Flight Cost

Hi again, Will,

I am in a hub airport city, similar to Houston.  I have used a couple of different outfits to try to get reduced costs for Business class travel (after most of my employers over the years just paying for Econ, too many Millions of miles cramped in my younger days.)

I've used: Business-skies.com

https://www.google.com/travel/flights

On Google I ended up buying a $3K , single connection (minimizing connections is a high priority for me), flight to Bankok, whereby I would have been there last week.  On a major airline, with a good reputation.

I made the decision to postpone my departure a few weeks back, and the change cost another $1K.  There were several brokerts offered, and the Dutch based one I selected provided less hand holding than the Business-skies reps did for my LatAm flights last year.

Today when I did a search for "low cost business flight fares" I was surprised how many options just popped up.  Seems like some caution would be recommended before handing over a few $K's....

If you can commit to dates now (or soon) that should help lower the cost.

Good luck!

Jim

@watsonwillie32

Is it too obvious to suggest that you try Skyscanner?

Had checked them previously some time back, not impressed.   Should probably try again....

If you catch a flight from Houston to Las Vegas you can fly from Las Vegas to Incheon South Korea and then from there to fly to Bangkok  on korean airline.

You can look business class and you will get lounge access in Incheon you can get a shower and food for free at the korean air lounge.  I have used them for a lot of years.

In fact I am in Incheon waiting for my connecting flight to Bangkok right now.

The price can vary from the day you want so do look at the multi day prices for the whole trip from Las Vegas to Bangkok.  Also it fule problems in Middle East may effect the price right now.  I like to fly out of Las Vegas more than lax. San Francisco  or Seattle.  A b d coming back I have had haster tsa and passport clearing out of it than the others.

Back in '85, flying to China for my studies, I flew Delta/Korean Air.  Different time, but the travel agent from whom I purchased used his points or something to get me a Bus class upgrade on the way out!  (Later connected the dots of some of his comments to realize he had done something similar as a poor grad student himself a few years earlier!)  Never got a chance to properly thank him....

Mentioned I've flown close to 3 Million miles.  I learned the hard way, on business trips with tight schedules to multiple countries (once did 9 countries in 10 week days), to minimize connections...

Even as a retiree on a looser schedule, I don't find the idea of one of my suitcases going astray for a couple of days appealing!  Every stop is another roll of the dice!  When I finally get to Bangkok I intend to spend at most one night in the capital (may even skip that) before heading to Hua Hin.

@Intl guy jim

Thank you Jim. The  information you shared with me will help me in my decision making.

@Intl guy jim

If you don't want to spend time in Bangkok, there is a very good bus service from Suvarnabhumi airport direct to Hua Hin.

Thanks, Malcolm.  I had planned on taking the train, but will look for the bus first!

Is it safe to assume luxe bus, as in reclining business class type seats?  Able to accomodate a good bit of luggage?

I have taken this bus several times and it's fine. Ideally I would prefer to travel by train, but that entails going into central Bangkok first. The bus is so convenient,  you just walk downstairs in front of the airport. Buses in Thailand are generally very good.