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Victoria’s Secret: Global Jet-SettingMany people believe flying around the world must be expensive, and in places like Sub-Sahara Africa, it really is. But nowadays, international flights can be had for incredibly affordable ranges (it’s getting into the remote nooks and crannies of developing countries that will cost a lot!) The magical trick is to go directly to the following airlines, discover hubs and the most popular routes they serve. Switch airlines when one destination coincides with another carrier’s hub. Sometimes, without paying more than one night’s hotel stay or taxi fare, you’ll be going from country to country, granted the airline won’t always offer the quality service of Air Tahiti or Lufthansa.Recently, inspired by peers who are making a round-the-world journey, and me having amassed tips on air travel, I compiled a useful list of long-haul carriers that will allow you to visit developing countries—and me—at a fraction of the cost. No longer should you ever pore over search engines with “Cheap Air Tickets” queries. No longer should you ever admire at how some people manage to go from continent to continent, but only to world famous cities—after all, those tend to be cheapest destinations of all. If you are young and with unstoppable energy, this is the fun way to do it…and spend the money going deeper into the countryside, treating yourself to regional cuisine, getting a language tutor or having a personal guide, and having a fuller experience overall. Usually the locals need the money more than these companies anyway. You’ll also learn much more by getting intertwined into the culture and exploring well beyond the dull big-city cliché. Those people who “travel” to Shanghai to get to know Asia? Help, I’m yawning. People should only go to big cities to work, they’re almost all the same anyway.If you travel flexibly at low-season, inter-continental fares are at the $100 to $300 range, one way. Oasis Air flies from Vancouver to Hong Kong to London at $200 per leg. From each “hub” you can find other airlines that serve to their regional specialty. Occasionally, sea travel is cheapest, as in from Kobe/Osaka to Shanghai. I’ve made this list in a geographic sort of way so you can visualize the connections easier. …………………………………………………………………North Americawww.jetblue.com across USA east and west coasts (base: New York City)www.southwest.com domestic USA (base: Phoenix)www.airtran.com domestic USA (base: Atlanta)www.ATA.com USA to Hawaii (base: Chicago)www.usa3000.com mid-USA to East Coast Baltimore, Aruba www.frontierairlines.com to USA (base: Denver)www.iflygo.com to inter-Hawaiian Islandswww.westjet.com from domestic Canada to Europe (base: Calgary)www.flyglobespan.com domestic CanadaMexico, Central America, Caribbean, South Americawww.aviacsa.com from USA to Mexicowww.jetblue.com from USA to Caribbean Islandswww.clickmx.com to domestic Mexicowww.aerocalifornia.com to domestic Mexico and Caribbean Islandswww.spiritair.com to Caribbean, Central America, USA (base: Fort Lauderdale)www.voegol.com.br to Amazon Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Panamawww.voebra.com.br to Brazilwww.oceanair.com.br to BrazilTrans-Atlanticwww.flyzoom.com USA, Canada to England, Francewww.westjet.com domestic Canada to Europe (base: Calgary) British Isleswww.bmibaby.com (base: British Midlands)www.charterflights.co.uk (base: London)www.easyjet.com (base: London Luton)www.flybe.com to Europe (base: Exeter, England)www.jet2.com domestic England to Western Europe (base: Leeds, England)Continental Europewww.icelandexpress.com from Europe to Iceland (base: Reykjavik, Iceland)www.vueling.com domestic Spain and Western Mediterranean (base: Barcelona)www.sterling.dk across Western Europe (base: Copenhagen)www.transavia.com Netherlands and Greater Europe (base: Amsterdam)www.virgin-express.com Netherlands and Greater Europe (base: Brussels)www.flyniki.com across Western Europe (base: Vienna)www.airberlin.com domestic Germany and Europe (base: Berlin)www.germanwings.com domestic Germany and Europe (base: Cologne)www.tuifly.com Western Europe, Ireland, and Croatia (base: Hanover)www.blue1.com Scandinavia to Mediterranean (base: Helsinki, Finland)www.norwegian.no Scandinavia to Europe (base: Oslo)www.flynordic.com Scandinavia to Europe (base: Stockholm)www.centralwings.com (base: Warsaw)www.smartwings.com