International Flights Us To Chiang Mai?

[zippydedodah]

Korean airlines... thru Seoul, direct to CM.... see other threads for more details or just call airlines.

I have been thinking about the same thing. Surprised nobody mentioned China Airlines, which (according to CAL's timetables) flies from LAX to Taipei, and Taipei to CNX, Sundays and Wednesdays. True also for some other West Coast cities. Problem with this? The layover on the ground in Taipei is over 13 hours. Gee, you think Incheon is a boring airport? Maybe I shouldn't bash Chiang Kai Shek airport; I haven't been there in 25 years. Let me know if it's improved.

What I would do? Ask your travel agent to get you to Taipei in the afternoon on any other airline, then connect to CNX on that evening flight. You might ask your travel agent to take the same approach with other Asian gateways, like Hong Kong maybe. Singapore and KL just seem to prolong the torture, though the OP didn't say: Are you flying first class? If so, you arrive in Singapore refreshed and connect as some of the others suggested on Air Asia.

Are you sure that China Airlines still has scheduled flights (as opposed to chartered flights) between Taipei and Chiang Mai?

i just looked at china air scheduling again, and they DO show a taipei to CNX flight, but they don't show a cnx to taipei flight! go figure...

BTW... the airport there got a HUGE makeover a few years ago and is very accommodating now... not on a level with seoul, but light years beyond what the old shacks used to be.

[justmaybe]

The OP leaves out the important questions (to me) of:

a.) where do you plan to exit the US

b.) are you planning to return to the States often-occasionally-ever and

c.) are you looking for an absolutely bottom-line low-cost carrier solution to get to CNX or will standard economy do?

FWIW, the TG domestic lounge does not serve booze and the seats do leave rather a lot to be desired, but there are other options if those are priorities.

[bristolgeoff]

looking at comments i saw only korean airlines fly to cm.all the other airlines all land in bkk.then get your connections at the airport to cm

[321Rich]

As OP, thanks for the advice from those among you who tried to offer useful information. I think I discovered a few routes and airline combinations that will be useful. As for my dislike of Suvarnabhumi airport -- perhaps it is because I always thought that word, loosely translated, simply means "cesspool sheet-hole masquerading as an airport".

[el jefe]

As OP, thanks for the advice from those among you who tried to offer useful information. I think I discovered a few routes and airline combinations that will be useful. As for my dislike of Suvarnabhumi airport -- perhaps it is because I always thought that word, loosely translated, simply means "cesspool sheet-hole masquerading as an airport".

I'm glad you got it all figured out. Please let us know what you decide upon and how it goes. I'm sure I'm not the only one looking for alternatives.

Without the answers to the questions that "justmaybe" asks though, this is futile. As "folium" has pointed out there are dozens, if not hundreds, of options depending on how many flights you're willing to take, how many overnights, or long layovers in airports, and whether price is a factor.

There are several options from the west coast but I'm in NYC. Unless Thai Airways resumes non-stop flights from JFK-BKK, the only way to get from NYC-CNX with only one change of planes is on Korean with short layovers or via the Singapore/Silk combo but that is much more expensive. Any other ideas?

[Gonsalviz]

In my opinion, for what it's worth, a short stopover between flights in Bangkok would be far more acceptable than a short stopover in Seoul.

Problem is that many of the flights from the US arrive in BKK too late at night for you to be able to catch a connecting flight to CNX before the next morning. In Seoul you can get long layovers too, but at least that's a first rate airport and not a bad one in which to kill time.

The Thai non stop flight arrives in BKK around 06:30 daily.

[hellodolly]

Why not fly to any major airport with any one you like and then book another airline from there to Chiang Mai.

To do this you might find it easier to use a travel agent. As for cost I found it cheaper when I flew from Chiang Mai to Bali and back with Singapour Air than with Air Asia. Also got meals and a 20 kilo baggage allowance as compared to Air Asia 15 kilo.

I know you want to avoid Bangkok but last time we flew to Siem Reap with Bangkok Air we flew economy and they had a lounge in Bangkok to wait in both coming and going.

You might also find that booking on a different day will get you a better price or a month ahead. If money is a concern shop around but be sure to check with a travel agent as they often have information you will not find on the internet.

Great choice of cities to retire to.

Good Luck

[justmaybe]

As the OP indicated any city in the continental US (I missed that), an efficient and fairly priced option would be Atlanta-ICN-CNX on Korean. There are two non-stops weekly ex-ATL. Reasonable connection times and none of the hassles of changing terminals in TPE.

I travel a lot through that "cesspool sheet-hole masquerading as an airport" on a variety of airlines and while it's not Changi, I haven't found any difficulty making transfers if not arriving at midnight. I'll gladly take it over most of the launching points I have to use in the States, especially the majors.To each his own.

By way of protocol, I hope the author realizes one is supposed to actually retire here before starting to trash the country. Good luck.

[jackr]

I am retired and plan to retire again in Chiang Mai later this year. If at all possible, I want to stay the hell out of Bangkok. Any of you ladies or gentlemen know a good route from any city in the continental US to Chiang Mai that does NOT involve flying thru Bangkok?

What's the big deal? Flights to Swampy don't land on Sickandvomit road, you know. Just sit on your ass, check in and fly to CM. It may not be your cup of tea - I know it's not mine - but it's just an airport after all which you'll be in and out of. The added expense of another international flight aside, I don't see the benefit of going through Seoul unless you want to see that given city...

