Flight From Bangkok To Chiang Mai

[bolstermummy]

Hi all!

me and my bf are flying to bangkok in the end of march, final destination chiang mai. our flight is scheduled to arrive at the international terminal in bangkok airport at 13.40 and from there we should catch the connecting flight to chiang mai. our options are to take the first available flight (one-two-go's flight) that departs the airport at 15.15 or to take the later one (also one-two-go's) that departs 17.50. obviously we would prefer not to wait too long on the airport but we really don't want to miss the flight either. so if we did take the first flight, it would leave us about 90 minutes to get off the first plane, get our bags and make it to the domestic terminal. do you think this is realistic? the airline person we contacted told us that the check-in counter will be closed 40 minutes before the flight departs.

thank you all in advance!

salli

[ovenman]

so if we did take the first flight, it would leave us about 90 minutes to get off the first plane, get our bags and make it to the domestic terminal. do you think this is realistic?

I think you are cutting it very close. The forty minute check-in cut-off is for real. This means you really only have 55 minutes to de-plane, walk to and get through immigrations, claim your bags, hoof it over to the domestic terminal and check-in for your flight. This can all be done in that amount of time if everything goes without a hitch and there is no line at immigrations. Any delays or a line at immigrations and you are probably sunk. It's a gamble and if you are willing to take a chance on forfeiting your One-Two-Go tickets, I guess it's just a question of how lucky do you feel?

[bangkokStranger]

Last time i done this trip quite recently i got caught in immigration for 30-40 mins, also dont forget there is a 10 minute walk between the international and domestic airport where youll need to go and also baggage collection and if you dont know your way around add 10-15 mins asking for help and wandering around. My advice would be (if you havent already booked) to wait until you get there, there are plenty of planes bangkok to chiang mai around that time so you shouldnt have to wait too long. Also how likely is your flight to be on time aswell and its a bad way to start a holiday, stressing and rushing to make a flight.

Have a good Holiday, Chiang Mai's a nice spot

[Gulliver_in_LOS]

Are you flying Thai Airways? If so, you should not worry too much because in my experience the flights from Bangkok to Chiangmai are never full. Therefore even if you miss the earlier flight you can take the next one without problem (it happened to me once!). But I think that 90 mins are more than enough.

Cheers,

G

[visarunner]

timing is very close , if I read correctly you use 1-2go Airline from BKK to Chiang Mai , which has limited flight per day.

You also did not mention which Airline you come in ,Terminal1 or 2 .

Better to change the local trip to a Thai Air flight as easy to change booking in case time is too tight or yr flight is late .

[Gulliver_in_LOS]

Oh! I missed the One-Two-Go part! Anyway, I think a one way Thai Airways's ticket is about 1000 bht more expensive than the 12GO's (2000 bht is saved for two people).

[ThaiPauly]

When I do this trip, (and I do it quite often) I just disembark and make my way over to the Interal Flights terminal and just walk round the various carriers and ask them when their next flight to CM is?

Thai Airways normally have one going every hour, and I have always been fortunate enough to wait no longer than one hour to board another plane. It has never taken me LESS than an hour from landing at Don Muang to get a ticket for a flight to CM.

Yes it will cost you an extra 1500-2000 Baht, but do you REALY want to load yourself up with all that stress of will you-won't you catch the connecting flight in time from the minute you leave your front door?

Not to mention the stress that long haul flights give you anyway!

If you MISS the connection you have lost your money anyway, so you will be hit by a double whammy! Many planes are getting to BK on time ,but just not LANDING on time as the skies are too congested over BK nowadays that you can spend 20 minutes circling round waiting to land. This happened only 3 weeks ago to a freind who had a connecting flight booked and he missed it!

My advice is just get to BK and take it from there.

You never know, when you arrive one of the Budget carriers may be leaving an hour from when you arrive, so check their desks out first.

Enjoy your holiday !

