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Basics
When it comes to airfare, a little effort can save you a bundle. Courier fares are the cheapest for those whose plans are flexible enough to deal with the restrictions. Tickets sold by consolidators and standby seating are also good deals, but last-minute specials, airfare wars, and charter flights often beat these fares. The key is to hunt around, be flexible, and ask about discounts. Students, seniors, and those under 26 should never pay full price for a ticket.
Airfares to Thailand peak between November and December and again between July and August. The cheapest times to travel are also during the rainy season. Mid-week (M-Th morning) round-trip flights run US$40-50 cheaper than weekend flights, but they are generally more crowded and less likely to permit frequent-flier upgrades. Not fixing a return date (“open return”) or arriving in and departing from different cities (“open-jaw”) can be pricier than round-trip flights. Patching one-way flights together is the most expensive way to travel. Flights between Thailand’s capitals or regional hubs—Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ko Samui—tend to be cheaper, and domestic flights can usually be purchased just hours in advance.
Round-the-world (RTW) tickets usually include at least five stops and are valid for about a year; prices range US$1200-5000. Try Star Alliance, a consortium of 16 airlines including United Airlines (www.staralliance.com).
While knowledgeable agents specializing in flights to (your country/region) can make your life easy, they may not spend the time to find you the lowest possible fare—they get paid on commission. Travelers holding ISIC and IYTC qualify for big discounts from student travel agencies. Most flights from budget agencies are on major airlines, but in peak season some may sell seats on less reliable chartered aircraft.
The commercial airlines’ lowest regular offer is the APEX (Advance Purchase Excursion) fare, which provides confirmed reservations and allows “open-jaw” tickets. Generally, reservations must be made seven to 21 days ahead of departure, with seven- to 14-day minimum-stay and up to 90-day maximum-stay restrictions. These fares carry hefty cancellation and change penalties (fees rise in summer). Book peak-season APEX fares early. Use Expedia (www.expedia.com) or Travelocity (www.travelocity.com) to get an idea of the lowest published fares, then use the resources outlined here to try to beat those fares. Low-season fares should be appreciably cheaper than the high-season (Nov.-Feb.) ones listed here.
Basic round-trip fares to Thailand are expensive: at their cheapest they are still US$800-4000 to Bangkok; US$2000-6000 to Chiang Mai; and US$1500-4000 to Phuket. Standard commercial carriers like United (☎800-538-2929; www.ual.com) will probably offer the most convenient flights, but they may not be the cheapest, unless you manage to grab a special promotion or airfare-war ticket. Check Thai Airways (US ☎800-426-5204, Thailand ☎66 02 265 5555; www.thaiairways.com) and Bangkok Airways (US ☎866-226-4565, Thailand ☎02 265 5555; www.bangkokair.com) for discounts.
Basic round-trip fares to Thailand range from roughly UK£450-1500. Check British Airways (☎+1-800-247-9297; www.britishairways.com). Asian-based airlines like China Airlines (US ☎+1-800 227 5118; www.china-airlines.com), Korean Air (Thailand ☎+66 2635 0465-9; www.koreanair.com), Singapore Airlines (Thailand ☎+66 2353 6000; www.singaporeair.com), or Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways (Thailand ☎+66 2263 0606; www.cathaypacific.com) may also have cheaper flights, depending on when you book.
Basic round-trip fares to Thailand roughly cost AUS$850-3000 from Australia; from New Zealand NZ$950-2500. Check Qantas (☎+61 29 691 3636; www.qantas.com.au) for low fares.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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