Hi there

Family members want to visit from Brighton England to Chiangmai for about two weeks (ie LGW preferable but not essential LHR do-able).

Before Christmas departure OK but not essential up to latish January OK.

They're 75+, and not used to long haul so the easier the better.

What's the best and nicest deal out there please? I want them to really enjoy their rare trip, so whilst price is important the absolute lowest price may not be the overriding factor.

Thanx everybody

Edited November 24, 200916 yr by sleepyjohn

Anything from now till end of jan is going to be costly. Thats probably why not much showing up with normal search Emirates have been cheap of late but even they are looking for 1200 pounds economy over this period.

I was thinking about flying between xmas and new year, the best deal I could find was with Gulf Air around £550 and next was with Jet at £650 both where available through the Wise Miser 3 weeks ago. For more comfort EVA is offering a direct flight deal but only after the 4th Jan.

if they go via gatwick they will have to hub somewhere before thailand so for ease you may find it better to go direct heathrow to bangkok and then up to chiangmai, will get back to you on best options for flights

direct to bkk are thai and eva from lhr. Thai will tranfer to chang mai for a simbolic £.

both go from around £500, but after xmass

i am getting prices of £600 each on thai for jan lhr to cnx, very little hassle as they will check the bags through and if you advide them of any needs they are very good. gulf as far as bkk seem to have the best business class offer at the moment at £1300 and first at £3000, thai first is £3500 to bkk but direct.

i think prices will improve in a few weeks, pm me for where i post flight deals

£461 with etihad direct @ etihadairways.com LHR-BKK-LHR. A friend I know has just booked up on Jan 22 for just over 2 weeks I think.

Best prices are nearly always with the airlines directly, especially for economy fares.

Heard good things about etihad too.

just a few minutes ago a thai airways lhr-bkk 31.12 for up to one month £552 (incl tax) from westeasttravel.

28.12 for £735

Thanx for all the great info.

Good price but I think Etihad will be indirect better avoided if possible....

Alant I've started looking at Eva (great departure/arrival time) looks to me they have fortnight-return availability earlier January don't they....eg 5th to 19th?

I've seen their website fares......is it possible to beat them elsewhere to make the Premium Economy a bit cheaper?

For about +50% is it worth getting Super Economy?

Thanx again please keep it coming my nephew who's booking things for my sister and bro in law has the link to this thread and is tuning in.

cheers

to chiang mai I would go rather directly with thai, they will charge only a £ or two pounds more, but saves several hours in bkk and many thousand baht for bkk-chiang mai each way.

50% more for a super is not worth, I wouldn't even think about premium - better, if they stay another week in thailand. On booking a ticket you can book a seat with more legroom, at the very front of the economy (but infants travel there as well, so might be not much sleep).

you can check with westeast - write an email and shortly they will call back.

because you are flexible, you can get thai and eva for some £500, probably later in january, but you have to book now.

Edited November 24, 200916 yr by londonthai

I just recently booked 2 return tickets from BHX to BKK in late January total 454 GBP incl taxes each. I booked with Ebooker as they were cheaper than the official Emirates web site. Stop over in Dubai 2-3 hours. If that's any help ?

In no particular order :-

From LGW, it's likely that either Emirates or Qatar will be the answer, OK it means an extra change-of-plane in the Gulf, but either will book the hold-luggage to connect to CNX on Thai. And the chance to stretch your legs or look at the cheap Duty-Free can be welcome, compared to the looooong direct flights.

Even a direct flight (BA,Qantas,Eva or Thai) will mean a change-of-plane in BKK anyway.

Westeasttravel are undoubtedly very good at getting low prices, especially for Thai & Eva, definitely talk to them, as well as looking at the airlines own websites.

Emirates now have a higher hold-luggage allowance in Economy, useful if they're bringing out food-goodies or shopping for you !

Thai BKK-CNX-BKK seem to be cheaper mid-week (Tues/Wed/Thurs), last time I flew CNX-BKK-DOH-LGW the cost of the CNX-BKK-return on Thai was only 3,940 baht including tax/etc.