SFO-BKK help needed

[NorCalKid 1]

Does anyone know of any good fares SFO-BKK for mid June (9-24 but semi flexible). The best I have found are 1250-1370 depending on itinerary. Am I just going to have to bend over and take it or are there better fares out there. Any help would be appreciated. If these fares keep going up I’m not going to be able to make a trip in Jan

 

Thanks

[MC_Ldop 40]

Even though it's low season in Thailand, air fares from America are traditionally high in the summer. You'll probably find something a little lower, but not by much.

[Mescalito 19]

I make my trips out of SFO, too. I've found China Airlines to have the best fares, and for some reason I save some money by booking the trip via their web site as two separate 1-way itineraries. Booking it that way usually costs me about 20% less than what I'd have paid if I booked it as a round-trip. Don't ask me why that happens, it just does and I'm not complaining.

Edited April 25, 2008 by Mescalito

[NorCalKid 1]

Thanks guys, I actually read a previous post on china air 1 way. SFO-Bkk $776 BKK-SFO $677(31/1exchange rate, a guess) So its not working to well right now. I did fly China in Jan. The best rate I have found is from a travel agent in SF. $1250 all in on United. I was kind of surprised by this but I guess it’s threw a consolidator. Does anyone know of a travel agent with a contract with someone who flies to BKK?

[Samsonite 181]

That is really a good price for June.

The prices start going up the end of May and stay up until mid September. They shoot up again toward the end of November and come right back down a day or two after New Year's Day. The shoot up again just before Chinese New Years and then fall back down and stay there until late May.

[Emil 0]

Just the other day I purchased a R/T (30 Apr departure-June 9th return) on United from Sacramento to BKK for $1140. That the most I've ever paid, at least I will earn 45K miles or 3/4 of a future freebie to lessen the pain. When I make my next trip in the middle of summer I will use miles.

[MM 6,562]

Just the other day I purchased a R/T (30 Apr departure-June 9th return) on United from Sacramento to BKK for $1140. That the most I've ever paid, at least I will earn 45K miles or 3/4 of a future freebie to lessen the pain. When I make my next trip in the middle of summer I will use miles.

 

How do you get 45K miles on a R/T from Sacramento to BKK? I fly SFO-BKK, and it's about 8K flight miles each way thru Narita. Or, are you saying, that after you complete the flight, you'll have accrued 45k miles total?

[Emil 0]

How do you get 45K miles on a R/T from Sacramento to BKK? I fly SFO-BKK, and it's about 8K flight miles each way thru Narita. Or, are you saying, that after you complete the flight, you'll have accrued 45k miles total?

 

 

Sacramento is only about 90 miles from SFO but United gives you actual miles or 500 miles per leg so R/T is just under 17,000 miles. If you fly often, stay with 1 airline as the bonuses kick in when you reach their higher levels. I'm premier executive so I get double miles for each paid flight, also I get four 500 mile upgrades for each 10K of paid miles. They can only be used on domestic flights and if not used within a year they roll over into your account. I pay with a United credit card which give me 2 miles for each dollar spent with United. (Got 20K miles last year for just signing up). Special promo going on now with United giving 5k miles, not as good as one of their promos in the past where they gave everyone double miles in which I got triple miles. Adding it all up its about 45K miles for this trip. If I would have booked online at the United website I would have gotten another 1,000 miles but the travel agent was $300 cheaper.

Edited April 26, 2008 by Emil

[jtiger 9]

Eva Air's "high season" prices are from May 14 to July 31. The prices seem to be up 50% during that time.

 

That's why I'm flying to BKK on May 12th...

[NorCalKid 1]

Eva Air's "high season" prices are from May 14 to July 31. The prices seem to be up 50% during that time.

 

That's why I'm flying to BKK on May 12th...

 

 

EVA is $1277 all in. EVA, NW, and united are all with in $30 of each other. Guess I'll just pick the best itinerary if I cant find anything cheaper.

[Emil 0]

Since you appear to be concerned about cost then I suggest you do a little research on those airline frequent flyer programs. I believe Eva requires 100K miles for a free flight while United and Northwest only require 60,000 miles. Also most of the airlines frequent flyer programs require activity every 18 months or you loose your miles so whichever airline you select make sure you keep your account active. Another thing to consider is the ability to acquire more miles through their mileage partners without even flying.

