Buy Flight To South Thailand Same Day How Expensive?

[OliverKlozerof]

Tried to buy Air Asia flight to Surat Thani (from BKK) yesterday but site wouldn't take either of my credit cards. So, I'm wondering how much more I'd expect to pay if I just show up tomorrow around noon to buy a ticket and fly out. If I could have bought online, the price was about US$45 (about THB1400). Anyone have experience buying a seat same day at airport (Don Muang)? Thx.

[madmen]

select 7/11 option and you have 24 hours to pay

[OliverKlozerof]

6 minutes ago, madmen said:

select 7/11 option and you have 24 hours to pay

What is "7/11 option?"

[crazygreg44]

8 minutes ago, OliverKlozerof said:

What is "7/11 option?"

you select payment method "pay at 7/11"  and take a photo of the scanner code which will appear on the computer screen. You take this photo and the number of the transaction to the next 7/11 shop and pay at their counter

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

7-11 option is probably best if you can do it.  Showing up at the airport to buy can be a nightmare depending on how many peasants are in line with various travel issues.  Or avoid this silliness and use one of the OTAs like Expedia or Travelocity.  Just keep in mind using an OTA can limit baggage and seat selection options depending on the airline.

I prefer to use a credit card because I have had to dispute an Air Asia ticket to get a timely refund.  

Edited July 28, 2019 by Oliver Holzerfilled

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

Note Don Mueang airport code is DMK not BKK.

[OliverKlozerof]

Thanks a lot people. Back from dinner tonight I went to airasia dot com and looked for '7-Eleven' option. Well, I guess it's called 'Over Counter' option. But of course when I go to choose it, it says, 'unavailable when less than 24 hours before flight.' In fact, some of the other options were same deal: not available less than 24 hours before flight.
So thanks again to Mr. Holzerfilled for mentioning Expedia. I'd used them in the past but have been using kayak dot com for several years usually. But I kayak just funneled me to airasia: catch 22. But Expedia handled my credit card payment on their end. Ended up paying a grand total of US$62, which I think is at least $10 more than might have been with airasia directly. But at least I got it booked and confirmed. Whew. Needless to say, I HATE these kinds of hassles trying to book things online. I'll have to try and remember that Expedia handles the payment in the future. Thanks again!
(After 1 night in Surat Thani, I'll do the 10-day meditation retreat at Suan Mokkh, about 60km north of town. This will be second time. First time was around 2002.)

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

15 minutes ago, OliverKlozerof said:

Ended up paying a grand total of US$62, which I think is at least $10 more than might have been with airasia directly.

Maybe the difference was included baggage.

[OliverKlozerof]

1 minute ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

Maybe the difference was included baggage.

That's what I thought, which kind of ticked me off. So I went back to the procedure at Expedia and there was no option to de-select a checked bag. In fact, it said 1 checked bag (and 1 carry on) was free. But I think that's BS, since air asia charges for a checked bag. Oh well.

[OliverKlozerof]

Kind of unrelated, but...

How early before domestic flight do you guys arrive at DM airport? I'm thinking about 1.5hrs before should be plenty time. On air asia site they suggest a ridiculous 3 hours I think.

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

18 minutes ago, OliverKlozerof said:

Kind of unrelated, but...

How early before domestic flight do you guys arrive at DM airport? I'm thinking about 1.5hrs before should be plenty time. On air asia site they suggest a ridiculous 3 hours I think.

How important is it to you to make the flight?  Better to be 3 hours early than 1 minute late but its your call.  If your flight gets cancelled and you are there early then you have a better chance of being moved to space on a same day flight.

Intra Thailand doesn't particularly concern me if it were to go tits up. 

If I'm flying on separate tickets on an important trip I try to arrive the day before the flight.  Example was flying from Paris to Maldives and was rebooked by the airline to a flight that left 12 hours earlier.  That could have really screwed up plans had I not left a big cushion.

[scorecard]

39 minutes ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

Maybe the difference was included baggage.

Keep in mind that budget airlines fares change by the day (get more expensive as you get closer to the departure date).

 

Which is why it's worth booking and paying as early as you can, often quite a good reduction, but keep in mind it's always possible the airline suddenly has a promotion and the fare goes way down but if you've already paid early obviously no refund.