route-optimization

name	route-optimization
description	Use when direct flights are expensive and traveler is open to layovers. Triggers on cheaper route, alternative routing, transit hub, is a layover worth it, save money with connection.

Route Optimization - Tối Ưu Lộ Trình Qua Điểm Trung Chuyển

Purpose

Most travelers search for direct flights by default. They don't know that routing through a strategic hub can save $200-500 with only 2-3 extra hours. This skill quantifies that trade-off precisely: "Is $350 savings worth 2.5 extra hours?"

Input Required

• origin, destination (IATA codes)
• baseline_price and baseline_duration from flight-search (direct/fastest option)
• travel_purpose from profile (business travelers value time more)
• risk_tolerance from profile

Execution Steps

Step 1: Establish Baseline

The baseline is the direct or fastest route found by flight-search:

BASELINE: HAN → SFO
  Price: $1,100 | Duration: 13.5h (direct, VN Airlines)
  This is the benchmark everything else is compared against.

Step 2: Identify Strategic Hubs

Based on the origin-destination pair, select top hub candidates:

Decision logic for hub selection:

O&D Region	Top Hubs to Check	Why
Vietnam → US West	ICN, NRT, TPE, HKG	Short detour, competitive pricing
Vietnam → US East	DOH, IST, ICN	Middle East hubs or Pacific routing
Vietnam → Europe	IST, DOH, DXB, BKK	Turkish=cheapest, Gulf=quality
Vietnam → Oceania	SIN, KUL, BKK	LCC connections available
Vietnam → Japan	TPE, HKG	Short detour for cheaper fares
Intra-Vietnam	No hubs needed	Direct always optimal

Step 3: Calculate Each Alternative Route

For each hub route, compute:

savings_usd     = baseline_price - hub_route_price
extra_hours     = hub_route_duration - baseline_duration
savings_per_hour = savings_usd / extra_hours

Value rating system:

$/hour saved	Rating	Recommendation
> $100/hr	⭐⭐⭐ Excellent	Always worth it
$50-100/hr	⭐⭐ Good	Worth it for most travelers
$25-50/hr	⭐ Acceptable	Worth it if flexible
< $25/hr	❌ Poor	Only for extreme budget

Step 4: Flag Special Considerations

For each alternative route, check:

1. Transit visa required?

   • China (PEK/PVG): YES - Transit visa needed for most nationalities
   • Japan (NRT/HND): NO - Transit without visa up to 72h
   • Korea (ICN): NO - Transit without visa, KTAV required
   • Singapore (SIN): NO - Transit up to 96h
   • Turkey (IST): NO - Most nationalities okay

2. Ground transportation needed?

   • Some "hub" routes require train/bus between airports
   • Flag with cost estimate (e.g., "Train FRA→city center €4, taxi €35")

3. Minimum connection time?

   • International-International: min 2h (recommended 3h)
   • Different terminal: add 1h buffer
   • Immigration required at hub: add 1.5h

4. Layover quality?

   • IST: Excellent (lounges, transit hotel, long opening hours)
   • SIN: Excellent (Jewel, free city tour)
   • ICN: Excellent (transit hotel, culture center)
   • DOH: Very good (Al Maha lounge, transit hotel)
   • BKK: Good but terminal change can be tiring

Step 5: Present Results

ROUTE ALTERNATIVES vs BASELINE: HAN → SFO ($1,100, 13.5h)

#  Via Hub    Price   Saved   Extra Time  $/Hour   Rating
1  ICN       $750    $350    +3.0h       $117/hr  ⭐⭐⭐ Excellent
2  NRT       $820    $280    +2.5h       $112/hr  ⭐⭐⭐ Excellent
3  TPE       $790    $310    +4.0h       $78/hr   ⭐⭐ Good
4  IST       $680    $420    +8.0h       $53/hr   ⭐⭐ Good
5  BKK+NRT   $620    $480    +12.0h      $40/hr   ⭐ Acceptable

RECOMMENDATION (moderate risk tolerance):
  Route via ICN: Best value at $117/hr saved.
  You save $350 and only add 3 hours (1 layover at Incheon, one of Asia's
  best airports with transit hotel and free showers).

NOTE: Route 5 involves ground+air combination. See details below.

Step 6: Ground Transport Flag

If any route involves non-flight segments:

⚠️ GROUND TRANSPORT REQUIRED:
  Route 5 (BKK+NRT): Requires separate VietJet HAN→BKK, then
  overnight in Bangkok, then BKK→NRT→SFO next day.
  Additional costs: Hotel $30-50, airport transfer $10-15
  Net savings after ground costs: $415-445

Traveler Type Adjustments

Profile	Threshold	Recommendation Bias
Business	> $100/hr	Only recommend ⭐⭐⭐ routes
Leisure	> $50/hr	Recommend ⭐⭐ and above
Budget/Remote	> $25/hr	All rated options
Family w/ kids	> $75/hr	Penalize 2+ stop routes, long layovers

Limitations

• Hub pricing is estimated in AI-Knowledge mode
• Actual hub connections depend on schedule alignment (checked by flight-search if API active)
• Ground transport costs are approximate and vary by time of day