[The Mook 105]

It is 100,000 miles for a free flight on EVA.

[NorCalKid 1]

Since you appear to be concerned about cost then I suggest you do a little research on those airline frequent flyer programs. I believe Eva requires 100K miles for a free flight while United and Northwest only require 60,000 miles. Also most of the airlines frequent flyer programs require activity every 18 months or you loose your miles so whichever airline you select make sure you keep your account active. Another thing to consider is the ability to acquire more miles through their mileage partners without even flying.

 

 

 

I never thought about that. I just figured they were all around 60k. Thanks for the tip. And yes I lost a bunch of AA miles after 18 months .

[js007 795]

Since you appear to be concerned about cost then I suggest you do a little research on those airline frequent flyer programs. I believe Eva requires 100K miles for a free flight while United and Northwest only require 60,000 miles. Also most of the airlines frequent flyer programs require activity every 18 months or you loose your miles so whichever airline you select make sure you keep your account active. Another thing to consider is the ability to acquire more miles through their mileage partners without even flying.

 

I have some NWA miles, but when I went to their website to try to use them, the prices all seemed to be a bad joke. I could get better NWA prices from Orbitz. Of course, maybe the NWA prices were higher because I was trying to use miles. Maybe I'll use the miles for a hotel room or something and buy the plane ticket somewhere else. The R/T tickets for November seemed to be going for about $1200. I really only want a one-way ticket, but I'm afraid they'll give me trouble for that, so I'll look for a refundable ticket and get a refund on the return flight.

 

J

[js007 795]

I just checked again and the NWA prices are still silly, considering its NWA.

 

So, I went to the Thai Air site and finally got it to work. They were quoting OK R/T fares for November (JFK, non-stop to BKK), with a March return date. Economy - $1070; Premium Economy - $1530. There was also a middle class of economy with no change fee for $1311. Anyway, the premium economy flight is good, if you can afford it. The non-stop flight goes fast and the food is good. I can get to JFK cheaply from the midwest.

 

J

[MM 6,562]

Since you appear to be concerned about cost then I suggest you do a little research on those airline frequent flyer programs. I believe Eva requires 100K miles for a free flight while United and Northwest only require 60,000 miles.

 

Emil, have you ever been able to book a 60K R/T to SEA on United gear itself? I've found whenever I used miles for a ticket through United Award travel, I am routed in some strange way on Thai or Singapore...with longer layovers and more distance. Example...

 

SFO-BKK R/T: UAL SFO-LAX, THAI LAX-HKG, THAI HKG-BKK

SFO-BKK R/T SNG SFO-HKG, HGK-SIN, SIN-BKK

 

Longer travel times and more legs and more connection delays. UAL never seems to have Saver Awards available on their gear.

[brotherbuzz 3,196]

have you ever been able to book a 60K R/T to SEA on United gear itself?

 

Martin, no recent history to speak of as I changed carriers after burning my 180,000 miles, but I booked via their website all 3 of my awards solely on UA metal in 2005 - 2006.

 

Mine were all SJC-LAX-NRT-BKK, which sucked because LAX adds 3-4 hours each way. On the plus side the R/T's were only about $20 out of pocket

 

They even lost my luggage on one of the LAX to SJC legs. 30 plus paxs and they couldn't manage half our bags

Edited April 26, 2008 by brotherbuzz

[Emil 0]

Emil, have you ever been able to book a 60K R/T to SEA on United gear itself? I've found whenever I used miles for a ticket through United Award travel, I am routed in some strange way on Thai or Singapore...with longer layovers and more distance. Example...

 

SFO-BKK R/T: UAL SFO-LAX, THAI LAX-HKG, THAI HKG-BKK

SFO-BKK R/T SNG SFO-HKG, HGK-SIN, SIN-BKK

 

Longer travel times and more legs and more connection delays. UAL never seems to have Saver Awards available on their gear.

 

Martin I've had 11 free flights through United FF program since 2004 using only 60K each time. I do have an advantage as I'm retired and very flexible on dates. I don't even try to book online to save the $15 as I know that when you do that you don't have access to the Star Alliance partners. Only once have I been routed on United for the entire trip and once I was routed on Singapore for the entire international trip. Other than that I get a mixture of United, Thai, Singapore, and Air Canada. I like it when they route me on Singapore not only for the service on board but they have a much better lounge, love that ice cream they provide. Twice I was routed on United to Beijing and then into Bangkok on Thai, however when routed this way you actually arrive at BKK earlier than when you come in on United. I haven't had any long layovers with the mixture, the only place I seem to get delayed is on my return trip on the last leg from SFO to SMF and that happens even on my paid flights. One time they wanted to fly me from Sacramento to Chicago and then back to Narita. I told them that I didn't want to fly 4 hours in the wrong direction and since this was winter I didn't want to turn a 2 hour connection into a 2 day connection and told them to look for another departure day.

