LOW-COST AIRLINES IN THAILAND

Send

Flying low-cost airlines in Thailand is a real pleasure. Oftentimes, a flight costs less than a bus ride. With $ 100 in your pocket, you can easily fly around the country. In this article, I will talk about the main low-cost airlines flying in Thailand and neighboring countries in Asia. And most importantly, I will share the most effective algorithm for finding the cheapest tickets for flights of any low-cost airlines.

Thanks to the ability to fly cheaply on low-cost airlines both within Thailand and to other Asian countries, independent travel in Thailand is simple from the point of view of organization and extremely budgetary.

Below I will reveal the most effective algorithm for finding cheap tickets for flights of discounter airlines; I will give an example of ticket prices for a number of destinations; I will list the main budget carriers flying in Thailand and from its cities to other Asian countries; and also give a list of codes for the main airports in the country.

Specificity

Asian low-cost airlines, in my opinion, are more friendly towards the traveler than their low-cost counterparts from Europe. This is manifested in softer requirements and the availability of free bonuses: many low-cost airlines in Asia provide free baggage allowance, free seat selection and there is no commission for paying with a bank card. For many, but not for all - for example, the well-known Asian low-cost airline AirAsia is very strict with its passengers, and you need to be on the lookout with it.

Algorithm for finding tickets for low-cost airlines

Tickets for 10-30 dollars are normal for low-cost airlines (both Asian and European), it is not at all difficult to find and buy such tickets. The main thing is to know where to look. Indeed, where to find them? Alas, there is no unequivocal solution - you need to complete a small search quest.

I would outline the procedure for the most effective search for the cheapest air tickets for low-cost flights in Thailand (however, this is also suitable for other countries) in three points. To maximize your chances of finding cheap tickets, follow these steps:

Go to the sites of the search engines Skyscanner and Aviasales and check the prices for tickets in the direction of interest. Check all dates that work for you. Use the search engines to the fullest: for example, in the Skyscanner flight search form, instead of a specific date, you can set a search for the whole month or even a year, and instead of a specific city, you can specify the whole country. Don't be lazy, increase your chances of finding the cheapest ticket.
Visit the official websites of airlinesto check what prices they offer when buying directly from them. Here it happens 50-50: if tickets of traditional airlines are almost always much cheaper to buy from agents using search engines, and not directly from airlines' websites, then in the case of low-cost airlines, not everything is so simple - agents may have the best price, or maybe at the office. sites. So check both there and there.
Find out prices on the Bravoavia website. If this agent has tickets at a low price, then by performing simple actions you can get the necessary tickets is free... To do this, register in the Bravofriends loyalty program: first you will receive a voucher for 20 euros, and then you can invite your friends to register in the program (1 friend = 1 additional euro) - so you can save up for a larger voucher that will cover the cost of your ticket. This is exactly what we do ourselves: over the past 2 months, we flew four times for free in Vietnam and Thailand on local low-cost airlines. I wrote more about vouchers in a separate article. Attention: the Bravofriends program was completed in October 2015.

However, first you need to read this article in order to understand what low-cost airlines are in Thailand, in which directions they fly and how much tickets for their flights cost.

Prices for flights in Asia with low-cost airlines from Thailand

I will give as an example the starting prices for tickets for flights from the cities of Thailand to other Asian countries, which are offered by low-cost airlines (here and below the cost for a one-way ticket is indicated):

Flights within Thailand - from $ 15;
Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore - from $ 20-30;
Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar - from $ 50;
India, Hong Kong - from $ 70;
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Macau, Taiwan - from $ 100;
China, Laos, South Korea, Japan - from $ 110-120;
Australia, Nepal - from $ 140-150.

By the way, you can fly from Thailand on low-cost flights Norwegian to Norway and Sweden at a price of $ 160-180 per one way ticket.

Low-cost airlines flying around Thailand

Here we will discuss low-cost carriers operating domestically.

Orient Thai Airlines

The smallest airline I've met - this low-cost airline flies in only two directions: Bangkok (Don Muang) - Phuket and Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) - Hong Kong.

We flew this airline from Bangkok to Phuket. We flew for free (they didn't even pay for the luggage - it was already included in the price), everyone was happy. In general, tickets for that flight cost about 700-800 baht ($ 25), and you could buy them at such a low price even a few days before departure.

