Priceline has one way tickets from Thailand to San Francisco for about $650 US and Korean Airlines has them for about $850 US. Travel agents in Thailand sell the Korean Airline tickets for around the Internet price, but Thai Airways for much more. Any ideas why?

Probably because Thai Airways does not give commission to travel agents anymore as does Qatar Airways und probably a bunch of others.

Yermanee

Have no idea ....but, I am speaking only for me, I have never bought a one way ticket.....What's the cost of a round trip? $1300???? which still isn't too bad but some people are getting round trips for $1000/$1200 (all depends on when your flying etc)

Probably because Thai Airways does not give commission to travel agents anymore as does Qatar Airways und probably a bunch of others.

Yermanee

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

Thai doesn't fly into SFO any more, so likely that they would route you to either Incheon or Narita then have you on a code share to SFO, which can often increase the price. In general however Thai is always more expensive than the alternatives...must be all that 'Thainess' they keep harping on about. Good options I usually use either to SFO or LAX are EVA or China Airlines. Both have good connecting flights in Taipei, and one thing I prefer about Taipei over either Incheon or Narita is it's a much more compact airport, so you move through transit very fast. Also Taiwan airlines are in general cheaper.

I noticed the same thing with TA and BA, travel agents were quoting me prices 10k more than I found online. Very annoying if you've not got enough funds in your homeland bank account. So I got a kasikorn bank account with shopping card and paid online

Probably because Thai Airways does not give commission to travel agents anymore as does Qatar Airways und probably a bunch of others.

Yermanee

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

Is that really so? A major airline gets enough booking to fill its 128 aircraft plus 230 on order through online bookings only?

Found it the other way recently with BA to London, who happened to be cheaper going direct (through site) and also less so than any other airline direct (no stops). Go figure, as the Yankee-doodles say!