Emerites BKK to Boston

[GinBoy2]

Looks like my daughter is moving from San Francisco to Boston, and as a change to my usual China Airlines or EVA flights to the West Coast I'm contemplating flying Bangkok to Boston via Dubai.

Anyone done it?

[OMGImInPattaya]

That's a damn long flight...hope you fly the pointy end. ?

What do you want to know? I've flown Emirates a couple time but to Europe...but assume it's the same procedure... fly to Dubai and then connect to your destination. I've flown EK business and first and posted trip reports and photos on this forum. It's not a bad product but not the best either...but if you're used to China and EVA, you'll be fine.

[GinBoy2]

It's an awful long trip no matter what, but this is the only 1 stop route I can see. Flying through Taipei to the US, the best I can do is New York, then I still need yet another flight to Boston.

I've heard nothing but fanboy reports about this almost mythical Emerites, and was curious if on that long long haul it lives up to the hype.

BTW, I love China Airlines (that's the Taiwanese airline, not the awful mainland Air China)

[KMartinHandyman]

I fly Emirates IAD via Dubai to BKK and back often. No complaints. Approximately 21.5 hrs over and 23.5 back.

[GinBoy2]

I fly Emirates IAD via Dubai to BKK and back often. No complaints. Approximately 21.5 hrs over and 23.5 back.

Thanks, that's what I wanted to hear. I assume this is the best routing to the East Coast since you do it often?

[Clamhua]

JAL does a Tokyo to Boston direct a few years ago..check them out

[bubba1]

Also Cathay Pacific BKk-Hong Kong to Boston. Quatar via Doha and many European airlines will provide a one stop journey.

[Lannig]

I frequently fly from Europe to Thailand and these days I exclusively fly Emirates because they offer the best choice IMO.

Flying the quiet and roomy A380s is a real plus.

Dubai isn't a bad airport for a transfer, even a longish one (there are places to sleep, showers etc.)

On-board service, in-flight entertainment are really close to the best you can hope for in economy class IMHO.

[KMartinHandyman]

I fly Emirates IAD via Dubai to BKK and back often. No complaints. Approximately 21.5 hrs over and 23.5 back.

Thanks, that's what I wanted to hear. I assume this is the best routing to the East Coast since you do it often?

Shortest time both ways I've found. Approx. 1.4 hrs in Dubai.

Other friends have flow the same route with Etihad thru Abu Dhabi.

It's said UAE airlines are subsidized and may be cheaper than some.

[KhunBENQ]

It's said UAE airlines are subsidized and may be cheaper than some.

And the cheapest is .... Qatar

At least for some arbitrary date in May (3 to 25), 1200 USD return (total trip time 23h to BOS, 21:25h to BKK).

Many other options in the range up to 1400 USD be it westward or eastward (Cathay e.g.).

Oh how I would hate to fly those super long legs to Boston (> 10000 km, 12:45h in the air)

I am not envy.

If I would have time and money ro spend I'd do a round the world with some stops

Edited April 27, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[Lannig]

My only experience with Qatar Airways on a roundtrip CDG-BKK wasn't bad. Actually, it was even better than with Etihad which I used to flight regularly at that time (1 year++ ago): newer aircrafts, better service on-board. Cheaper.

The only serious drawback was Doha's airport and its very, very long bus rides between aircraft and terminal. Very few facilities in the terminal either, no free wifi at that time.

Things have probably changed, I've heard that they were to have a brand new airport, just not sure it's open yet.

[OMGImInPattaya]

I assume you know already, but if you don't, Emirates Thailand is running promotional fares to the USA at the momment. The fares expire April 30.

[IMA_FARANG]

I've done the Emirates Bangkok to Boston run before....not bad for an Economy class trip.

However, only the Bangkok to Dubai leg is on a 380, as I recall....the Dubai to Boston leg was a 787 aircraft if I recall correctly.

I am minimally disabled and travel by wheelchair.

Emirates will put you in your wheelchair on a train at Dubai where you are taken to a waiting area until your flight is ready for boarding to wait

Then you are taken by a Emirates cart to your departure lounge to board your aircraft.

Good service, but not much to do in the waiting area.....although when I went through there a year ago there wasn't a lot to do except sit and wait in the waiting area.

May be different now as that waiting area was new when I went through and still being completed then.

But good service then and friendly attendants from Emirates.

But a year or so ago, things like a food area and a coffee shop were still being constructed.....probably finished by now.