Edited August 18, 2011 by jackr

[nikster]

It looks like a lot depends on where you are going / coming from in the USA: That determines the flight times, layover times, and in the end the quality of the flight.

My experience going to San Francisco (SFO) from Chiang Mai:

- China Air or EVA Air CNX-Taipeh-SFO: 5-6 hour layover in Taipeh airport which is simply a horrible airport. Also on one of the legs you arrive after all the shops have closed. I did this a few times but lately decided I hate Taipeh airport too much.

- Korea Air via Seoul. Seoul / Incheon is one of the best and nicest airports I have seen. That said the flight to SFO isn't great as it leaves Chiang Mai at midnight, and there was an 8 hour layover on the first leg. Incheon is nice, but maybe not 8 hours nice. Maybe they changed the times now, it all depends. But when I was going, it was bad.

Since both of those places have bad layovers, and I don't mind a night in BKK, I'd rather take a nice flight from BKK and go to/from BKK via Thai Air so luggage isn't a problem. Best so far was Cathay Pacific via HK. HKIA is a great airport, and the layovers there were very short both ways.

Edited August 18, 2011 by nikster

[WinnieTheKhwai]

By way of protocol, I hope the author realizes one is supposed to actually retire here before starting to trash the country. Good luck.

[321Rich]

Oh I am so sorry, Justmaybe. Forgive me for calling them like I see em. Since about 90 percent of the post on this Forum seem to be someone whining about something, I was just trying to "Fit-In". As soon as I get through laughing I will be sure and go back and read all the Forum bylaws. However, you are right with one comment. A number of major airports in Asia, Americas, and Europe are in need of a major makeover.

[justmaybe]

You asked for suggestions and people have been falling all over themselves to offer them. After you finish laughing you might note I attempted to make a constructive suggestion before adding a joke.

I have no doubt you'll fit right in. Glad you posted a pic... it will make it much easier to avoid you when you get to CM.

Edited August 18, 2011 by justmaybe

[jfchandler]

Korean Air had quite a bad safety and fatalities history up through around 2000....including getting banned in a variety of ways for its poor air safety record... But they seem to be doing much better in recent years.... See the New York Times article below for background:

New Standards Mean Korean Air Is Coming Off Many 'Shun' Lists

By DON KIRK

Published: March 26, 2002

When Korean Air brought in David Greenberg, a retired Delta Air Lines vice president, to run its operations two years ago, he was given a tall order: rescuing the airline from international disgrace.

Among major international carriers, Korean Air -- 13th largest in the world -- had become a pariah after a string of disasters that began in 1983 when Flight 007 strayed over Russian territory and was shot down with 269 people aboard.

One accident after another seemed to strike the airline after that. By late 1999, when two of its cargo jets crashed within weeks of each other at Shanghai and at Stansted Airport near London, a total of 750 people had been killed in accidents. The airline was also plagued with smaller mishaps on domestic flights that cost no lives but heightened worries about the company and its future.

(more)

Edited August 18, 2011 by jfchandler

[Genericnic]

It always cracks me up to hear people trash Suvarnabhumi. They must have never been through LAX. Now that is a real cesspool of an airport.

David

[jfchandler]

Actually, I'd rate Swampy and LAX in about the same league.... with some things better and some things worse between the two... But overall, both pretty unpleasant places overall....

Part of the problem with LAX is they've been rebuilding and expanding their international terminal buildings in recent years... still not finished, I believe. So stuff has been perpetually torn up and routes to and from places have been mangled.

But last time through there a couple months back, I had an outbound international flight on Delta and Delta's terminal and set-up there was pretty pleasant. It looked like the whole area had been newly done (though I hadn't flown Delta internationally out of LAX before, so I can't compare with how it was before).

I spent the time prior to my flight sitting at an airport outlet of the El Coyote Mexican restaurant in L.A. drinking a beer and chowing down on carne asada.

[flying]

+1 more in favor of Korean Airline & missing BKK all together

Much nicer & shorter.

Not to mention Immigration/customs entry at CNX is a breeze compared to BKK

[OriginalPoster]

I am retired and plan to retire again in Chiang Mai later this year. If at all possible, I want to stay the hell out of Bangkok. Any of you ladies or gentlemen know a good route from any city in the continental US to Chiang Mai that does NOT involve flying thru Bangkok?

What's the big deal? Flights to Swampy don't land on Sickandvomit road, you know. Just sit on your ass, check in and fly to CM. It may not be your cup of tea - I know it's not mine - but it's just an airport after all which you'll be in and out of. The added expense of another international flight aside, I don't see the benefit of going through Seoul unless you want to see that given city...

Whether or not Seoul has an adavantage depends upon the layover times on the route that you're going to take, not whether you want to see Seoul or not. With good connections, flying though Seoul is likely to amount to the least total travel time. And Seoul's actually a pretty far distance from ICN airport, unless you have a huge layover it's not sensible to make a sidetrip there.

[Sojourner]

I fly Korean Air every time I go to the States. CNX-ICN-ORD with a four hour layover in Seoul. Flight gets into Chicago around 10:00 AM. My return is the same but with a two hour layover. Flight gets into CNX around 22:30 PM.

Edited August 18, 2011 by Sojourner