Domestic Airlines That Fly From Suvarnabhumi

[badmem]

I have an international flight that arrives at Suvarnabhumi at 8am on the 1st October. I would like to book a flight from Suvarnabhumi to Chiang Mai. I have checked the online booking for Air Asia, NOK Air etc, but the websites don't seem to say if the flights leave form Suvarnabhumi or Don Muang. Can anybody tell me which domestic airlines definitely fly from Suvarnabhumi?

I will be arriving with about 20kg of luggage and would like to get a flight around 10 or 11am. Thai Air seems to have the most frequent flights and definitely fly from Suvarnabhumi, but are the most expensive. Do the other domestic airlines work out cheaper, when I have to pay for my baggage and other additional charges? Is there anything else I should look out for when comparing domestic airlines with Thai Air?

Thank you

[lomatopo]

It looks like Thai Airways (TG) and Air Asia (FD) fly from BKK while NOK (DD) flies from DMK.

BKK = Suvanarbhumi

DMK = Don Meuang

You might want to give yourself 4+ hours if making a connection to DMK.

[Amerifarang]

If you're flying China Air or Korea Air you can avoid BKK and fly directly to Chiang Mai. They fly about three times a week so check your schedules. If that doesn't work, book the train to CM,1st class is comfortable and you don't have to worry about getting screwed over on baggage........sleep off your jet lag via rail

[gotlost]

It looks like Thai Airways (TG) and Air Asia (FD) fly from BKK while NOK (DD) flies from DMK.

BKK = Suvanarbhumi

DMK = Don Meuang

You might want to give yourself 4+ hours if making a connection to DMK.

You can add Bangkok Air and Happy Air from BKK to CNX.

[speedways]

the post about going by train is a good one and you will save excess baggage charges

all thai internal airlines have a 15kg limit on bags

[gotlost]

the post about going by train is a good one and you will save excess baggage charges

all thai internal airlines have a 15kg limit on bags

Very true about the train but remember they very seldom leave on time or arrive on time, have frequent breakdowns and do leave the tracks. As my wife says and she is Thai, the trains in Thailand are just a little better than Indian trains.

[badmem]

Thanks to everybody for the quick replies. I only have ten days in Chiang Mai - so I can't afford to waste a day on the train and I want to book my ticket ahead of time, to make sure I have a seat. Is that possible on the train? I'm flying Qatar Airways, so there are no direct flights to Chiang Mai unfortunately. BKK is the airport code for Suvarnabhumi, what is the airport code for Don Muang?

Thanks again

[badmem]

I've just noticed that that gotlost has already given the airport codes, sorry. It seems that Thai Air on-line price is 2440 Baht including tax. Air Asia is 1590 Baht including tax, but I will probably have to add another 300 Baht for 20kg of baggage. I think I will pay the extra 400 or 500 Baht for Thai Air. I think there is more flexibility and less chance of the flight being cancelled. With only ten days holiday, I want the quickest, most hassle free transfer to Chiang Mai. It's probably worth the 500 Baht extra for piece of mind.

Thanks for everybodys help.

[thrilled]

If ya have the time do the train thing.But 1st class is better to book it sooner than later.Consist of your own little room 2 beds etc.Whenever I have plenty of time thats the way I go.

[lomatopo]

It looks like Thai Airways (TG) and Air Asia (FD) fly from BKK while NOK (DD) flies from DMK.

BKK = Suvanarbhumi

DMK = Don Meuang

You might want to give yourself 4+ hours if making a connection to DMK.

You can add Bangkok Air and Happy Air from BKK to CNX.

It doesn't look like Happy Air flies BKK-CNX?, unless you want to go via Korat.

Bangkok Airways looks to have a pretty limited schedule? One daily PG 221, and three other flights 4 days of the week (Fri, Sat, Sun & Mon).

[gotlost]

It looks like Thai Airways (TG) and Air Asia (FD) fly from BKK while NOK (DD) flies from DMK.

BKK = Suvanarbhumi

DMK = Don Meuang

You might want to give yourself 4+ hours if making a connection to DMK.

You can add Bangkok Air and Happy Air from BKK to CNX.

It doesn't look like Happy Air flies BKK-CNX?, unless you want to go via Korat.

Bangkok Airways looks to have a pretty limited schedule? One daily PG 221, and three other flights 4 days of the week (Fri, Sat, Sun & Mon).

The OP did not ask for direct or limited just BKK to CNX. As he states he only has ten days so that leaves the unreliable train out. Which I suggest is good for an experience.

[PoorSucker]

I took the train once from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

18 hours. :angry:

[balo]

Stay away from the trains , they smell bad too and only squat toilets.

I always travel to Chiang Mai with Air Asia , no problems so far, but you have to pay extra for the luggage.

[lomatopo]

The OP did not ask for direct or limited just BKK to CNX. As he states he only has ten days so that leaves the unreliable train out. Which I suggest is good for an experience.

Well, the OP did say, "I would like to book a flight from Suvarnabhumi to Chiang Mai.". Given Happy Air's limited schedule, and 'connecting' in Korat, would take ~ 2 days.

A single PNR (ticket) with QR and TG would offer the "... the quickest, most hassle free transfer to Chiang Mai", offering some protection in the case of IRROPS, and extended baggage allotments. Example: QR flight is late, your FD flight on a separate ticket departs before you arrive, you have to buy another ticket. The next option would be via a second ticket on TG, once you've done the all the math on baggage charges, as they would likely accommodate you on a later flight if space is available.

I agree the train is a poor choice in all but the direst of circumstances: the airport is closed, or you don't care about personal safety (with 23 engines servicing 21 trains daily there are some real horror stories about crappy third-world spare parts and frequent movement of parts from one train to another), or you are under no time constraints (figure the train will leave at least 90 minutes late and arrive in Chiang Mai in 15 hours, hopefully, and in rainy season a couple of bridges routinely wash out or the tracks flood), or you like high temperatures (the A/C is broken ~ 65% of the time). I'd take a VIP bus before I'd take the train.

[badmem]

Thanks again for your all of your opinions and experience. I usually do this trip twice a year and have always taken Thai Air BKK to CNX. Just wanted to see if there are any new options since I was here in May. As one of the posters said, getting a cheap flight and then not being able to change it or get a refund if there are problems, means you have to buy another ticket. Not so cheap! I have a Thai Air frequent flyer card as well which sometimes helps get an earlier flight, if I get through arrivals early. I think Air Asia etc. are okay if you want to make a trip with only a carry-on bag and don't have a fixed schedule.

When I'm travelling with the family we usually go by VIP overnight bus CNX to BKK. Even cheap flights get expensive when you have to pay for four people and my Chiang Mai wife won't let me splurge on "cheap" air tickets I took the train BKK to CNX a long time ago. As I remember, it was nice to have a bed to sleep in, but it took longer than the bus and was more expensive. It was okay once for the experience, but I am getting used to sleeping on the VIP bus now!