Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus - HKG-HKT: TG vs. Air Asia: any piece of advice?

Good evening,

I am planning my christmas holidays in advance (apparently not enough given how many Phuket hotels are already fulled booked) but the fact is that I only have one flight left to book:
HKG-HKT for 2 pax on Dec 29th

My options are:
1. Air Asia: 200€ / pax with one luggage and 2nd row
2. TG economy: 300€ / pax
3. TG Royal Silk: 440€ / pax

Had it been a 1h15min flight, I would have opted for Air Asia but for 3h35min, I'm wondering.

What would you recommend?

FYI, my itinerary is CDG-ZRH-HKG-HKT-BKK-ZRH-LUX.

Many thanks for your help

TG hands down (if you don't mind paying more)

If I recall, with Air Asia you get the cattle stampede with no prior seat assignment. This may or may not be important for you.

If you get lounge access, then it's Thai for sure.

I'd also have greater confidence for TG to get you there rather than Air Asia in the event of schedule changes. My personal opinion.

Done this myself a few times in TG Business on a new A330. Worth it for lounge access, decent meal (breakfast IIRC regarding early departure time) plus champagne and all for a modest price.

Currently four airlines fly nonstop between HKG and HKT: Dragonair (two flights some days), Hong Kong Express, Air Asia and Thai.
KA and TG provide the best service. FD and HX are low cost airlines. They are good LCC, but more prone to delays. The timing of the flights is also important. I like to leave HKG in the morning and return in the evening to maximize the time in HKT. Then TG and KA (only some days) are the best suited. FD leaves in eveving and return late evening.
As you only fly one way, you have to decide whether you prefer to leave HKG in the morning or evening (FD or HX) and arrive very late in HKT.
As mentioned above, TG business in the new 330 that they currently use is excellent with great lie-flat seat and AVOD for the whole flight with movies, and nice lounge in HKG. Unfortunately, this is breakfast time and their breakfast is nothing to write about. But they have their excellent wines and I treat the meal as lunch. €440 for a one way is pricey though. The fares you quote are close to the RT fares (I recently got €200 in Y and 550 in J). You might consider a return ticket HKG-HKT-HKG, with the return via BKK and dropping the last segment.

To return to your initial question, TG biz is worth the money if they still use their modern A330. But what they will use in December is ???

But they have their excellent wines and I treat the meal as lunch. €440 for a one way is pricey though. The fares you quote are close to the RT fares (I recently got €200 in Y and 550 in J). You might consider a return ticket HKG-HKT-HKG, with the return via BKK and dropping the last segment.

To return to your initial question, TG biz is worth the money if they still use their modern A330. But what they will use in December is ???

Thank you for all your great pieces of advice. I usually use TG in business for intra-Thailand flights. I did a BKK-Krabi RT with them as well as BKK-Chiang Mai in business in January 2012 and it was well worth the few extra $. I only got the new 330 for the last segment Krabi-BKK but it was great indeed.

I'll probably book TG, biz or eco depending on my final budget but at least I'll have a real airline and indeed I definitely want to avoid the stampede. These are supposed to be nice holidays and since I'll be staying at the MO HK and the Renaissance Phuket, I don't want to spoil the journey between both :D

Thanks guys

Air Asia has some decent sales if you can catch them. I wouldn't bother paying for a seat up front with them. Usually row 6 or so starts the seats that are much less to select.

I paid $60, last year during one of their big sales, for BKK-HKG, for flights next month. In fact, for 6 legs all over Asia, I paid less than $300 per person. For fairly short hops I don't mind AK/FD/QZ. I'd rather spend it on nice hotels and the like.

I flew TG Biz last week BKK-HKG, and while it was okay, it's certainly nothing I'd much go out of my way for. Sure, the 30 minute massage in the lounge is nice, and the food isn't half bad.

If you have some award miles, you can get a OW award HKG-HKT on TG using United miles (or perhaps other * members) for 17.5k miles. Taxes are $15 or so.

You might consider a return ticket HKG-HKT-HKG, with the return via BKK and dropping the last segment.


First, I don't have the lounge access normally since I'm only M&M FTL and my girlfriend is A3 Silver.