An example of using our € 50 Bravofriends voucher to cover the cost of two tickets from Bangkok to Phuket:

According to the airline's rules, carry-on baggage up to 7 kg and baggage up to 15 kg will fly with you free of charge; on board you will be treated to nuts and water; and you can also reserve any seat in the salon for yourself online for free. This is perhaps the kindest low-cost airline on Earth.

Thai lion air

Flight directions: from Bangkok to Phuket, to Krabi, Udon Thani, Surat Thani, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and vice versa, as well as between Hat Yai and Udon Thani.

Bonuses: free luggage up to 15 kg (including sports equipment), free choice of seats in the cabin.

Often it is this low-cost airline that offers the lowest prices for flights within Thailand. Here's an example of Skyscanner pricing:

Nok air

Flight directions are indicated on the map.

As you can see, there are many routes, combined solutions are also possible (flight + bus / ferry to the desired point).

Airfare for this Thai low-cost airline starts from 800-900 baht.

AirAsia

The homeland of this, undoubtedly, the most famous low-cost airline in Asia, is Malaysia, but the carrier's route network is so large that no matter which route you fly in the Asian region, you will most likely meet with AirAsia's offer. She flies from Australia to Saudi Arabia, from Japan to Indonesia. The airline also operates domestic flights, good prices are found regularly.

AirAsia route network map for Thailand and neighboring countries:

List of cities where AirAsia flies:

Other airlines

Bangkok airways (+ flights within Asia) and Thai airways (+ flights all over the world) - these are not low-cost airlines, but even these airlines from time to time can find good deals for domestic flights, so there is no need to deprive them of attention.

Travel accommodation. Look for hotels on Hotellook.ru - it compares the prices of various booking systems and finds the best one.

Low-cost airlines flying to neighboring countries

List of major airlines that allow you to fly inexpensively from Thai cities to other countries in Asia.

VietJet

Vietnam's premier low cost airline with extremely low prices and excellent punctuality. During a month and a half of our trip to Vietnam, we flew three times on board this airline (flew for free thanks to Bravoavia vouchers). Our third flight was just from Vietnam (Hanoi) to Bangkok.

The airline asks to pay separately for baggage: the cost depends on the weight and direction (from $ 7 and more). On board, you can buy inexpensive food and drinks: for example, lunch costs about $ 2-3.

TigerAir

Large route network throughout Asia and Australia. Flies through Singapore. Thailand cities: Bangkok (both airports), Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Phuket, Krabi.

The cost of tickets for flights from Bangkok to Singapore is usually from 60-70 dollars.

Jetstar airways

Australian low-cost airline with a large route network (even reaches the Hawaiian Islands).This low-cost airline flies from two airports in Thailand: Bangkok and Phuket. Flights are carried out with a stopover in Singapore, so ticket prices cannot be called particularly low, but this makes it possible to organize transit through Singapore (in this case, it will be possible to spend up to 96 hours in a city-state without having to make a visa).

Vietnamese low-cost airline Jetstar Pacific Airlines (included in the route network of the Australian discounter) flies direct flights from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City.

Scoot

From Bangkok (Don Muang) flies to many destinations via Singapore. List of cities:

Frefly

Malaysian low-cost airline. Flies to the resorts of Southern Thailand: Phuket (from Penang), Krabi (from Penang), Koh Samui (from Penang and Kuala Lumpur). Often offers good prices. Great as an alternative to ground transportation for those who travel to Penang Island to make a Thai visa.

IndiGo and SpiceJet

IndiGo - Indian airline, initially carried out only domestic flights, but now flies to other countries (Thailand, Nepal, UAE, Oman, Singapore). From Bangkok, you can fly to the following cities:

SpiceJet also flies from Bangkok to many cities in India.

Cebu pacific

The main low-cost airline and the largest carrier of the Philippines with a large route network throughout Asia.

Flies to Bangkok, Krabi, Phuket, Chiang Mai.

Often, airlines offer about the same price for tickets from Bangkok to Manila. Philippine airlines, Kuwait Airways (direct flights) and Jetstar (with a transfer in Singapore).

Hong Kong Express Airways

Offers inexpensive tickets to Hong Kong from Bangkok.

Airport codes

Somehow, when designing a route for flights in Thailand, I needed a list of codes for all the main airports in the country. I compiled it and broke it down geographically. I share, suddenly it will come in handy for you.