ylin42

Hello,

I'm planning a 1-2 month trip to southeast Asia this summer, and was hoping for some advice for optimizing flights. I've been reading this forum for a few months but this is my first post, so bear with me.

I'd like to visit BKK, PNH, KUL, JKT, and DPS. I don't care too much about the order, and would consider adding a stopover at a hub if it's convenient. The plan is to fly out of BOS (or NYC if necessary but BOS preferred) in mid-late June, and to fly back into SFO around August 3-10.

I have about 100K miles right now, so I was thinking I'd do the flights to and from the US with miles and then fly on budget airlines within SE Asia. I know this is late to be booking with miles, especially for the peak summer season. I have searched using Continental's tool, and there isn't much availability from any of the places I listed. I'm potentially interested in doing a 1-2 day stopover along the way, depending on where it is; I don't know if this helps with availability at all.

Finally, any advice on flights within SE Asia? (I know this part is not really United-related.) As far as I can tell, it is cheaper to go with budget airlines rather than buying an alliance pass.

Thanks!

dsquared37

Fitting all these destinations in is tricky and you'll need to purchase tix to a few places outside of your award ticket.

An option would be to fly into DPS or CGK. Make your way to the other (open jaw) and then fly to BKK where you'll have a stopover. You can then fly to PNH (why?) and onward home via ICN.

If you choose this routing (US-BKK/SIN-DPS/CGK (OJ) DPS/CGK- BKK (SO) PNH-ICN-US) there will be two things to consider: 1) You'll need to get to KUL on your own dime 2) the return trip might be over MPM if you're on a TATL routing (going through ICN that is) while a TPAC routing should be fine.

You have enough miles for only a Y ticket if you want to use the OJ and SO. You could have a one way Y and one way C ticket, but you'd lose out on the extra stops and would need to pony up more money for intra-Asia flights.

TheBagman

Recommend you use miles to get to BKK and from there travel by land to all the neighboring countries (BKK->Cambodia->Vietnam/Laos->BKK->down past Penang to KUL. From KUL you can connect to those other destinations and then use miles to come back from SIN or KUL.

You haven't really lived until you take a share-taxi from Aranyaprathet to Siem Reap.

dsquared37

For a 2 month trip with all these destinations in mind I'd not waste the time traveling by land when they can be combined on the same ticket.

N1120A

Consider consulting with local travel agents. They frequently sell tickets cheaper, and many times those tickets will be on flag carriers that can earn you miles.

dsquared37

In SE Asia that's unlikely to be the case. We all know about cheap SQ fares. TG has their equivalent, W & V fare, which earn miles domestically, but not internationally.

With a few exceptions the short international flights are pricey here. Again, with a few exceptions, the LCCs are a decent bet.

anishub

Like another poster suggested, fly into CGK or DPS and probably do a open-jaw from the other of the two, getting into BKK as destination (snugging a 23hr stop-over in SIN both-ways). From BKK you can take LCCs like AirAsia to get-into KUL. From KUL, there are several ways getting around the region.

Infact while you are there, may be you would consider taking the train service between BKK-KUL-SIN. There is also a version of Orient Express that runs between these cities.

From KUL there are LCCs getting to almost the whole region. If you were to book early enough, you could get fares as low as $40~$50 (even during the peak season like Jun-July).

Plan early.

warreng24

I second this.

Fly into BKK and use BKK as your "base."

Hua Lamphong in BKK provides the most comfortable connections.

• Train from Hua Lamphong to Nong Khai, where you can transfer via train to Thanaleng and take the flat-rate tuk-tuk to Vientiane.
• The Orient Express train links Bangkok with Kuala Lumpur. With onward connections to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur.
• For other options (less expensive than the Orient Express), check out www.seat61.com for information on going South from Bangkok via train.

The overnight trains are quite comfortable in First Class.

To get to Cambodia by land, I recommend taking a bus to Pattaya. You can board those buses at Ekkamai Station (Eastern Bus Station). In Pattaya, there are many local tour/shuttle operators which will take you to Cambodia (Siam Reap, etc...).

If you insist on flying: Thai Air Asia is the LCC carrier that is most reputable. Avoid Orient Thai (aka One-Two-Go). They fly to all the destinations that you've outlined above.

You can also look into the Star Alliance Asia Air Pass.
http://www.staralliance.com/en/fares.../asia-airpass/

dsquared37

OP has talked about taking LCCs and you're bringing up the Orient Express? Seriously? I'd also recommend staying far afield of Pattaya for any tour companies, this is jsut common sense. I can't believe this is advice you're giving. My own take is staying far afield of Pattaya for everything, but that's me.

Why would OP want to spend more money when they can link most of these destinations together with 1 award ticket? Star Alliance Air Pass and PG's Discovery Pass are not cheap.

The train from Hua Lampong to KUL would take 30+ hours, on a good day(s)! And it wouldn't save any $$ from just buying a ticket on Air Asia.

I'm still quite miffed at the suggestion to use BKK as a base when OP wants to head as far south as CGK and DPS, destinations that can be reached on an award ticket.

warreng24

My bad, I missed the LCC comment above, hence the suggestion of the Orient Express.

I've had much good experience with the tour companies based in Pattaya. I suggest that you try them. They're not all like that. Tours are given in English and/or Thai and they are more reasonably priced than the tour operators based out of BKK.

There are quite a few legitimate tour companies based out of Pattaya. I have taken two such tours to the Holiday Palace casino. Granted it was right along the border with Thailand, but I wouldn't hesitate taking another one of their tours to Siem Reap or Angkor.

dsquared37

It might be good to give the OP information about particular tour companies then as, if they have little experience, they'll be ripe for the picking in an area known to target foreigners.

As I said earlier, Pattaya is not part of my Thailand experience. I relish the less traveled areas and specifically those with fewer foreigners. I've been to almost have the provinces and don't see Pattaya on the horizon in the near or distant future. Too many good things around I'd rather do than deal with that cesspool.

Anyway, I've already given OP a means to see most of what they want without resorting to any of this. Let's see what they have to say if they ever chime in again.

DaveSFO

My suggestion would be to use the miles to get to DPS initially and then return from BKK at the end.

You can easily get around on Air Asia for pretty cheap and if you can purchase soon, you'd do pretty well. For example, I put in a routing of DPS-CGK-KUL-PNH-BKK on random dates in the two months you'll be there, and the total price for all those flights was $225. That routing also contains all non-stop flights.

The other reason I'd start in DPS is that summer (in the US) is the best time of the year to go to Bali in terms of weather. And for SE Asia it gets better the further you get away from April (the very hot time of year).

DaddyRabbit

Look at both Firefly and Air Asia out of K. L. Air Asia is great. On several occasions I have used them to and from SIN. They use new Airbus 320s; on one occasion, purching several months in advance, I did KUL to SIN for U.S. $10.60.

worldtraveller73

I think that is going to be very complicated to route on 1 ITIN.

I would suggest checking Jet Star out of CGK.

I don't know if Cathay Pacific's All Asia pass works to all these destinations either but maybe worth considering. . .

Jgish

OP, I'd also suggest taking a look at Circle Pacific fares which various alliances offer. You might find that it is cheaper in the aggregate than buying separate tickets. Also call MP and see if perhaps UA offers one for points (as they do for RTW).