IMA_FARANG Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 (edited) I just booked a ticket on United Airlines on the route Bangkok - Narita - San Francisco - Boston Massachusetts and return. This was an economy fare discount price (back of the plane) fare. However it is REFUNDABLE (but, of course, with a fee for refund or for change of date). Total cost was $1680 return fare. (or about 51K Baht) I am leaving on 5 September and returning on the 19th of September. I did a lot of searching on-line and the two lowest fares I could find were United Airlines and Qatar Airways. The scheduling on United was just slightly better than on Qatar (shorter total travel time on United) so I picked United over Qatar. I paid by cash through the United office in Bangkok .....there was a 1000 Baht service fee paying in cash and booking the ticket though the United office in Bangkok. So actual airfare was about 50K in Baht (I paid in Baht) and hat 1K Baht service fee added on. Since this was a cash purchase (and it says so on the ticket) NO credit card verification will be required at check-in. I'm not saying this is some great deal .... I'm just stating the facts of the cost and how/where I purchased this ticket for anyone who wants factual information on the cost for a similar flight in September. Remember.... it's common practice for airlines to increase their fares each year around October. Sorry for the typo in the title ... of course that should be Cheapest. Fumble fingers. Edited July 27, 2013 by IMA_FARANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fittobethaied Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 IMA_FARANG, I just looked up your flight on kayak.com and you could have bought the ticket through United online for $1592, but of course you must use a credit card. And no 1000 baht service charge, so you could have saved a smooth $100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nana Cowboy Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Best to book direct at the airline websites. Delta and United best. Scrap Qatar, they dont even know you need to put a u after a q. If you have a credit card this is best and cheapest way. I went earlier this year for $1521 on UAL. I prefer Delta though, UAL is getting so cheap. They both stink actually but no alternatives, everything is a monopoly now: airlines, oil etc. no competition, price fixing. try booking a frequent flier award ticket. they really have the scam going on that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLCrab Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 I just flew BKK >NRT> JFK> RDU Raleigh-Durham and back on Japan Airlines except for the last leg on AmericanAir. Total cost taxes and fees $86 -- I tried booking the ticket to MCO Orlando but that leg was sold out but I was going to NC anyway. Good scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomatopo Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Looks like an “S” fare (SLXRCTA), $1,593 all in on ual.com. 4,500 THB ($150) change/cancellation fee. Probably easier to buy on the website with a credit card? 24 hour "protection", no need to travel to a CTO, quicker refund, no "SSSS" issues. UA fares usually drop, from Peak season to “Low season” right after Labor Day until ~ Dec. 1. Mon-Thu travel, the “X” in the far code, saves some money , vs. Fri – Sun travel (a “W” in the fare basis). If you fly to/from the U.S. often (3 or more times per year) it is much less expensive, at least $200 less, to string together BOS-BKK-BOS tickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanLaew Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Not a bad price at all. Just 'matrixed' that itinerary and if flexible by a couple of days, Delta comes in around $1487 and about 3 hours shorter on the outbound (first) sector. Also goes via NRT and DTW so that's an added bonus since it avoids ATL completely! Regarding the 'SSSS' comment; is that a guaranteed secondary hassle security inspection? Despite being a cash purchase, the OP's booking it is a fair bit ahead of the actual fly date. I know I was stuck on the 'SSSS' list after a last-minute, one-way domestic US ticket purchase that was changed to the next flight by phone call while in line at the check-in mosh pit for the original flight that I looked like missing. It was one of 'those' mornings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBlair48 Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 ....there was a 1000 Baht service fee paying in cash Oh, Brave New World... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin2 Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Cheapest fare will be on a Boeing dream-liner and you will be the only one on it, so lots of leg room !. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomatopo Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 (edited) Cheapest fare will be on a Boeing dream-liner I was looking at some BOS-BKK-BOS fares on UA for next year, there is no price difference for BOS-DEN-NRT-BKK, with DEN-NRT operated with a 787. Fewer upgrade seats on that bird so I'll stick with IAD or ORD. EWR-NRT is a better 777 version: 2-2-2, but a challenging upgrade. I got a "morgue" (AKA: defrib upgrade) upgrade last week on EWR-NRT; first on the list but checked in full, then a last minute cancellation and I got upgraded from my economy seat by the ground agent one minute before the door closed. Phew. Flight time: 13:27, we went ~ 50 miles north of Pt. Barrow! I have no "SSSS" experiences. I get TSA Pre-Check, as a result of Global Entry, which is amazing: no line, no wait, no removing of anything, just bag on the belt, WTMD, done. 30 seconds. Edited July 27, 2013 by lomatopo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud67 Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 During the low seasons (fall and spring), I can usually find UAL fares from Ottawa to BKK return, connections in Chicago/Newark or Washington Dulles and Tokyo, ranging from $1350 to 1600. However, that connection in Tokyo instead of Hong Kong is a back breaker for me. Flying that long leg then get on another 5.5 hour leg is enough for me to bypass and take a more expensive option through HKG. Also, I admit to a bias against UAL, I think their equipment is older and less comfortable than others. I wonder why there aren't more options for N.American flights through HKG to BKK? It may be worth it to check out a direct flight to HKG and fly onward via one of the Asian LCC (+/- $300) - US-BKK-US. It would be a little more expensive but the shorter Asian leg and possibly a more comfortable plane for the trans-pacific crossing might be worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrilled Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Prices going up year after year. I usually buy abou 7 or 8 months in advance.Even then it's not cheap.I've been hearing the prices will double in the next 4-5 years. Going up 20-25% every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike45 Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Looks like an “S” fare (SLXRCTA), $1,593 all in on ual.com. 4,500 THB ($150) change/cancellation fee. Probably easier to buy on the website with a credit card? 24 hour "protection", no need to travel to a CTO, quicker refund, no "SSSS" issues. UA fares usually drop, from Peak season to “Low season” right after Labor Day until ~ Dec. 1. Mon-Thu travel, the “X” in the far code, saves some money , vs. Fri – Sun travel (a “W” in the fare basis). If you fly to/from the U.S. often (3 or more times per year) it is much less expensive, at least $200 less, to string together BOS-BKK-BOS tickets. I've flown BOS-Bkk many times and my travel agent always saved me money versus anything online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomatopo Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I've flown BOS-Bkk many times and my travel agent always saved me money versus anything online. Sounds like this was in the past? Can you share any details? Airlines, TA, how recently? UA stopped distributing inventory to consolidators a few years ago, so up until that time yes, one could always get a fare bucket from a consolidator which was not available on the UA web site. Consolidators may still have access to inventory from BR, CA ex-BOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLCrab Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 The one thing I like about flying to Tokyo NRT is -- if you have enough time between flights -- they have a great transit area shower facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nana Cowboy Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I have never flown to USA via HK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike45 Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I've flown BOS-Bkk many times and my travel agent always saved me money versus anything online. Sounds like this was in the past? Can you share any details? Airlines, TA, how recently? UA stopped distributing inventory to consolidators a few years ago, so up until that time yes, one could always get a fare bucket from a consolidator which was not available on the UA web site. Consolidators may still have access to inventory from BR, CA ex-BOS. You are correct it was 2009 and before. I haven't used my TA since I moved to Asia in 2010 because she can not sell me tickets originating in Asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike45 Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I've flown BOS-Bkk many times and my travel agent always saved me money versus anything online. Sounds like this was in the past? Can you share any details? Airlines, TA, how recently? UA stopped distributing inventory to consolidators a few years ago, so up until that time yes, one could always get a fare bucket from a consolidator which was not available on the UA web site. Consolidators may still have access to inventory from BR, CA ex-BOS. You are correct it was 2009 and before. I haven't used my TA since I moved to Asia in 2010 because she can not sell me tickets originating in Asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike45 Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I've flown BOS-Bkk many times and my travel agent always saved me money versus anything online. Sounds like