYZ (Air Canada)
US Domestic Airlines
- American Airlines (AA)
- Delta Air Lines (Delta)
- United Airlines (UA): The cheapest Basic Economy fare class only allows small personal items that fit under the seat on domestic flights within the United States.
- Alaska Airlines (Alaska): Known for better service quality among US airlines.
- JetBlue Airways (JetBlue): The cheapest fare class only allows small personal items that fit under the seat on domestic flights within the United States.
- Southwest Airlines (Southwest): All flights include two free checked bags. No seat assignments. Once onboard, simply choose any available seat and stow your carry-on items in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. The boarding order is determined by check-in 24 hours before departure. Unable to find tickets on flight search platforms.
- Spirit, Frontier: These are low-cost carriers with generally very cheap tickets, but they often have hidden fees or expensive checked baggage and carry-on fees, and lower service quality.
Baggage Restrictions
Most airlines allow two free checked bags weighing up to 23 kg (50 lb) each in economy class. As baggage restrictions and weight limits can change at any time, it is essential to visit the airline’s website or contact them directly to confirm. Overweight checked baggage may or may not incur additional fees depending on the airline. The carry-on baggage allowance is usually one carry-on bag plus one personal item.