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.