Cheapest Departure Location In North America. (To Get To Thailand)

[OutdoorHero]

I am Coming To Thailand for 3-4 months, Possibly longer, on the start of my year long world tour.

i Leave in a month and a half, i am still getting my thoughts around all the logistics of this operation, i have traveled but never on my own, have always traveled through work and never had to deal with bookings and such.

if anyone has input for me on the subject of the topic or any other advice it would be greatly appreciated!

I am Currently in Edmonton Alberta Canada.

Thanks in advance

[WilliamCave]

Hi good to head u are going on a world tour. I travel from Edmonton to hear al the time . If u are flexible look on Expedia.ca or flight centre.ca they should have some good deals on now. Or get to Vancouver and start your trip from there I book from Van many times. The biggest expense from wevu are is getting from Edm to Van . Also look at flights from Calgary on the search engins you should get something fairly inexpensive.

[craigt3365]

Fantastic! Have a great trip. I'd bet your cheapest departure point would be Vancouver. But, the connections can sometimes be very expensive. So best to see what the cost is from your city also. I'm guessing you'll get a one way? These are typically a bit more expensive...though some airlines offer better rates for this. Check out the pinned thread in this forum for help with airline fare search engines.

Lots of debate on whether to get a RTW ticket, and setup your schedule now, or just buy as you go. Tough one to call. Though it might be a bit more expensive to buy as you go, you have a lot more flexibility. When I started on my RTW trip several years ago, what I had planned didn't work out. I just winged it and had a blast.

What's your planned itinerary? I'd also checkout bootsnall.com. Lots of good info there.

Make sure you have easy access to cash, including emergency funds (relatives?). Internet banking is great these days....

Good luck!!

[USNret]

I've found Seattle, LAX, SFO to be the cheapest from the U.S. And there should be some good sales going on right now; it's a low season for travel. Have a great world tour!

[phuketrichard]

LAX, SFO look at Kayak.com

find the cheapest flight

than go direct to the airlines site an compare

IT is not low season for travel to Asia

[rfukata]

YVR, SEA, PDX, SFO and LAX would be a good starting point to check outbound pricing to Thailand.

YVR Vancouver has many direct flights into the Asian hub such as Hong kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Taiwan

where you can make the connection into Bangkok.

for pricing, check out the airline website first; Cathay Pacific to HK, Asiana or Korean Air to Seoul, EVA / China airlines

to Taiwan, ANA/JAL to Narita and then compare against the 'travel websites' pricing.

have a safe trip.

[IBoldnewguy]

I believe British Air and Star Alliance have round the world planners - not sure of price. Was going post link but directions said to use <Ctr/Cmd+V> - where the hell is Cmd key? Not on my keyboard. need more

Edited February 5, 2013 by IBoldnewguy

[OutdoorHero]

Fantastic! Have a great trip. I'd bet your cheapest departure point would be Vancouver. But, the connections can sometimes be very expensive. So best to see what the cost is from your city also. I'm guessing you'll get a one way? These are typically a bit more expensive...though some airlines offer better rates for this. Check out the pinned thread in this forum for help with airline fare search engines.

Lots of debate on whether to get a RTW ticket, and setup your schedule now, or just buy as you go. Tough one to call. Though it might be a bit more expensive to buy as you go, you have a lot more flexibility. When I started on my RTW trip several years ago, what I had planned didn't work out. I just winged it and had a blast.

What's your planned itinerary? I'd also checkout bootsnall.com. Lots of good info there.

Make sure you have easy access to cash, including emergency funds (relatives?). Internet banking is great these days....

Good luck!!

Thanks to everyone for the input and information!

i will definatly be planning as if im not able to get to a bank more than twice a month.

(Cypus last year was tricky, my cards where cut off multiple times and it taught me to carry more cash then i think i need.)

also i have planned for emergency funds. no need to rely on relatives.

I am an avid hiker, and cyclist, does anyone have some good hiking destinations swimming and cliff jumping/ diving, on the south rim of Thailand im going to spend about a week and and a half there before i head to Chiang Mai, where i will be staying for most of my time in Thailand.

Thanks so much everyone!

[OutdoorHero]

Also i really have no itinerary, by definition.

my only plans are that i want to leave some time around the 12-17th of march, fly to bankok meet up with two friends of mine who are in country right now, and spend a week or so down south, then head north to Chiang Mai, stay with them until i find a studio, then i want to spend a few months exploring, and making art. and just taking some relaxing time, until i head to cambodia, vietnam, india, china, and new zealand. then home to Canada, to settle down in the mountains of Revelstoke British columbia, and build myself a cabin....

haha my head is a little crazy

[timber]

Can do a lot worse than building a cabin in Revelstoke. Go to the beaches of Florida and see where people have built and will give you a new definition of crazy with a price tag.

[USNret]

(Cypus last year was tricky, my cards where cut off multiple times and it taught me to carry more cash then i think i need.)

also i have planned for emergency funds. no need to rely on relatives.

Regarding that, I have found that by notifying my banks in advance of my travels helps avoid having my cards cut off. When they start seeing charges from unexpected parts of the world, they suspect fraud and they cut off your card until you call in to explain what's up. Let them know in advance & save yourself a lot of heartache.

[craigt3365]

(Cypus last year was tricky, my cards where cut off multiple times and it taught me to carry more cash then i think i need.)

also i have planned for emergency funds. no need to rely on relatives.

Regarding that, I have found that by notifying my banks in advance of my travels helps avoid having my cards cut off. When they start seeing charges from unexpected parts of the world, they suspect fraud and they cut off your card until you call in to explain what's up. Let them know in advance & save yourself a lot of heartache.

