advice on flight from USM to DPS
 

We are planning an anniversary trip to koh samui. We will stop in BKK for a few nights on the way in, and was looking to stop in Bali for a few nights on the way out. This just seems to be an expensive route with many stops. Any suggestions on making this work without wasting a day, or with US points?

amex
chase
ba
aa
united
usbank 50k

thanks for any help.

Everyone and their uncle code-shares into USM and it's not cheap (as you already know) with only a few airlines' metal actually landing.

One stop options would be with TG through BKK or with MI/SQ through SIN.

There seems to be an MH/FY flight from PEN though I can't figure out who's metal it is. And I don't think it would be of help anyway.

Amex can be moved to SQ and their award chart shows 12.5K Y and 20K C o/w plus YQ and taxes et al. If you're purchasing a r/t I find an 11,800 THB fare. A o/w fare is being quoted a bit above 12,000 THB. Not sure what award availability is like using MI/SQ for this route.....

Can't even do one stop with TG as their BKK-DPS leaves so early. You can do the 06:20 PG from USM-BKK then connect onto TG.

It's actually awkward as mentioned - those that fly their own metal into USM (PG, MI, Firefly) don't fly onto Bali.

The USM-PEN & USM-SZB flights are on Firefly metal, but MH codeshare - but again, no direct onward flights.

So depending on what miles & availability there are I would: look at the Thai BKK-DPS and buy cash on the early morning PG flight from USM (the first flight out of USM is normally their cheapest flight).

Or - use the SQ codeshare on Silk Air to Singapore, then onwards to Bali on SQ.

Or - which may be cheapest - there is a new MH rotation KUL-DPS at 23:30. So you can book the Bangkok Airways flight from USM-KUL at 17:55 which arrives at 20:25 - then connect onto the MH flights to DPS. The USM-KUL is codeshared by MH but not sure if you can book it for a USM-DPS flight - you may need to look at two separate tickets - try the MH website.

Finally the cheapest option if you can't make the above work with miles - ferry to Surat Thani, Air Asia to KUL, then Air Asia to DPS. Surat Thani - KUL isn't daily, so you could look at their daily Surat Thani - DMK (Bangkok) and connect from there as a second option. Air Asia actually sells Samui - Don Muang tickets on their site inclusive of the ferry (but via Nakhon Si Thammarat - which i'm not familiar with).

I've seen too many routes where FD/AK etal weren't the cheapest option. Not sure about the one you recommend here, but it's certainly not a foregone conclusion IME.

Also it contravenes OP's desire to 'not waste a day'. ;)

I recently used UA miles for a one way award from DPS-BKK-USM. It required an overnight stay in BKK.

I tried to connect via KUL. I was able to find an award easily from DPS-KUL, but there were no MH metal flights on. Paid rates between KUL and USM were considerably higher than Bangkok Air between BKK and USM.

On my return, I bought a one way ticket from USM-BKK on Bangkok Air, stayed in Bangkok, then had an award ticket on.

Well, if you consider that it's impossible to do USM-DPS in less than 6 hours, you just have to give up something...

Now I randomnly picked 22 September:

Lomprayah have a 08:00 speedboat that includes transport to Surat Thani Airport arriving 10:30 (THB600), 11:35 departure to KUL (THB990) then onto DPS arriving 18:30 (THB3530) - then THB5120 ain't bad, but yep say goodbye to your day!

MH do the through fare from USM-DPS on same day for THB13330 - leave 17:55 arrive 02:30. Only saves 2 hours.

Yeh - the two don't really do compatable and quick. I had to do USM-Lombok a few years ago - remember it being easier than this!

And the MI/SQ fare r/t was 11,800 THB departing at 9:55AM... but I don't remember how long the layover is in SIN.

Pretty long - there's a lack of scheduled midday departures from SIN-DPS - but I believe Air Asia may have one or two to make up for lack of SQ...

I'm pretty horrified how much minutae my mind stores :(

Indeed. To my wife's chagrin it never seems to be the desired minutae though. ;)