Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus - UA vs Thai HKT-IAD

Hey all,

Wanted to get your take on a upcoming award fix option. Currently tickets on UA in F going from HKT-BKK (Thai Biz), BKK-PEK (Thai Biz), PEK-IAD (UA F). Booked on a saver fix which helps conserve pts.

There is another flight that looks like it leaves a day earlier:
HKT-BKK (Thai Biz) BKK-LHR (Thai F, Listed as an A340-600 on Thai site).

I believe that our flight to BKK via FRA is on one of Thai's updated planes (flight is Nov 27). But it looks like the BKK-LHR flt is on an older aircraft. So.... better to fly UA F and stay on the beach an extra day or Thai F via London with the change to UA F there and lose a day?

Thanks for any tips or experiences you can offer.

Hey all,

Wanted to get your take on a upcoming award fix option. Currently tickets on UA in F going from HKT-BKK (Thai Biz), BKK-PEK (Thai Biz), PEK-IAD (UA F). Booked on a saver fix which helps conserve pts.

There is another flight that looks like it leaves a day earlier:
HKT-BKK (Thai Biz) BKK-LHR (Thai F, Listed as an A340-600 on Thai site).

I believe that our flight to BKK via FRA is on one of Thai's updated planes (flight is Nov 27). But it looks like the BKK-LHR flt is on an older aircraft. So.... better to fly UA F and stay on the beach an extra day or Thai F via London with the change to UA F there and lose a day?

Thanks for any tips or experiences you can offer.

How many days total do you have in Phuket? Thai Service is far superior to UA but if you need the extra day in Phuket, I will go with the UA flight

We have 6 nights at the Conrad in Samui followed by 6 nights at the Renaissance in Phuket. If the Thai flight was leaps and bounds better I would cut the Phuket side down to 5 nights. I actually like the new United F seats. Wish the Thai'd updated flights were avail on the way back (my flight out in F is on an A320 from MUC which I believe is/will be updated) May keep looking for BKK-FRA or BKK-MUC.

Thanks for your help.

Looks like there is a flt avail BKK-MUC on a 747, but it would mean overnighting in MUC. Also BKK-CDG on a 777. Not sure it's worth the extra stop and the longer trip back though.

Looks like there is a flt avail BKK-MUC on a 747, but it would mean overnighting in MUC. Also BKK-CDG on a 777. Not sure it's worth the extra stop and the longer trip back though.

I'd probably do BKK-CDG on the 77W, if it meant not giving up a night in HKT. I really love the Thai F service EX-BKK.

If you've never been to Phuket, I would say consider the full 6 nights in Phuket and then think about doing one or 2 nights closer to Patong. Perhaps Karon or Kata beach. I just stayed at the Renaissance last week and while it's a lovely property with generous upgrades, it's far away from all the action and it's really expensive getting anywhere. Of course this may change if you rent a car.

If you've never been to Phuket, I would say consider the full 6 nights in Phuket and then think about doing one or 2 nights closer to Patong.

And there are those of us who would advise the opposite. If you've never been to Phuket don't bother. To each their own.

Been to Phuket before and seen/done the Patong thing. Looking to keep far away on this trip. Goal is to stay low key, take crazy long beach walks, read and sit tight.

I would consider cutting the stay short by a night if anyone thought that the difference in flights (seat quality/service mix) would be worth it. Looks like the flight switch would most likely mean Bkk-Europe-IAD vs BKK-PEK-IAD which ends up being a quicker trip.

Thanks again

Been to Phuket before and seen/done the Patong thing. Looking to keep far away on this trip. Goal is to stay low key, take crazy long beach walks, read and sit tight.

I would consider cutting the stay short by a night if anyone thought that the difference in flights (seat quality/service mix) would be worth it. Looks like the flight switch would most likely mean Bkk-Europe-IAD vs BKK-PEK-IAD which ends up being a quicker trip.

Thanks again

Since you've been there before, I would go for the better service on Thai

Been to Phuket before and seen/done the Patong thing. Looking to keep far away on this trip. Goal is to stay low key, take crazy long beach walks, read and sit tight.

I would consider cutting the stay short by a night if anyone thought that the difference in flights (seat quality/service mix) would be worth it. Looks like the flight switch would most likely mean Bkk-Europe-IAD vs BKK-PEK-IAD which ends up being a quicker trip.

Thanks again

Personally I would be taking TG F via Europe over UA F any day of the week! If you can make changes close to travel date too, then you might have a chance of doing something like BKK-FRA-IAD with TG F on the refurbed 747 and then FRA-IAD with LH F on the A333 ^ Connection time is a bit long at 3hr40 but it's not the end of the world since you will be in the FCL/FCT at FRA anyway ^

I was on UA PEK->IAD in First a couple weeks ago and would avoid the route if possible. 777 service, which means possibility of non-updated seats / cabin. Underwhelming FCL in PEK.

Also, not sure how far out this trip is, but UA is having some pretty significant reliability issues with their international fleet of late....so if you are scheduled dependent arriving home on time, be advised.

Hey all,
I believe that our flight to BKK via FRA is on one of Thai's updated planes (flight is Nov 27).

There are F award seats on TG922 (BKK-FRA) on November 27. The downside is you would have to overnight in FRA.

From FRA you can do UA F or LH C to ORD. You can then see what LH F routes from FRA to ORD open up at T-14 and T-7 and rebook on LH F.

Thanks cheltzel et al. I mis-posted. Our return is currently on Dec 11th HKT-BKK-PEK-IAD leaving at 7am getting into IAD around 7pm. I'd change to the 10th if there were better flts on an updated TG craft, but the only one I could find is through MUC and would require an overnight there (arrives at 8p). Looked into Qatar also but limited flts and no room at the inn.

If this is a UA return award remember that you can't cross both oceans according to the rules. (The website sometimes lets you book it, but if you need to make changes agents will spot that it isn't allowed and make you change it.)

If you don't need a stopover then you can change the award to 2x one ways to cross both the Atlantic and the Pacific for the same number of miles as a return, but that can cause problems with availability if you are already holding tickets.

If this is a UA return award remember that you can't cross both oceans according to the rules. (The website sometimes lets you book it, but if you need to make changes agents will spot that it isn't allowed and make you change it.)

If you don't need a stopover then you can change the award to 2x one ways to cross both the Atlantic and the Pacific for the same number of miles as a return, but that can cause problems with availability if you are already holding tickets.

Funny, I never thoroughly read the rules and did not know that. 1st time I called UA the agent was a snot and not polite about telling me the rule. I ended up hanging up and calling back. After a few attempts I got a super nice woman who helped me change the res. I think it ended up being a sweet award ticket:
2 pax super savers all in F:
IAD-MUC UA
MUC-BKK TG new 747 suite
BKK-USM TG
HKT-BKK TG
BKK-CDG TG new 777ER suite
CDG-IAD UA

Waiting to see if the IAD-MUC opens up on LH.

Does the rule mean that to get to Asia from DC on an award tix that you have to first travel to the west coast and only go over the pacific (vs via Europe)? There are almost no convenient flights from DC that work out that way other than NRT.