your recent travel experiences (or future plans for) flying US east coast to Thailand to Chiang Mai

[orang37]

Hi, I am helping a friend in the US make travel plans to visit Chiang Mai, arriving a few days before Loy Krathong (November 10, 2022CE). The friend is in their late 70's, but, has no medical condition that would affect flying for an extended time. They probably can afford a higher level of service/seating than economy.

 

I've never travelled here from the east coast; always travelled from the west coast.

 

Of course, the potential future of Covid, is the great unknown here.

 

I'd appreciate your sharing your experiences and thoughts pre- and post-covid era. My concerns are friend's comfort en route, avoiding any change-planes stop-over so short it would require running, quality of service.

 

Here are my working assumptions:

 

1) given the high numbers of Thais that may come to CM for Loy Krathong, and international travelers, early booking of flights and/or hotels is a good idea ... yeah ... Covid may be a major factor.

 

2) friend would be willing to to do one overnight stay at some point in the journey, 

 

thanks in advance for your comments !

 

~o:37;

[Airalee]

Orbitz.com

 

Easy.

[orang37]

17 minutes ago, Airalee said:

Orbitz.com

 

Easy.

Of course, I am aware of those travel sites. I am hoping to hear specific experiences, and recommendations, in the last few years

 

If there is are specific reasons you recommend Orbitz, please respond.

 

thanks, ~o:37;

[internationalism]

from the east coast there might be flights to chiang mai with one of arab airlines, so just one stopover. Even if they don't flight that route yet, they might start around november, when season begins. Flexibility with dates would be good, to get lower fare. 

There might be future waves and restriction, also his health might slightly deteriorate for him to change his mind.

Hence I would not buy fare or hotel until around october. But check monthly for routes and pricing.

I don't think there would be problem with booking hotel at any budget. Use agoda website.

Edited April 22, 2022 by internationalism

[howlee101]

You are correct, who knows what the rules will be in Nov related to Covid and what rules will be in place for Thailand arrivals.  You mention (implied) he will be traveling from the East Coast so expect 20-24+ hours of total time (flight time plus layovers).  Starting the journey from a major airport (Atlanta, NY, Chicago, etc) would be beneficial.

 

Careful booking a flight to Chiang Mai as most (all?) flights from the east coast arrive late in the evening and the connection at Bangkok won't be till the next morning....not sure if he could stay at the airport hotel without leaving the secured area.  Advantage of booking all the way to Chiang Mai is not having to claim your baggage, exit customs/immigration, recheck in with the domestic carrier (restrictions on baggage allowance)....plus repeat the process on the return trip home.  My wife flew Qatar Airways (CM to Atlanta) a few years ago but not sure if they still offer flights to Chiang Mai...in November your guess is as good as anyone else.

 

Last point, I personally don't like using websites such as Expedia, Orbitz, etc.  If any problems/issues should happen (flight changes/cancellations), he would have to deal with the website where the ticket was purchased.  Hence, that's why I prefer to book my tickets directly with the airline.  Hope this provided some good info.

[sqwakvfr]

Quote

I

I can think of one solid option from the US East Coast to Chiang Mai.  1) New York to Singapore and then to Chiang Mai.  Singapore Airlines flies from New York(either JFK or Newark NJ) nonstop to SIN,  The SIN to CNX would be on SIA's low cost carrier Scoot 2) If Taiwan ever opens up another option would be EVA-New York-TPE-CNX.  The TPE to CNX was a very popular flight I have done the CNX-TPE-LAX route in the past and it was pleasant.  3) If Korean Air ever comes back to Chiang Mai then this would also be a pleasant option(New York or even Washington Dulles-IAD to ICN and then onto CNX.) Another route would be to fly direct into BKK and then catch a domestic flight to CNX.    

 

Of course a resurgence in Covid infections anywhere could kill any of these options.  I am planning o trip back to LAX from CNX in the fall and Singapore Airlines has flights from Chiang Mai to LAX with a stop in SIN.  

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, orang37 said:

Of course, I am aware of those travel sites. I am hoping to hear specific experiences, and recommendations, in the last few years

 

If there is are specific reasons you recommend Orbitz, please respond.