[KhunBENQ]

My only experience with Qatar Airways on a roundtrip CDG-BKK wasn't bad. Actually, it was even better than with Etihad which I used to flight regularly at that time (1 year++ ago): newer aircrafts, better service on-board. Cheaper.

The only serious drawback was Doha's airport and its very, very long bus rides between aircraft and terminal. Very few facilities in the terminal either, no free wifi at that time.

Things have probably changed, I've heard that they were to have a brand new airport, just not sure it's open yet.

I only had good experiences with Qatar (Berlin - Bangkok).

That was in times with the old airport.

The new airport is open, old one closed in 2014.

Another airport project with extreme delays.

Planned to open in 2009.

[GinBoy2]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the input.

Looks like my Thanksgiving travel plans are coalescing.

Emirates (sorry for the earlier mis-spelling) has some great stop over deals as well. So the current working plan is for Mrs Gin to come with me to Dubai, 3 days mini vacation, she fly's back to KKC, and I go on to Boston.

Quite exciting actually, two vacations in one

I haven't been to Boston in many years, but always loved the place, plus the adventure of Dubai which I never been to before

[Lannig]

Forgot to mention: while I like Emirates, they have a drawback for net addicts like me

- they have in-flight internet aboard the A380s. It's even free for the first 10 megs and only 1$ for the next 500 megs which is very cheap. However it's all but usable.in my experience: hours of complete blackout during most flights and the rest of the time you can count bits as they arrive. Loading even the simplest web page takes minutes. I usually give up quickly...

- wifi at Dubai sucks too. It's only free for 1 hour and after this you have to pay (something like 5$/hour) for a service of abysmal quality, slow as hell and unstable. Heavily censored too. I've found out that even mainstream French media web sites were censored for some strange reason.

[Heng]

Google it.... it's only between $30-80 a YEAR to not have censored (not to mention far more private personal communications) internet content in this day and age connecting from just about anywhere on the planet.

[KMartinHandyman]

I assume you know already, but if you don't, Emirates Thailand is running promotional fares to the USA at the momment. The fares expire April 30.

Thanks for the fare info. It motivated me to ticket a planned trip for July.

I'm not sure if the promotion applied to a booking I did Friday from IAD to BKK after reading your post but I got the lowest economy fair ever @ $992 rd trip. At least $125 usd below previous tickets and although it's still flying the cheap seats it felt good to get a cheap price too.

Thx again

[Lannig]

Google it.... it's only between $30-80 a YEAR to not have censored (not to mention far more private personal communications) internet content in this day and age connecting from just about anywhere on the planet.

Censorship isn't the biggest issue. When a public wifi is slow and unstable as hell, adding a VPN layer on top of it can only make things worse.

[Heng]

Google it.... it's only between $30-80 a YEAR to not have censored (not to mention far more private personal communications) internet content in this day and age connecting from just about anywhere on the planet.

Censorship isn't the biggest issue. When a public wifi is slow and unstable as hell, adding a VPN layer on top of it can only make things worse.

True, but IMO still better than needing to access censored info or having people easedrop on your traffic.

[dddave]

I did Emirates BKK-BOS return last month. 380 outbound BKK to Dubai, near full as they usually are on that route.. I had made sure to book one of the upper deck economy seats, much roomier and quieter. Short layover, about 2:15, then a 777-300ER DXB-BOS, had a few vacant seats, . As flights to the US go, especially to the east coast, this was by far one of the best in terms of speed and convenience as my family lives in Boston. Logan immigration was a bit slow, but then again, it always is for me as I fly as a courier and always have commercial merchandise to clear.

Service on the flights was pretty good as was the food, considering it is coach class. Always better when the flight is not full. Emirates seems to get a lot more families thus many crying babies. I always try to get seats in the rear. Though the ride is rougher there and more engine noise as well, I don't mind it. Much more chance of a vacant seat and they tend not to put babies in back.

The return was pretty good as well. BOS-DXB 2/3 full, once again, a 777-300ER. Short layover in DXB, less than 2 hours. I was actually worried because we pushed out 30 minutes late in BOS but we made it up and made the BKK connection easily, same terminal. BTW, be aware that in BOS, though you arrive at Terminal E, Emirates departs from Terminal C.

I'll gladly fly that route anytime. Qatar is scheduled to start flying out of BOS with connections to BKK through Doha sometime late this year. There should be some pretty good introductory deals around and Emirates will probably have to match them.

Edited May 3, 2016 by dddave