this was in the past? Can you share any details? Airlines, TA, how recently? UA stopped distributing inventory to consolidators a few years ago, so up until that time yes, one could always get a fare bucket from a consolidator which was not available on the UA web site. Consolidators may still have access to inventory from BR, CA ex-BOS. You are correct it was 2009 and before. I haven't used my TA since I moved to Asia in 2010 because she can not sell me tickets originating in Asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbelyeu Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 The SSSS is secondary inspection: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_Security_Administration Regards, Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanLaew Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 The SSSS is secondary inspection: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_Security_Administration Regards, Kurt Yes Kurt, I know all about the SSSS on the boarding pass. After I 'earned' mine with the last-minute, one-way booking plus flight change, I thought I was doomed to have the extra checks for the rest of my flying life. I was always flying Continental (now United) out of Houston and always getting inspected. Then one time I flew out from Houston on another airline... and NO secondary inspection. Then it happened twice so I thought I was 'cleared'. However, on checking in for a subsequent CO flight, I was SSSS'd again. So I emailed Continental's customer service and some time after that, all their secondary inspections disappeared. Made me wonder if the CO flagging had ever been passed to the TSA in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) Since I started this topic I guess I reserve the right to make comments on it. First of all, I deliberately did not book this flight on line and it was my choice not to pay for the trip by credit card. In case you must know, it was because by U.S. bank has a limit on my ATM/credit card balance below which they charge a extra fee. Paying for the flight by using my ATM/credit card would have put me below that minimum balance and would have made me pay a fee to my U.S. bank each time I used it because of that. For that reason I chose to pay for the ticket here in Bangkok and pay cash from my Thai bank account. Okay? Yes there is a 1000 Baht service fee charged by the airline for paying as I did. I will be paying for expenses during my 2 week stay in the U.S. with my U.S. credit card also, so that was part of my considerations also. The total airfare is exactly the same whether I go through San Francisco, Washington, or Newark. The reason I eventually picked the San Francisco flight was that San Francisco to Boston flight is a direct flight whereas the other choices needed a short hop commuter airline flight to Boston. Also, personally, I detest the Newark/New York area and try to avoid it whenever possible. And then, I know the Boston area, and will be taking a bus from Boston to my home. There is a direct bus connection from Logan airport in Boston to my home. Not that you need to know, but this is not a pleasure trip. One of my cousins died about a week ago and there will be a memorial service in September (she was already cremated and her ashes buried in the family plot). I picked the dates to be there for that memorial service. Just so you all know. Edited July 29, 2013 by IMA_FARANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomatopo Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 FWIW, many airlines, including UA, have “Bereavement Fares”, which are near-term departures in lower-priced fare-buckets which might have already sold out and are unavailable. I prefer the longest possible NRT-USA flight as possible as I am usually upgrading, and the shortest possible intra-USA flight as possible with add’l frequencies to accommodate IRROPS, except during the winter when I’ll go via LAX or SFO. The extra miles for EWR/IAD-BOS are a side benefit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuketrichard Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) just booked Phuket to SF on China eastern via Shanghai in nov for ONLY $924!!!!! Wouldn't say any arilines increases their fees yearly, its hit or miss when u book and when u go. Example i flew last year in August an it was over $1,300 ( then least expensive flight) on Asiana via Seoul. Under a $1,000 is a real treat :-) I never ever fly a us ailines from asia and never will Edited July 30, 2013 by phuketrichard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomatopo Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) just booked Phuket to SF on China eastern via Shanghai in nov for ONLY $924!!!!! Q fare on MU. You benefit from that code-share for HKT-PVG (on FM). And one stop service: HKT-PVG-SFO, and avoiding BKK. Win WIn Win, no that's not your Captain's name. And Low season, that's not your Captain's name either. (Actually it's still 28,030 BKK-PVG-SFO return on MU.) Of course the OP is flying to BOS. Edited July 30, 2013 by lomatopo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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