 

thanks, ~o:37;

I like orbitz because I can fiddle with different dates and then all the options are presented in an easy to see format which includes total flight time, length of layovers etc.  Asking for individual anecdotes doesn’t really compare to having all the data right in front of you.

 

You can also input your parameters such as economy vs business class.  How many legs to the flight etc.

Edited April 22, 2022 by Airalee

[Airalee]

45 minutes ago, howlee101 said:

Last point, I personally don't like using websites such as Expedia, Orbitz, etc.  If any problems/issues should happen (flight changes/cancellations), he would have to deal with the website where the ticket was purchased.  Hence, that's why I prefer to book my tickets directly with the airline.

You can use websites like Orbitz to plan the trip and get a listing of the options and then book directly through the airline.  Much easier to see it all in one place than go from website to website of the individual airlines.

[howlee101]

9 minutes ago, Airalee said:

You can use websites like Orbitz to plan the trip and get a listing of the options and then book directly through the airline.  Much easier to see it all in one place than go from website to website of the individual airlines.

True, that is exactly what I do. 

[Airalee]

4 minutes ago, howlee101 said:

True, that is exactly what I do. 

Yup….without orbitz, which I have also booked through when their prices were substantially lower than the airline website (yes…this can happen) I would be completely lost.  I have flown so many different airlines, some which I never would have known of or thought to consider had I not seen them listed on Orbitz.

[orang37]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

I can think of one solid option from the US East Coast to Chiang Mai.  1) New York to Singapore and then to Chiang Mai.  Singapore Airlines flies from New York(either JFK or Newark NJ) nonstop to SIN,  The SIN to CNX would be on SIA's low cost carrier Scoot 2) If Taiwan ever opens up another option would be EVA-New York-TPE-CNX.  The TPE to CNX was a very popular flight I have done the CNX-TPE-LAX route in the past and it was pleasant.  3) If Korean Air ever comes back to Chiang Mai then this would also be a pleasant option(New York or even Washington Dulles-IAD to ICN and then onto CNX.) Another route would be to fly direct into BKK and then catch a domestic flight to CNX.    

 

Of course a resurgence in Covid infections anywhere could kill any of these options.  I am planning o trip back to LAX from CNX in the fall and Singapore Airlines has flights from Chiang Mai to LAX with a stop in SIN.  

Thanks for reminding to look at travel going west. Friend would leave from Atlanta.

 

My favorite way to get here has always been to stop for a day or two in Singapore, and, then, fly to Chiang Mai, skipping Dragons'-<deleted> City (BKK). The vegetarian food at Ling Zhi on Orchard Road was worth the stop (that was was way -back when i had tastebuds).

 

cheers, ~o:37;

[Airalee]

Another nice feature with Orbitz is that after you enter your initial search (Mine search was RT BKK to LAX), if you click on the dates, a pop up window opens where it shows the cheapest fares for all the upcoming dates.  Pic below for an example.  I use an IPad so can’t say how it works for PCs or other hardware, browsers etc.

 

 

 

[Sticky Rice Balls]

That would be me-

 

Ive been coming to CM for east coast yearly since 2008

 

Ive done it 24 times---12 over--12 back--no visa and always one way

 

Can PM me if you want any tips on how ive mastered the longest flight of my life across the planet----feels easy nowadays..

[flare]

Can you book direct to CM now?  When my father flew here in January from the east coast he had to stop in BKK as CM immigration/customs was still shutdown (where he had booked through to CM on previous trips).  Before buying the ticket, he was able to input the route direct to CNX on the various websites and get a price for the trip, but it got rejected when he attempted to make a payment, and only the route to BKK could be booked.  He had to stop in BKK over-night for the mandatory quarantine until getting the results of a covid test on arrival (per the 'Thailand Pass' rules for vaccinated travelers).  With the relaxed rules supposedly going into effect on May 1st that may change.

Edited April 22, 2022 by flare

[Pronto2]

From Atlanta ---  Understanding the desire of your friend for a smooth experience, I would quite recommend Qatar:  Atlanta-Doha-Bangkok.  You say that he could be interested in a "higher level of service".  Qatar's business class fits that bill quite well.  Transit in Doha would not be difficult with advanced notice of assistance request made to the airline.  The sticking point is the transfer from Bangkok to CM.