I tried to book the return ticket on your advice and I think it could have been an excellent deal but the dates must be too busy in the end.
I need to fly on Dec 29th to HKT and then Jan 4th to BKK and I get:

700€ in coach and 1500€ in business.

N.B.: I already booked the HKT-BKK in business at 130€ / pax.

Hong Kong to Phuket
Flight 1 Saturday, December 29, 2012

Departure: 10:45 Hong Kong, Hong Kong (SAR of China) - Hong Kong International, terminal 2
Arrival: 13:20 Phuket, Thailand - Phuket International, terminal 1
Airline: Thai Airways Intl TG609 e
Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A330
Fare type: Economy Restricted

Phuket to Hong Kong
Flight 1 Friday, January 04, 2013

Departure: 14:10 Phuket, Thailand - Phuket International, terminal 1
Arrival: 15:35 Bangkok, Thailand - Suvarnabhumi International
Airline: Thai Airways Intl TG208 e
Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A330
Fare type: Economy Restricted

Change of plane required. Time between flights : 3:05.

Flight 2 Friday, January 04, 2013

Departure: 18:40 Bangkok, Thailand - Suvarnabhumi International
Arrival: 22:25 Hong Kong, Hong Kong (SAR of China) - Hong Kong International, terminal 1
Airline: Thai Airways Intl TG602 e
Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A330
Fare type: Economy Restricted

Travellers Flights Taxes
2 adult(s) x (2,740.00 + 804.00) = 7,088.00 HKD (693.49 EUR)
total for all travellers 7,088.00 HKD (693.49 EUR)

Air Asia has some decent sales if you can catch them. I wouldn't bother paying for a seat up front with them. Usually row 6 or so starts the seats that are much less to select.

I paid $60, last year during one of their big sales, for BKK-HKG, for flights next month. In fact, for 6 legs all over Asia, I paid less than $300 per person. For fairly short hops I don't mind AK/FD/QZ. I'd rather spend it on nice hotels and the like.

I flew TG Biz last week BKK-HKG, and while it was okay, it's certainly nothing I'd much go out of my way for. Sure, the 30 minute massage in the lounge is nice, and the food isn't half bad.

If you have some award miles, you can get a OW award HKG-HKT on TG using United miles (or perhaps other * members) for 17.5k miles. Taxes are $15 or so.

I thought about booking with miles though I used them for a KBP-LIS-KBP for my girlfriend since LH was charging 650€ for economy. Probably a stupid use of 45000 miles but well... Still hasn't flown that so I could change and use the miles as you say for the one way HKG-HKT, though the result will be quite similar in the end I think.

Too bad I don't leave in the US when I see how easy you can get UA miles by signing up credit/debit cards.

I'll sign up on Air Asia mailing list and I might get lucky or should I just try to book every day if that happens? I do think it's quite unlikely to happen around NYE, don't you think?

Thanks for your help

I'll sign up on Air Asia mailing list and I might get lucky or should I just try to book every day if that happens? I do think it's quite unlikely to happen around NYE, don't you think?



Well, I would guess it to be a fairly in demand period. You never know with AK, though. Sign up for their mailing list, or Facebook page. They send out a teaser a day or so before their big sale.

I know that their servers bog down a lot when they put their Big sale on. Sometimes you can log in via a mobile device easier, so keep that in mind.

It all depends on how you value things. But if you are ready to spend on MO HK, then I would definitely take TG biz over TG Y for a difference of 140. And I would not spend hours and hours trying to save 50 or so euros by repeated login on AirAsia.
From boarding to getting off the plane, you will spend close to 4 hours in your seat, and it is worth it as you can enjoy a nap and movie avod. The lounge access is also nice. Maybe the best TG lounge, definitely nicer and more food than in BKK.
Indeed, the UA deal is quite good for return tickets and J is widely available between HKG and HKT as A330 has too many J seats for a leisure destination (hence the low fares too).

