May 19, 2003
Finding cheap air tickets overseas (Bangkok, for example)
The relative benefits of buying air tickets en route (as opposed to buying a round-the-world ticket in advance) is often debated on travel message forums. Obviously, buy-as-you-go offers you more flexibility than a RTW ticket, but I want to illustrate how it is also very cheap, should you keep aware of air ticket prices overseas. What follows is a list (taken from last week's Bangkok Post classifieds) of round-trip prices from Bangkok to various Asian destinations, plus a few in Australia, Europe, South Africa and North America. Keep in mind that a one-way ticket would be roughly 40% cheaper than these already cheap round-trip fares. For airport and other taxes, add about $20. All prices are U.S. dollars. (And note that this isn't even necessarily a list of the cheapest fares, just a "menu" of onward options once you get out on the road.)
Singapore -- $107
Brunei -- $150
Rangoon -- $158
Manila -- $185
Saigon -- $195
Calcutta -- $190
Jakarta -- $210
Seoul -- $242
Shanghai -- $245
Tokyo -- $268
Maldives -- $268
Perth -- $313
Sydney -- $368
Dubai -- $380
Brussels -- $440
Paris/London -- $522
Cape Town -- $527
Los Angeles -- $557
New York -- $617
Wow, perfect timing with this post Rolf. I'm with some travelers right now who were talking about it just last night. They want to go to Asia first via Bangkok and then on to Perth. And they were saying that they wanted to buy their tickets from Bangkok once they got there to give themselves more flexibility as well as saving some money.
Good one. I'm also shocked that the prices are RT. They're so low you'd think they'd be one way.
Posted by: Jen on May 19, 2003 01:56 PMCan I buy return ticket PAR-BKK-PAR?
Posted by: Trung on July 15, 2003 11:48 PMHey Trung. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of PAR-BKK-PAR tickets being available in Bangkok. All flights presume that BKK will be your initial departure city.
In Paris, you might check fares with Vietnam Air (who offered me the best Paris-bound flight out of BKK; perhaps it's also cheap the other way). If you don't mind departing from Brussels, Biman Bangladesh Air is very cheap to BKK (though their service is not always that great).
Posted by: Rolf on July 16, 2003 07:00 AMi was wondering if anyone knows how much a ticket to kathmandu from bangkok is. i'm planning on going there in feb. and i can't find a cheap ticket from new york so i was going to fly to bangkok and then buy my ticket there. thanks
Posted by: melissa on August 21, 2003 04:23 PMA Kathmandu ticket will run you about $300 from Bangkok; $170 one-way. Prices will vary, so shop around BKK travel agents for the best deal.
Posted by: Rolf on August 21, 2003 08:37 PMAlso: When shopping for tickets to Kathmandu, ask the Bangkok travel agent about prices for Biman Bangladesh Air, which has a classic Bangkok-Dhaka-Nepal backpacker flight that may be cheaper than what I quoted above. Not all agents sell Biman tickets (because Biman's support service sucks), so you might have to shop around a bit.
Posted by: Rolf on August 21, 2003 11:24 PMIn January 2004 3 weeks- two senior fares return from Regina.
Posted by: Richard Grabke on August 29, 2003 02:07 PMI am in Seoul, Korea. Is it possible to purchase a round trip ticket to Bangkok, from Seoul, through your web-site? If it is, could you quote me a price.
Regards,
R, Moore
Posted by: R. Moore on October 3, 2003 06:55 PMI WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE A BANGKOK PARIS BANGKOK RETURN TICKET I USUALLY BUY TO KAO SAN BKK BUT I MNOT SURE IT S THE CHEAPEST PLACE .I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE BKK THE 27 OCTOBER SPEND NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER IN PARIS AND COME BACK TO BKK IN JANUARY.I M FROM PARIS AND I KNOW CHAP PLACE TO SLEEP FOR 20 US THE NIGHT
Posted by: muyard on October 10, 2003 08:47 PMI just saw the prices you had posted for Perth and Sydney. I was wondering if you could give me the latest cheapest roundtrip ticket prices for Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth from Bkk. Thank you!
Posted by: Pooja on October 12, 2003 12:36 PMHey folks,
Thanks for all the inquiries, but keep in mind here that I am not a travel agent. In fact, what I am doing is recommeding the counterintuitive practice of NOT planning air tickets in advance. My point here is that these prices are representative of typical airfare prices from Bangkok travel agents. That is, these are tickets you would buy on the go while vagabonding through Thailand -- not from afar.
If you want to keep tabs on the most current prices for airfares out of Bangkok, check in with BKK travel agent websites such as Charlie Connection or Olavi Tours.
Posted by: Rolf on October 12, 2003 01:27 PMhi there : tickets from Los Angles LAX USA to Bangkok BKK in Thailand .. Go on 04-09-2004 retrun on 04-24-2004 thank you for your help
Posted by: jose linhares on November 8, 2003 09:04 AMI want to go to Bangkok next week. I want to buy cheap air ticket from kathmandu for kathmandu to bangkok. please send me some informations.
Posted by: manoj on November 21, 2003 09:03 AMHi,
i want to visit cnada (Vancouver) in feb 04. Can you please advice me for cheapest tickets from BKK to Vancouver.
Regards.
Dear Mr
I'm in Cambodia. Is it possible to purchase round trip ticket ( Bangkok -Hyderabad-Bangkok) from your website?I will go to Hyderabad on 12 december 2003 and return to Bangkok on 20 december 2003. So, could you quote me ASAP the cheapest price of air ticket round trip ( Bangkok-Hyderabad-Bangkok)?
Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you.
Hello-Im trying to figure out the cheapest way to get to New Delhi or Katmandu from San Fransisco/Oakland.Please if you have anying suggestions they would be much appreciated . Thanks Dominique
Posted by: dominique on December 16, 2003 08:17 AMHello,
I want to go NY-DEL-NY. What would be the lowest possible fare that I can plan on?
Thanks.
Lak.
Posted by: Lakshwat on December 20, 2003 01:25 AMHi everyone, i'm very interested in your posts. Thank you for giving me such useful information. Next month, i have a long holiday and i wanna go to vietnam but i dont know how to get the cheap price ticket from bangkok to vietnam. Could you please give me some ideas about it?! Thank you in advance.
Posted by: eli on December 20, 2003 02:08 AMI am interested in finding out the Cheapest price ticket from BKK to Hyderabad India and Return to Bangkok.
thanks in advance
Hi i am going to Sydney on April,and i would like to book a return ticket bkk syd bkk!
Posted by: watcharin on January 13, 2004 11:40 PMBook Release and Tour Diary
Catching up with my magazine reading
Essays
Feedback
From the international affairs quote-file
From the Paris writing workshop
Readings from Around the 'Net
Readings from the book world
Relics from the road
Rolf's News and Updates
Travel Advice
Travel Quote of the Day
Writings by my nephew Cedar, who is 4
The Tragedy of Fernando and Rosita: A lesson in story structure
Stanley Stewart on what makes good travel writing
A few notes on Third World urban slums
Pico Iyer on the merits of shoestring travel
More feedback from Vagabonding readers
As good a reason as any for not postponing your travels
Goodbye, Wichita
Roger Sandall on the delusions of 'romantic primitivism'
The joys of an open-ended journey
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