Flight discount Bangkok air

[Pcall]

Bangkok air samui resident discount

About a year ago whilst booking a flight in Bangkok air booking office in samui

an expat informed me that if I was resident in samui I could get a discount on Bangkok air

samui to Bangkok is expensive

so would be grateful if any one knew if this is true

if so what do I need to achieve this

tried travel agents on island they say not aware of this discount

Thanks in advance paul (pizza boy)

[No1Farang]

To get Samui resident card you need to go upstairs at their Chaweng office on the ring road next to Bangkok Samui Hospital. Take your passport and proof you are a resident. Either your rental agreement or proof you own a property.

You get 25% discount off the full fare, 30kg luggage and the ability to change travel dates/times.

[evadgib]

Unless things have changed applications are only accepted during March or October at a cost of THB 300.

HTH

[PoorSucker]

You get 25% discount off the full fare, 30kg luggage and the ability to change travel dates/times.

Be aware that if you book online on the cheapest tickets you will not get any discount.

Only time I had any use for my card was when I got priority stand-by in Bangkok once.

[Gulfsailor]

Full fates are generally 20 to 30% more than the prices you can get online. I had the card for two years. During that time I flew them at least 20 times. Used the card once only though. In all other cases online booking gave a better price.

[Thai Bairn]

Unless things have changed applications are only accepted during March or October at a cost of THB 300.

HTH

You can now apply year round.

[Battybird]

Not worth having.

[khunPer]

Had it for two years, was very happy to be accepted , but never got any discount - cheaper to book online, so not worth the costs , and yes then (some years back) you could only apply within a certain time of the year.

[Tropicalevo]

I had one donkey's years ago. Not for the cheap flights (Samui BKK was 4,000 ish baht return back then) but for the free 'airport tax' vouchers.

I have not bothered with it since the airport tax was included in the ticket.

Nostalgia moment. Does anyone else remember the hard-up backpackers holding up the check-in queue because they did not have 200 baht for the airport tax?

[khunPer]

I had one donkey's years ago. Not for the cheap flights (Samui BKK was 4,000 ish baht return back then) but for the free 'airport tax' vouchers.

I have not bothered with it since the airport tax was included in the ticket.

Nostalgia moment. Does anyone else remember the hard-up backpackers holding up the check-in queue because they did not have 200 baht for the airport tax?

Yes - and also some running around in BKK Don Mueang a/p begging money for the 500 baht tax to get out...

[limbos]

Use it on a very regular base, ticket with Resident card is approx 7,600.-THB r/t BKK. I need to fly at various times during the day and can't use or wait for discounted flights. Served me very well during the last 5 years and saved me lots of money.

As already mentioned, application can be done year round.

[islandguy]

Usually check on line first but often book by phone using Resident Card. Many advantages but not always best price. Since I would have to leave me house before dawn to take the first flight, that is often a factor. Extra luggage allowance lets me come closer to matching international levels of free luggage and sometimes lets me buy a big box of something like avocados or lychees from Chiang Mai

On a side note, I think if you are connecting with international flights they will give you a higher luggage allowance even without a Resident Card.

[Gulfsailor]

If you become a Flyerbonus member (free) you automatically get 10kg extra luggage allowance. 20kg if you make it to a higher membership level.

[Pcall]

Thanks for all those that replied very helpful

Tried to get card receptionist informed me my rental agreement was no good it has to be house book and any way as a non thai you can not be on house book (not sure that's true) plus has to be over 6 months my rental agreement was only 4 months old

If you have a thai company they need 2 piece of document one being certificate of incorporation dated over 6 months by then I got the impression that this card is only freely available to Thais

good luck to any one the wishes to get this card it seems you have go through many hoops to obtain one

[Tropicalevo]

Do not give up Pcall. The card is held by lots of foreigners. The only criteria is that you have to be a long terrm resident on Samui. It is not for tourists.

The fact that you have a house book at all would indicate that you are here long term. ( I have three.) For a foreigner your name does not have to be in the book.

Likewise - your company papers are easy. They just ask that your company is more than 5 minutes old.

Most of my (foreign) neighbours have the discount card. I had one. None of my Thai friends have a card. They would never pay the prices (even discounted.)

[islandguy]

The no brainer here is to sign up for their frequent flyer program. Even with the fees the award flights end up being an 8-10% overall discount and when they have a points sale (usually twice a year for 50%, this year a 70%!! sale) even better. I think you also are prioritized when on a wait list.

And I know at least two Thais who have Resident cards.

[limbos]

Plenty of foreigners living on Samui have this card!

[CaptainS]

Does any of you guys know if its possible to get the BK Air resident card with a METV based on a long term leased house and a residence certificate from immigration?
 

[SaintLouisBlues]

On 1/27/2015 at 10:03 PM, Tropicalevo said:

Nostalgia moment. Does anyone else remember the hard-up backpackers holding up the check-in queue because they did not have 200 baht for the airport tax?

No but I do remember a fellow American just ahead of me at checkin beside himself with rage because they wouldn't take US dollars in payment for the 700 baht departure tax

[khunPer]

On 1/3/2017 at 9:07 AM, CaptainS said:

Does any of you guys know if its possible to get the BK Air resident card with a METV based on a long term leased house and a residence certificate from immigration?
 

Applicant’s Qualification

• The applicant must be at least 12 years of age
• Must be
  • a Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan or Koh Tao resident or
  • a hotel/business employee in Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan or Koh Tao working at a senior management level such as Managing Director, General Manager or Director for at least 6 months
  • a business owner in Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan or Koh Tao for at least 6 months and the business is still operating
  • a government official in Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan or Koh Tao
  • a student at school, college or university in Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan or Koh Tao

• Must NOT be
  • a Trat Privilege Card member and/or Sukhothai Privilege Card member
  • Employees of Bangkok Airways or companies associated with Bangkok Airways are NOT eligible for applying the Trat Privilege Card.
• For Non-Residents, it will take approximately 7 days on approval process.

Required Documents

• A copy of ID card or Passport 
• Employee Certification, Work Permit, Certification of Company Registration for companies operating in Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan or Koh Tao
• Application fee 300 Baht per time

 

Source & Read more: Samui Resident Card

 

I had a Samui Resident Card for some years based on my shares in a Thai Co. Ltd. as "business owner", for residency they wished a House Book at that time; but you can ask, the natives in the office are fairly friendly.

I stopped paying the 300 baht fee for renewing, as I never got any benefits. The offered discount was for full price tickets, but we normally bought ours from Bangkok Air's website, as the fares quoted there were  lower than full price minus discount...

However, it seems like the benefits are better now, so maybe I should reconsider...

[isaanpaul]

I think Bangkok air is by  the km the most expencieve airliner  

From Europe to Bangkok 10.000 km make about 650 euro return.

Bangkok/koh Samui 650 km 250 euro's return

Edited January 8, 2017 by isaanpaul

[Birdman]

250 is high season price, minus 30% discount with SRC plus 30kg luggage allowance.  

How much, btw, are prices by BA, LH, AF, Swiss etc for European flights? even at non high season? Do they have also Resident Cards with similar conditions?