... in response to Flight Prices, posted by AndrewinOH on Jan 2, 2003

While to late for you now, here is what I did. When I started this journey I looked to find the best frequent flyer miles program from my city. Signed up for it added a credit card for that airline and now charge all bills and expenses and just write one check per month. My my phone service land and cell all gives me miles.
Last Trip cost $83.34 and 40 frequent flyer miles for airline ticket. LA-Moscow.
I plan to go to St. Petersburg/Novisbirsk in April. Already booked Ticket for $85.17 and 50K miles. Northwest/KLM  
Quick connections,just one for two hours at Amasterdam great service.You arrive in a 737 so you avoid all of the crowds of a large 747 landing and four hundred people all trying to go through customs at once.
Then  when I was able to book my first trip I bought a one year business visa to Russia,. Saves time and trouble.I can now be very flexiable when I go and if I want to stay a few more days or leave later "no visa worries".You will need to go three times in one year for this to be equal to a single entry visa price. Evem if I was going to go only twice I think the extra fee is worth the flexability.I noticed that any interactions with officals tend to be much more easy and efficient.As a business visa holder you get to go through faster line at SVO2 and seperate line at airport control with luggage.
While I agree that you should not put a time limit on finding a RW some planning and listening to experienced travelers who have successful relations with a RW will get you to the end of the journey much faster and much cheaper.

Watcher

... in response to Re: Flight Prices, posted by MarkInTx on Jan 2, 2003

Be careful with your connection times if you fly LOT: I found a wonderful price, but with a 45 minute connection in Warsaw.  My travel agent advised me that LOT is not good on making connections, even when they are on time.  I can't speak from personal experience, just from what I have been told.

... in response to Very True, posted by MarkInTx on Jan 2, 2003

$400 is a lot.  I chose to keep shopping.  I ended up with a slightly more expensive (about $100) set of flights.  It it involved changing planes twice, but the connection were doable and it was on a major western airline.  (I'm not criticizing LOT, but I do like to arrive as planned.)