What is going on with ticket prices from Russia to the USA?

[Bruce]

I have been searching for ticket prices for my sister-in-law from SVO to JFK.  What is really funny is that search engines going from the USA to Russia are quoting me roughly $750 for JFK to SVO but are charging 1500 or so Euro's (more than $2000.0) to go the other way on the exact same days.  What is going on here and does anyone have a good method of buying a round trip ticket the other way?  Guys bringing over their fiances are going to be in for a shock if this trend continues.  Any thoughts on this???

[wxman]

That is strange. I sometimes get just the opposite when I fly NWA/KLM from MSP to Kiev. When that happens
I have my fiance buy the tickets from KLM in Ukraine, and then fed ex them to me. Can you buy the round trip tickets in the US from an agent with the point of origin being her country? You may be able to get the lower price tickets that way.

[Mir]

I don't know what your travel dates are but I just checked for travel in January.
On Aeroflot the fare for Moscow-New York rtn is 626 euros inclusive of tax
http://www.aeroflot.aero/eng/
On KLM it is 624 euros inclusive of tax
http://www.klm.com/travel/ru_en/index_default.html

These are very good fares IMO

Good luck

[Phil dAmore]

It's a conspiracy designed to make it as difficult as possible to leave Russia!

When I travel to the U.S. I buy the tickets from some place like Orbitz, have them sent to my brother's house and he FedEx's them to me.  Even with the obscene FedEx charge it's still way cheaper.

[Bruce]

Mir, your prices would be ok if they were in dollars. 
The point is that from JFK to SVO the flight is $750 yet the reverse is $1500 plus.  $750 is way lower than 625 Euros - isn't it???

[Bruce]

Phil, you very well could be spot on - but it is extreme this go around  !

[Mir]

Mir, your prices would be ok if they were in dollars. 
The point is that from JFK to SVO the flight is $750 yet the reverse is $1500 plus.  $750 is way lower than 625 Euros - isn't it???

625 euros is $900 and not $1500

[Phil dAmore]

Phil, you very well could be spot on - but it is extreme this go around  !

I'm only partially kidding about the conspiracy thing...  I can't speak for bus transfers in Moscow, but in Petersburg it is possible to take a bus from Pulkovo-II (international arrivals and departures) to Pulkovo-I (domestic travel and arrivals) but you cannot get a bus FROM Pulkovo-I back to Pulkovo -II.  To do that requires either a bus ride all the way back into town, or dealing with one of the taxi drivers who will quote you 1,000 rubles for a 5- minute ride.

It seems to me to be a not-so-subtle message that they really don't want their own citizens leaving....

[2tallbill]

625 euros is $900 and not $1500

Mir you misunderstood what he was saying.

It costs $900 to fly to Moscow from JFK round trip

It costs $1500 to fly to JFK from Moscow round trip

$600 more because you started in Russia

[Mir]

My post was:

I don't know what your travel dates are but I just checked for travel in January.
On Aeroflot the fare for Moscow-New York rtn is 626 euros inclusive of tax
http://www.aeroflot.aero/eng/
On KLM it is 624 euros inclusive of tax
http://www.klm.com/travel/ru_en/index_default.html

These are very good fares IMO

I think it is very clear that I was quoting a trip that starts in Moscow goes to NY and then return to Moscow.
The cost was around $900 and not $2000 as claimed by the gentleman.
I see no reason why I should check NY-Moscow-NY when he has already posted that he has got a quote for $750.
Certainly $900 is more then $750 but it is no where near $2000.

[Bruce]

Mir, you are a particularly hard headed fellow.  It all depends on the days and if you want a direct or indirect flight to get the absolute best flight.  Try Delta direct and see what you come up with.  Delta is the only airline I fly because I do not like hassles.  I do not like stupidity either.  Plug in December 29 leaving SVO and returning from JFK on January 29.   The cost is 2,854.59 Euros.  Try the reverse flight on Delta ie. JFK to SVO leaving NY on December 29 and returning on January 29.  The cost is $684.80.  MIR- do you get the point or are you just a fool.

Anyway, we ended up paying the $925 on Aeroflot for her.  The same flight the other way on the exact same days was $300 cheaper.  She may have to put up with long lines and or other unexplicable hassles along the way, but she is a Russian, the food is better these days on Aeroflot and she may get lucky!

Perhaps it is some sort of conspiracy to keep the Russians in Russia.  I am suprised Delta is playing along

[Jet]

Bruce,
Typically we use Russian Consulting (right near you in NYC) to buy our US originating tix, but when Lil's dad came over, we ran into the same brick wall as you are and were told that our best option was to have Papa go to a local travel agent over there. Even if we bought the tix over there (through travel.ru or whatever) the fact that an American credit card was being used automatically doubled the price. What we could buy for $1600 from here, Papa was able to get from a local Nizhniy Novgorod travel agent for $800. So have her check prices somewhere in town and send her the cash, you should come out way ahead.

[Bruce]

Jet, thanks for the thought.  Next time.  We ended up paying $925 on Aeroflot direct.  Still, $300 more than if it originated in JFK for the same days, but something I can handle without being too upset.

[I/O]

Gawd you blokes have it easy. We're looking at $2K USD minimum (Round trip) either way you do it to or from down here and often upwards of $2 1/2 K. I'm green with envy.

I/O

[Yozhik]

I concur! From the Russian Far East it is even more. We paid USD$3500 return! The crazy thing is, flying via Moscow can shave almost a grand off the ticket price but the point of origin and the destination are only separated by 9 degrees of longitude!

Cheers,
Yozhik