When/If  Korean Air resumes its flight into Chiang Mai (direct from Seoul), then the recommendation from Atlanta would be Korean non-stop to Seoul, transit for onward non-stop to Chiang Mai.

 

Recently, I returned to Thailand via Emirates from JFK, but if your friend must depart from Atlanta, I would offer the above as good solutions.

[NancyL]

Definitely suggest wheelchair service even if your friend is fit, as the wheelchair attendants eliminate the need to figure out how to navigate through the airports and bring you to the head of the queues.  Also, business class is a must for anyone who can afford it and the middle eastern airlines have a good reputation for their business class service.

 

As mentioned, coming into Singapore and then flying directly from Singapore to CM eliminates the potential chaos at Swampy, but if it can't be avoided, then the airport Novotel is nice and handled the wheelchair aspect quite nicely when I made a  solo international trip last year.  It helps if he is mobile enough to handle transfers in/out vehicles, etc himself and just needs the wheelchair to make the long hall walks tolerable.

[orang37]

On 4/23/2022 at 2:21 PM, NancyL said:

Definitely suggest wheelchair service even if your friend is fit long hall walks tolerable.

Hi, Nancy, I appreciate your response, and ideas. My friend is fit (made several international trips in the last two years in spite of Covid), and I am sure his ethics would stop him from using a service provided for those who must have it.

 

cheers, ~o:37;

[JimGant]

12 hours ago, orang37 said:

I am sure his ethics would stop him from using a service provided for those who must have it.

If he pre books a wheelchair, he's putting no one out -- surfeit of wheelchairs and coolies to push. Nancy got me thinking -- after going business class these last few years, due to old age and arthritis, being pushed to the business class lounge, then to the airplane -- makes complete sense when you weight the cost of that ticket. Cheers, Nancy.

[CMBob]

 

38 minutes ago, JimGant said:

If he pre books a wheelchair, he's putting no one out -- surfeit of wheelchairs and coolies to push. Nancy got me thinking -- after going business class these last few years, due to old age and arthritis, being pushed to the business class lounge, then to the airplane -- makes complete sense when you weight the cost of that ticket. Cheers, Nancy.

If you have a real need to use the wheelchair service, go for it as it certainly would be appropriate.  But, in my  opinion, either advocating that fit people with no real need use the service or a person actually using the wheelchair service who has no real need raises questions (ethics, common sense, etc.) in my mind.

And I'm still trying to wrap my head around the notion that paying more for an airline ticket somehow alters when it's appropriate to use the wheelchair service.  

[Captain Monday]

Singapore, NYC to SIN. Nonstop,  Business Class. Arrange ticket to stay over at least one night or more to rest up. Singapore partner Scoot airlines codes hare direct to CNX airport, avoiding the BKK goat-rope. Can do without a layover but more comfortable to stay over in SIN one night. Never ever book with third party sites or "travel agents". Make your reservations directly on the airline website.  A no brainer.

 

It is a long journey at any age.

Edited April 26, 2022 by Captain Monday

[Bill97]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

Can do without a layover but more comfortable to stay over in SIN one night

I like 3 nights.  

[cardinalblue]

Only intersectional flight to CM as of today is from Singapore….

[soi3eddie]

On 4/22/2022 at 10:01 AM, internationalism said:

from the east coast there might be flights to chiang mai with one of arab airlines, so just one stopover. Even if they don't flight that route yet, they might start around november, when season begins. Flexibility with dates would be good, to get lower fare. 

That was my first thought too. Qatar from Atlanta to Doha to Chiang Mai. Qatar Air have previously flown Doha to Chiang Mai in 2018/9 (avoiding Bangkok) and who knows, they may bring it back for November 2022 if there's enough demand. This would likely be easiest and shortest flight time with only one connection. 

 

[flare]

14 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Singapore partner Scoot airlines codes hare direct to CNX airport, avoiding the BKK goat-rope.

This goes to the question I asked in my post- is it now possible to fly internationally direct to CNX?  It wasn't in January.  You could input the route and get a price on any travel website, but it would get rejected when you tried to make a payment as CNX customs was shut down and the only entry points were airports where immigration processing was open (obviously BKK, maybe Phuket- I'm not sure).  
 

Is immigration currently open in Chiang Mai Airport?  If not, you can't fly there direct from outside Thailand- you have to clear customs in BKK.  Does anyone know?