[chanchao]

When connecting internationally I always fly TG also on the domestic leg. If you're late, you don't lose your ticket. If you're early, then put you on an earlier flight. If it's tight, you don't have to go through customs in BKK but they quickly take you direct to the plane so you go through customs in CNX.. Lot of advantages there.

If you do go for a budget carrier, I think 1-2-Go is the worst one. I always look into Nok Air first, Air Asia second, Thai Air third. (though when booking a long time ahead then Air Asia becomes relatively a lot cheaper)

[tchk]

salli

Buy an e-ticket online with Thai for the second flight.

If you're early, go directly to check-in and ask them to change it.

Saves time queing, saves money (100 baht)

You'll be too tired to make experiments with low cost airlines.

[meadish_sweetball]

I dont know why you'd want to lag your bags through the tunnel between international and domestic, since you can just as easily and as quickly jump on the free shuttle bus between the terminals.

The connecting tunnel is like a sauna in the hot season.

I would also recommend getting a Thai airways ticket for the domestic flight, since you dont lose your rights if your international flight is delayed. With the low cost airlines, your ticket will be forfeit if you miss the flight.

The other option is to take the One-Two-Go (Orient Thai) at 17.50. It will mean some waiting at the airport so do bring along something to read. The Black Canyon cafeteria at the domestic terminal has alright coffee and you can also get sushi there if you like. Once past the boarding pass checkpoint that leads into the gate area, there is a Burger King, another Black Canyon, an Internet Cafe with inflated prices for Thailand but acceptable as far as international airport internet prices go.

As others have said, the first Orient Thai flight is too close for comfort. A bit of delay for your international flight, queues at Immigration, and you have lost your ticket.

Of the low cost options, I find I like Nok Air the best. More comfortable planes than the others, less price trickery (such as AirAsia's 999 baht BKK-CM, which in reality is closer to 1500 baht with all taxes added). Orient Thai has the worst domestic delay statistics, and they have had some flight safety problems on their international flights.

[ovenman]

When connecting internationally I always fly TG also on the domestic leg.

I'll opt for TG if I am arriving Bangkok from abroad and I know that my bags will be heavy. The overweight charges on the low-cost carriers can more than make up the difference in the ticket price between them and a full-fare ticket on THAI!

If it's tight, you don't have to go through customs in BKK but they quickly take you direct to the plane so you go through customs in CNX..

How this process works depends on which carrier brings you from abroad to Bangkok. If you have a domestic ticket on THAI, you can usually check your bags through to Chiang Mai from abroad and collect your bags on arrival in Chiang Mai, however only arrival on certain carriers will allow you to put off going through immigrations until you reach Chiang Mai. If you do have to clear immigrations in BKK, it's still up to you to get yourself over to the domestic terminal at Don Muang, but at least you wouldn't have to hassle with your bags.

[ovenman]

A bit of delay for your international flight, queues at Immigration, and you have lost your ticket.

I'll chance this sometimes myself if my connecting domestic ticket is cheap enough. For example, I have a connection much like the OP describes for my next arrival at Don Muang. I'll arrive on Mayalsia Airlines, my connection to CNX is with an AirAsia flight that I scored during their free ticket promotion in December. I paid 481.50 baht in taxes for this ticket. If I run late, I'll forfeit this amount but that's a sum that I am willing to gamble. We'll see...

[p1p]

If you are flying TG, connect to TG for the BKK/CNX leg and you can check straight through. Just come off the plane wearing a CIQ sticker and be transferred straight to the domestic terminal. You will clear immigration, collect your bags and clear customs in Chiang Mai, all within easy time limits.

[bolstermummy]

thanks everyone for your replies!

we will be arriving on finnair flight from helsinki 30. march. our tickets say terminal 2.

i've been looking at nok air flight schedules but unfortunately they only have them until 25.3. i hope they would put the later dates there soon as well. we had this same problem with 1-2-go some time ago

thai airways policy sounds nice and flexible and they do have two flights we might be able to take.

i will keep looking...

salli