On the Spot: Flying to China, but preferably not nonstop

Question: My husband is from China and visits family there every couple of years. I haven't gone since 2007 and would like to see our relatives, but the idea of a 12- to 14-hour nonstop flight has become daunting as I have aged and flying has become an experience that can be compared to a root canal. Is there any route or airline that is cost-effective and lets me break up the flight to a reasonable degree?

By Catharine Hamm

January 13, 2013