[Captain Monday]

11 minutes ago, flare said:

This goes to the question I asked in my post- is it now possible to fly internationally direct to CNX?  It wasn't in January.  You could input the route and get a price on any travel website, but it would get rejected when you tried to make a payment as CNX customs was shut down and the only entry points were airports where immigration processing was open (obviously BKK, maybe Phuket- I'm not sure).  
 

Is immigration currently open in Chiang Mai Airport?  If not, you can't fly there direct from outside Thailand- you have to clear customs in BKK.  Does anyone know?

You are suffering a number of misunderstandings. The Scoot flight from SIN Changi has been operating since December 2021. January 2022 also. I flew it personally it to CNX. Yes, the international terminal was open. Customs was not "shut down" as you incorrectly state. I also did a Test and Go 1xNight package in Chiang Mai as did many others.  Kantary Hills and tests and Lanna Hospital.

 

Check the Scoot or Singapore Airline Official websites. Avoid third party travel sites and "travel agents". I dont know of any other international flights serving CNX. Maybe KE will start service again by this year. Extremely popular 

Edited April 26, 2022 by Captain Monday

[flare]

34 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

You are suffering a number of misunderstandings. The Scoot flight from SIN Changi has been operating since December 2021. January 2022 also. I flew it personally it to CNX. Yes, the international terminal was open. Customs was not "shut down" as you incorrectly state. I also did a Test and Go 1xNight package in Chiang Mai as did many others.  Kantary Hills and tests and Lanna Hospital.

 

Check the Scoot or Singapore Airline Official websites. Avoid third party travel sites and "travel agents". I dont know of any other international flights serving CNX. Maybe KE will start service again by this year. Extremely popular 

That's good to know, but I don't recall seeing that as an option when a flight was booked from the east coast to LOS in November 2021 (when, as far as I was told, immigration was closed at CNX, hence my asking if that status changed) for a trip in January 2022- maybe it was only offered directly through the Singapore Airlines site as it was so new.  I would MUCH rather have been able to book my dad directly here, as I had to fly to BKK to meet him and spend the night there.  Perhaps things will change on May 1st when the new Covid regulations go into effect and we'll see things get closer to 'normal' at the airport.

Edited April 26, 2022 by flare

[NancyL]

20 hours ago, CMBob said:

 

If you have a real need to use the wheelchair service, go for it as it certainly would be appropriate.  But, in my  opinion, either advocating that fit people with no real need use the service or a person actually using the wheelchair service who has no real need raises questions (ethics, common sense, etc.) in my mind.

And I'm still trying to wrap my head around the notion that paying more for an airline ticket somehow alters when it's appropriate to use the wheelchair service.  

I certainly don't use wheelchair service when I'm just going on a trip within Thailand, but on long trips, I book business class and do ask for a wheelchair, esp. if traveling by myself, because by the end of the long trip, my ankles will be swollen and my brain jet-lagged.  I'm not taking a wheelchair/attendant away from someone else.  There are more than enough and I always tip the attendants, except in countries like Japan where that's not done (research in advance).  It's a win-win for everyone.  I don't think the fact that I booked business class entitles me to a wheelchair more than someone in economy, it's just at this point in my life, I decided that I have enough money to spend it on some comforts.

[CMBob]

3 hours ago, NancyL said:

I certainly don't use wheelchair service when I'm just going on a trip within Thailand, but on long trips, I book business class and do ask for a wheelchair, esp. if traveling by myself, because by the end of the long trip, my ankles will be swollen and my brain jet-lagged.....  

As noted, no problem using the service if there is a physical need to do so as you mention. 

My comment (objection) to the discussion was based on your saying you "definitely suggest wheelchair service even if your friend is fit" and the implication by another that paying for a business or first-class ticket somehow entitled one to use wheelchair service more than somebody who actually had an actual need to do so.

[JimTripper]

Make sure it does not layover in China, they bus you to an off airport hotel.

[orang37]

On 4/27/2022 at 11:09 AM, NancyL said:

I'm not taking a wheelchair/attendant away from someone else.

With respect, Khun Nancy, how do you know that ? Do you ask the airport/airline staff ?

 

I'm happy to hear you can afford business class, but, what has that got to do with wheelchair service ?

 

cheers, ~o:37;