Not sure if it's still like this, but some countries only except Visa or Mastercard...but not both. Ran into this about 8 years ago in Ecuador and then in the Philippines. Luckily, my family was able to wire some money over. Also, Argentina a few years ago limited ATM withdrawls to something like $100 a day...ended up in a bank for hours trying to sort out getting money via the card.

[driedmango]

Seattle would be the best most times and it is very close to Vancouver. For ease and comfort of course vancouver. There is so many Asians in Vancouver that flights to hong Kong or Tokyo are plentiful. I always check kayak and then go into a travel agent to book the exact flights or right threw the airline. The price doesn't go down on these sites they just do a better job of finding them once you find one buying direct threw the airline or agent can save trouble if you need a refund or change date or the yellow shirts take over the airport like happen to me once and I was happy to have an agent to help me

[dddave]

Cathay Pacific-OneWorld Alliance which includes American Airlines has some RTW and "Open Jaw" plans; worth checking out.

Unfortunately, the company I used for my RTW 10 years ago (AirBrokers Int) is now out of business but it was a great way to go. I had up to a year to complete the journey and could change flights with no penalty as long as I didn't backtrack. I was able to do 8 cities for less that $1000. The downside was it was all on China Air and Air India.

There might still be some companies in the business; I think one is called AirTreks...worth Googling "RoundTheWorld".

[Skeeter Skinwalker]

I just purchased a one-way from SEA to BKK on April 8, 2013 for $485 with EVA Air - I bought the ticket through Orbitz because the price on EVA Air's site was higher.

However, I just did another search, and it seems the prices have gone up a bit since this evening - the same ticket was $505 at EVA Air's site just now, which is now the cheapest price I could find.

As for good search tools, I find Google's ITA Matrix site to be pretty solid. I also like the site's extremely flexible dates and locations for searches - it's basically like searching for the lowest price on every plane that flies between two large geographic regions over the the course of an entire month.

[Andre0720]

Hello OutdoorHero,

I have travelled to Thailand many times, with many airlines....but always from the same departure point.

But one advice I can give you. Do not look for a departure city, look for a travel agent that deals with Korean Airlines. Some travel agencies might not have business agreements with Korean Airlines. You may very well get a cheaper flight from Edmonton with Korean Airlines, than from another carrier from Vancouver or LAX or anywhere else.

Provided that Korean Airlines do service Edmonton of course.

Good luck.

Edited February 10, 2013 by Andre0720

[seligne]

If you are in AB, check out Seattle. I fly from BC and it is cheaper and bus connections are good.

[Groongthep]

I have been flying 3 or 4 times a year back and forth between the US West Coast and Thailand for the last 25 years. It used to be simple; find the 'bucket shops" which were travel agencies that specialized in mostly low cost student travel. They would often buy large numbers of seats from the airlines at a good discount then pass much of that savings on to the customer. I don't think any exist anymore.

I would recommend what others have said and use travel search engines like Kayak, Expedia, Orbits, Travelocity etc. Then check those fares against the airline sites to see if they have anything better.

I highly recommend that you keep checking as fares can change within a few hours. Don't take the cheapest fare you see the first time you look. Chances are good that a better deal may come up later as long as you're not getting to say, within a week of your departure date. If you see a real bargain, jump on it while it lasts, because it won't last long.

Most (but not all) North American carriers stop over in Tokyo on their way to Bangkok. Since Seattle is the closest large US city to Tokyo it will probably be the cheapest place to leave from but that is never guaranteed. Keep checking, keep checking ๆ

Edited February 10, 2013 by Groongthep

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

I believe British Air and Star Alliance have round the world planners - not sure of price. Was going post link but directions said to use <Ctr/Cmd+V> - where the hell is Cmd key? Not on my keyboard. need more

Ctrl key is for windows Cmd key is for Mac, do the same thing

[ericthai]

Dont forget about getting your visa in place, otherwise you will be doing boarder runs. Another issue is some airlines wont let you board with a one-way ticket if you dont have a visa and even if you do have a visa depending on the visa if not more than 1 year it might be an issue not to have a return ticket. I would speak to the airlines before you start booking.

I myself have never had this issue as I have always had 1 year visa, but I know friends of mine that came to visit me and not sure how long they were staying had issues one checking in and only having a one-way ticket. They were forced to purchase a return. So just a heads up. Hope you enjoy your trip!!

[bendejo]

People BC and the Toronto area have told me the prices drop considerably when flying out of the US, so they tell me it's worth the trip to cross the border. Seattle would be good. Maybe even Anchorage, if that's convenient.

Interestingly, flights between US and BKK will vary only around US$100-150 or so between US east coast and west coast.

I just purchased a one-way from SEA to BKK on April 8, 2013 for $485 with EVA Air - I bought the ticket through Orbitz because the price on EVA Air's site was higher.

However, I just did another search, and it seems the prices have gone up a bit since this evening - the same ticket was $505 at EVA Air's site just now, which is now the cheapest price I could find.

...

Thanks for this. I've been looking for a one-way in the other direction.

I like Eva, have flown with them in the past and it's been ok, maybe lucky in that my flights weren't full, so I could sit next to empty seats and stretch out a bit (economy class). All my searches have been coming up around US$1,000.

I had a look at the dates you mention above just now. Prices SEA-BKK bottom out at $596, whereas in that same time period (late March-May) the lowest fare in the other direction gets no lower than 25,125 baht (app. US$836).

[driedmango]

I was just seeing a one way from van for under $600..

Sometimes Vancouver can be cheaper than Seattle.. most times a bit more.

I would like risking the us boarder ruining my ticket.. that is just me

[OutdoorHero]

Thanks for all your input everyone!

i have booked my flight out of calgary, i paid 790$CAD, but then used some of my mastercard points and got 100$ off so in total i paid 690$CAD

I leave on the 13th of march.

Cheers!