to Europe (base: Prague, Czech)www.wizzair.com Central Europe (base: Budpest, Hungary)www.skyeurope.com Central Europe (base: Bratislava, Slovakia)www.airbaltic.com to Eastern Europe and Russia (base: Riga, Latvia)Africawww.airarabia.com to Dubai, North Africa, and India (base Sharjah) www.atlas-blue.com from Morocco to Spain, France, England, Italywww.jet4you.com from Morocco to Francewww.1time.aero domestic South Africawww.flymango.com domestic South Africawww.fly540.com domestic Kenyawww.kulula.com to Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Mauritius. www.virginnigeria.com from London to Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon and South AfricaMiddle Eastwww.mihinlanka.com Colombo, Sri Lanka to Dubai, United Arab Emirateswww.menajet.com Lebanonwww.flynas.com domestic Saudi Arabia www.gulftraveller.com from Abu Dhabi, Oman to West Europe, AustraliaCentral Asia & Middle Eastwww.airarabia.com to Dubai, Sri Lanka, Central Asia, and India (base Sharjah) www.shaheenair.com domestic Pakistan (base: Karachi)www.aeroasia.com from Pakistan to Middle East (base Lahore)www.airblue.com from Pakistan to DubaiIndiawww.flyairdeccan.net domestic India (base: Bangalore)www.flykingfisher.com (base: Mumbai)www.paramountairways.com Southern India (base: Coimbatore)www.spicejet.com to domestic Indian cities (base: New Delhi)www.goindigo.in to Indian cities (base: Delhi)www.goair.in to domestic Indian citieswww.airindiaexpress.in Middle East to India to Singaporewww.jazeeraairways.com to Kuwait, Dubai to India (base: Kuwait)China & Northeast Asiawww.hongkongexpress.com HK to Hangzhou, Chiang Mai and Ningbowww.flyvivamacau.com Macau to Jakarta and Phuketwww.air-spring.com Shanghai to Yantaiwww.cu-air.com from Beijing to Manchuria, Chinawww.airdo21.com domestic Japan (base: Tokyo)www.skymark.co.jp domestic Japan (base: Tokyo)www.skynetasia.co.jp domestic Japan (base: Tokyo)www.hansungairlines.com domestic South Korea (base: Seoul)www.jejuair.com domestic South KoreaSoutheast Asiawww.thaiskyairlines.com from Thailand to Malaysia, China, Taiwanwww.tigerairways.com from Singapore to Australia and SE Asiawww.airasia.com from Malaysia to China, India, SE Asia, Europewww.nokair.com around domestic Thailand (base: Bangkok)www.orient-thai.com Thailand to Hong Kong (base: Bangkok)www.pacificairlines.com.vn from Vietnam to Thailand, Taiwanwww.lionair.co.id domestic Indonesia and Vietnam, Malaysia, Singaporewww.philippineairlines.com to Philippines and SE & East Asiawww.cebupacificair.com Philippines to SE Asia and South KoreaAustralia, New Zealand & Singaporewww.virginblue.com.au to Australia, NZ and Pacific Islandswww.flypacificblue.com to Austalia, NZ and Polynesiawww.skywest.com.au west Australiawww.freedomair.co.nz to New Zealandwww.qantas.co.nz to Australia and South Seaswww.jetstarasia.com Australia, Singapore to Southeast Asia (base: Melbourne & Singapore)www.webjet.com.au/airlines/australian-airlines.htm to Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan (base: Sydney)Trans-Pacificwww.oasishongkong.com HK to London or Vancouver…………………………………………………………………Using the airline’s main page will yield more affordable results than comparison websites like Froogle, Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity, by a difference of hundreds of dollars per ticket. However, if comfort, reliability, convenience and flight experience is your priority, you should review airline ratings at www.airlineequality.com to evaluate what standard of service you pay for. Ultimately, I believe that enduring a no-frills plane ride allows me to spend the difference in a developing country. It helps stimulate the local economy (remember that $250 can be an entire apartment’s month rent!) Plus upon landing I can treat myself well, and buy new artefacts to take home, so that’s just my principles guiding my actions.If you prepare efficiently you can also obtain stylish apparel, accessories, luggage and gear at your destination (particularly in Asia, where such replication technology is sophisticated and inexpensive) so you won’t have to haul luggages of belongings and you won’t feel terrible about losing them. Exchange rates are lowest if you just withdraw straight from the ATM instead of bringing cash or traveler cheques. My preferred site for relevant information is http://wikitravel.org/en/Because you’re worth more.

• Release Date

  Oct 1, 2007

• Runtime