 

On my last free trip which was Jan-Feb of this year, at check in they gave me a boarding pass on the BKK-Narita leg which didn't seat me in Economy Plus. When I noticed it just prior to boarding I mentioned it to the gate agent and they issued me another seat in Economy Plus. When I got to the seat it was already occupied so I called the FA over. She left and a few minutes later came back and escorted me to business class. I then checked my other boarding pass on the leg from Narita to SFO hoping they made the same mistake but no such luck.

Edited April 27, 2008 by Emil

[Skylar 0]

Hey Martin,

 

I always use United SFO NRT BKK.

If you go the 837/838 flights, you go on United metal.

If you can book a couple of months in advance, you can get the upgrades with miles or systemwide upgrades if you are 1K.

 

I am 1K so I get some great perks. The flight attendants on United are really shitty though, even in Business and First Class.

 

They also have a great deal for the next 6 weeks and you get double EQM miles from the States.

 

Fact is that airfare is up. $1,300 right now is pretty good. I paid $1,400 a couple of months ago for a flight at the end of May. This fare does allow upgrades. Some lower fares do not allow upgrades.

 

Get used to paying more for airfare. It is only going up from here.

[MM 6,562]

Emil - that matches my experience. United Award travel (to BKK at least) is frequently on partner airlines with some strange routing. The time I went with Singapore, we essentially flew past BKK to SIN, then came back north to return to BKK.

 

Skylar - I was asking about Award Travel. I take the same flights as you mention, am 1K as well, and know about the double EQM for the next couple of months. Might make me travel a bit earlier than I planned to pick up those EQM.

[hound 0]

Just booked a May 17th flight using United mileage. The choices I had were very limited as to dates but mostly they were the same routes as a paid ticket. I have gotten 3 United credit cards that gave me a total of 55k free miles.

 

Last trip I flew United using a consolidator - Thaifly. I had used them once before with no problems. Their price on United was a $500 savings over what United was asking. It was about $1100 when United prices were around $1600. I like flying United because of the economy plus extra legroom and I can reserve my seat as soon as I buy the ticket.

[Samsonite 181]

...that matches my experience. United Award travel (to BKK at least) is frequently on partner airlines with some strange routing. The time I went with Singapore, we essentially flew past BKK to SIN, then came back north to return to BKK.

 

That is typical Singapore Air (SQ) routing. You can't get to BKK on SQ from SFO or LAX without first going to SIN. You can travel to HKG, or TPE, or ICN from SFO, but you still have to go through SIN before going on to BKK.

[MC_Ldop 40]

Last trip I flew United using a consolidator - Thaifly. I had used them once before with no problems. Their price on United was a $500 savings over what United was asking. It was about $1100 when United prices were around $1600. I like flying United because of the economy plus extra legroom and I can reserve my seat as soon as I buy the ticket.

 

I heard that you only get partial mileage if you use a consolidator. Is that true?

[Emil 0]

I heard that you only get partial mileage if you use a consolidator. Is that true?

 

I've never heard that about United,but best to talk to them direct. I was routed once on ANA for 1 leg of the flight and they only gave me 80% of the miles for that segment.

 

 

That is typical Singapore Air (SQ) routing. You can't get to BKK on SQ from SFO or LAX without first going to SIN. You can travel to HKG, or TPE, or ICN from SFO, but you still have to go through SIN before going on to BKK.

 

When United routed me on Singapore out of SFO to ICN or HKG, they then put me on Thai for the leg into BKK.

[Samsonite 181]

When United routed me on Singapore out of SFO to ICN or HKG, they then put me on Thai for the leg into BKK.

That is one way to do it.

Once bought a ticket on Delta, now that was a mistake. It was a code share with 4 different airlines. Korean Air SFO to ICN, Asiana from ICN to BKK, EVA from BKK to TPE, and, finally, China Air from TPE to SFO.

Won't be doing that again.