It all depends on how you value things. But if you are ready to spend on MO HK, then I would definitely take TG biz over TG Y for a difference of 140. And I would not spend hours and hours trying to save 50 or so euros by repeated login on AirAsia.
From boarding to getting off the plane, you will spend close to 4 hours in your seat, and it is worth it as you can enjoy a nap and movie avod. The lounge access is also nice. Maybe the best TG lounge, definitely nicer and more food than in BKK.
Indeed, the UA deal is quite good for return tickets and J is widely available between HKG and HKT as A330 has too many J seats for a leisure destination (hence the low fares too).

I think you're right and I should book the J. I just saved 900€ on my stay in Phuket by switching hotels and taking a lower category but that still looks nice (Nap Patong hotel instead of the La Flora Patong or Renaissance Phuket). I don't think the La Flora and the Renaissance were really worth the extra 130€ per night for normal rooms (without breakfast at the Renaissance).

Regarding the miles needed for J tickets. How much are we talking about? I don't think it'd be interesting to buy UA miles to make that trip? It would be more expensive in the end I guess.

I'm probably wondering too much about that trip but that's how I am. I currently hold cancelable reservations at 3 hotels in Phuket to ensure that in the end, I'll select the one I truly want to stay at.

Regarding the MO HK, I'm benefiting from a MO corporate rate (their own) so I'm not going to pay the full rate (thank god).

I think you're right and I should book the J. I just saved 900€ on my stay in Phuket by switching hotels and taking a lower category but that still looks nice (Nap Patong hotel instead of the La Flora Patong or Renaissance Phuket). I don't think the La Flora and the Renaissance were really worth the extra 130€ per night for normal rooms (without breakfast at the Renaissance).

Regarding the miles needed for J tickets. How much are we talking about? I don't think it'd be interesting to buy UA miles to make that trip? It would be more expensive in the end I guess.

I'm probably wondering too much about that trip but that's how I am. I currently hold cancelable reservations at 3 hotels in Phuket to ensure that in the end, I'll select the one I truly want to stay at.

Regarding the MO HK, I'm benefiting from a MO corporate rate (their own) so I'm not going to pay the full rate (thank god).

Quite a few peosters on FT share the same passion. And a vacation is fun in part for the anticipation (holidays pass so quickly).
Plus my wife is always so happy when we get he best seats on a plane or a great room at the hotel... So, I find time spent in planning quite rewarding.;)

Hi SeamasterLux

I am also going to Phuket on September, any suggestions for resorts? hotels? Any good excursions you are thinking, I can probably do them as well, and give a feedback prior to your December trip.

Thanks to all of you for your pieces of advice, I booked the TG J in the end and will be enjoying, lounge, extra luggage, a good seat and AVOD and some great holidays all in all!


Hi SeamasterLux

I am also going to Phuket on September, any suggestions for resorts? hotels? Any good excursions you are thinking, I can probably do them as well, and give a feedback prior to your December trip.

Send me a PM since your question does not apply to this thread ;)

Looks like we'll be in HKT around the same time (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thailand/1336239-how-would-you-go-bangkok-phuket.html), and thanks to a tip from thaidai, it looks like I'll be at the Yanui Seaview (http://yanuiseaview.com/).

My choices are slightly different because I wanted to break my trip up into a stay in BKK:

Home to HKG in QX Y/CX F (AS award)
HKG-BKK in CX J for $45 USD and 15K Avios miles (BA award)
(stop for 3 days)
BKK-HKT yet to be bought- probably going to be a choice between PG Y and DD Y
(stop for 3 days)
HKT-PEN yet to be bought on FY
(overnight and hit the food stalls late)
PEN-HKG-home on CX F/QX Y (as of now, forced overnight in YVR, going to try and get rid of that)

Looks like we'll be in HKT around the same time (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thailand/1336239-how-would-you-go-bangkok-phuket.html), and thanks to a tip from thaidai, it looks like I'll be at the Yanui Seaview (http://yanuiseaview.com/).


There's definitely a letter in your plans that does not appear in mine unfortunately: "F" so I guess you'll have quite a nice time.

Regarding the Yanui seaview, rates are indeed quite interesting to say the least but I'm very pleased with the Nap Patong I've booked though it does not have any thai charm as the Salathai.

I'll definitely do a trip report after.

Where will you be staying in BKK?