An associate of mine will be doing some work in Woomera. Yes, Woomera, don't ask for details. He wants to go to Thailand after that. I doubt he will round trip back to Woomera but likely will return to the USA. Tucson Arizona is his home, I think he will spend about two weeks in Thailand, give or take. .(He is an American). Trip may start in Mid October. A quick look at Expedia suggests that flying from Adelaide is the best flight start to Thailand. But maybe better to drive or fly to some other Australian city first and then continue on to BKK? Any airline name or route recommendations?

Thanks

Woomera is just nth of Adelaide SA, maybe 5hr drive, flights to any other Oz city plentiful. Assume his work is funding his return to US, maybe he is tipping in the LOS bit. Quickest trip is Perth to BKK, bit over 6 Hrs, Thai Airways best, Jetstar worst OPTION. Thai price about $AU700.

7 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Woomera is just nth of Adelaide SA, maybe 5hr drive, flights to any other Oz city plentiful. Assume his work is funding his return to US, maybe he is tipping in the LOS bit. Quickest trip is Perth to BKK, bit over 6 Hrs, Thai Airways best, Jetstar worst OPTION. Thai price about $AU700.

he is there for work, so yes, his return to the USA is funded, as long as he stays within the basic allocated plane travel budget from USA to Woomera back to USA. I am sure he will initially be flying into Adelaide. You ex military folks would use the term he is taking "Leave en Route". Any deviations from his basic trip will be on his own dime.

Edited August 17Aug 17 by gk10012001

Quickest trip is Adelaide to BKK via Singapore with Singapore Airlines. I have done it more than 20 times.

He needs to compare ADL-TUS with ADL-BKK- TUS to find out how much he will need to contribute to the repatriation flight. Several websites (and AI) can assist with that.

A quick run on ita matrix for mid-October indicates the US 'direct' repatriation flight can be had for under a thousand USD. If a Bangkok stopover is in the itinerary, it will either be relatively cheap, maybe +600 USD, but involves stopovers getting from Australia to Thailand, or upwards of triple the price for more convenient and direct routing.

7 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

Quickest trip is Adelaide to BKK via Singapore with Singapore Airlines. I have done it more than 20 times.

looks pretty good. Decent price too. Thanks. I will point him in that direction. A bit long for just coach but the premium economy he might spring for. The amount of Overtime he will be working he will long for more comfort and his first real vacation in a long time. He's 35 and could stand 8 hours or so in coach. I did my first few LAX to BKK flights in coach but don't do that now at my age!

2 minutes ago, gk10012001 said:

looks pretty good. Decent price too. Thanks. I will point him in that direction. A bit long for just coach but the premium economy he might spring for. The amount of Overtime he will be working he will long for more comfort and his first real vacation in a long time. He's 35 and could stand 8 hours or so in coach. I did my first few LAX to BKK flights in coach but don't do that now at my age!

My last trip was business class on Singapore Airlines new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. It was worth the experience.
Actually, there's two legs just over 7 and 2 hours with a quick stop over in Singapore.

Edited August 17Aug 17 by LosLobo

1 hour ago, gk10012001 said:

An associate of mine will be doing some work in Woomera. Yes, Woomera, don't ask for details. He wants to go to Thailand after that. I doubt he will round trip back to Woomera but likely will return to the USA. Tucson Arizona is his home, I think he will spend about two weeks in Thailand, give or take. .(He is an American). Trip may start in Mid October. A quick look at Expedia suggests that flying from Adelaide is the best flight start to Thailand. But maybe better to drive or fly to some other Australian city first and then continue on to BKK? Any airline name or route recommendations?

Thanks

I have an Oz buddy who flies 2 or 3 times every year (random dates):

1 hour ago, gk10012001 said:

• Adelaide to Bangkok or Adelaide to Chiang Mai, all his flights using Singapore Airlines. All with short stopovers at Changi airport.

• Years back he took a membership of Silver Kris (SK) the Singapore airlines member club and gets quite big fare reductions by using his SK membership.

• He's done a lot of flying in his time and gives Sinagpore Airlines 5 stars (5/5) for every flight. (Me too, same exp. with Singapore Airlines, including when Covid was a serious problem, I was bedridden in Oz, I wanted to get back to Bkk, I got lost of the S'pre Airlines website, I called the S'pore office in Melbourne, call went automatically using a VOIP service to an officer of Singapore Airlines in Singapore. Lady was a good listener and she offered to make a booking over the phone right then. A little complicated because I was using a wheel chair (carried free by Singapore for Silver Kris members, but I hve 2 wheel chairs, I told the Singapore Airlines lady 'I have 2', she said one moment please then said 'I have extended the free wheelchair carriage to 2 wheelchairs free. All of this booking service not free, extra Sing$25. A bargain.

• If the guy does return to the USA perhaps he could fly Adelaide to Singapore (Singapore Airlines) then out of Singapore to Tokyo and at Tokyo pick up a US carrier to the US. I did one flight Tokyo to Texas several years ago on AA - awful flight, very poor service and everything on the flight incl meal service so complicated, less than satisfactory, I would never ever use them again.

I have an Oz buddy who flies

From Woomera his best option is to fly, drive or bus South to Adelaide, and then fly direct to Bangkok with either Singapore Airlines, with a few hours stopover in Singapore, or the best currently, a mid morning departure with Malaysian Airlines to Bangkok, with a short stop in Kuala Lumpur Airport en route, arriving same day early evening in Bangkok. Daytime flight, New Airbus XLR aircraft, great cabin service and meals, and an easier airport flight transfer in KLIA than Changi . Both are excellent airlines.

On 8/17/2026 at 11:13 AM, Olmate said:

Woomera is just nth of Adelaide SA, maybe 5hr drive, flights to any other Oz city plentiful. Assume his work is funding his return to US, maybe he is tipping in the LOS bit. Quickest trip is Perth to BKK, bit over 6 Hrs, Thai Airways best, Jetstar worst OPTION. Thai price about $AU700.

I reckon he oughta go in one of them there big rockets that they have in Woomera. That would probably be the quickest way.

23 hours ago, LosLobo said:

Quickest trip is Adelaide to BKK via Singapore with Singapore Airlines. I have done it more than 20 times.

Agree.

19 hours ago, scorecard said:

Agree.

Yep ,I reckon that Singapore Airlines are the best airline in the world.

21 hours ago, wavodavo said:

I reckon he oughta go in one of them there big rockets that they have in Woomera. That would probably be the quickest way.

Woomera rocket days r just about over, Tis Roxby Downs really nowadays, uranium to burn abounds🤣®️.

I think flying out of Adelaide is the most practical and logical starting point for your associate after leaving Woomera.