It has been just over 2 years since I returned from my little one-and-a-half-year world tour. I was looking for work and found some two months later. Since I was supposed to start in September 2011, I had a little less than two months of vacation. So I decided to go back to Thailand for a month where I had already spent 6 weeks the same year.
Essential to remember
For an economical Paris-Bangkok ticket, aim for Gulf carriers (Qatar, Emirates, Etihad) or Turkish (Turkish Airlines) with a stopover. Round-trip fares: 500 to 700€ in low season (May, September), 900€+ in December-January.
In this article, I will explain how the choice of this ticket was made.
Choosing a ticket for Thailand
I wanted to travel at all costs and decided to buy a ticket to Bangkok because I had had very good times in Thailand. I had a budget of 1500-2000 euros that I had kept in case it took me too long to find work, but I found a job quite quickly.
So I spent a week watching the fluctuation of plane tickets and decided to buy a ticket, but the Paris – Bangkok plane ticket was at least 1100 euros for the lowest prices.
Did you know?
Bangkok has 2 airports: Suvarnabhumi (BKK) for traditional airlines and Don Mueang (DMK) for Asian low-cost carriers. They are not directly connected: 1 hour by taxi between the two.
I did not want to spend that much money, so I looked to see if it was possible to depart from another airport in Europe (Amsterdam, London, or Frankfurt) and I also tried several departure dates, but I was rather constrained by the return date which was the first Monday of September. In fact, many travelers return on that date so the return flight price at that time was a bit more expensive than on other dates.
My experience
I found Paris-Bangkok for 380€ in September 2018 on Aeroflot via Moscow. The trip was long (16h door to door) but the ticket was super competitive. Today it is rarer, but Kayak Explorer or Skyscanner “flexible month” still offer good deals.
So I bought a plane ticket with the airline “Emirates” two weeks before the departure date for 900 euros (or 785 British pounds) at the time departing from London.
Some reasons why I took this plane ticket to Bangkok:
Advantages
- Direct Paris-Bangkok connection with Thai Airways or Air France
- More comfortable Gulf carriers with stopovers
- Low-cost flights from Asia for onward travel
- Bangkok well connected in Southeast Asia
- Modern Suvarnabhumi Airport
Weak points
- Long flight (10-12h direct, 14-18h with stopover)
- Time difference +5h in winter
- Prices rise quickly in high season
- Don Mueang far from city center
- Long stopovers on some discounted fares
- I have friends in London whom I hadn’t seen for a long time, so it allowed me to see them again.
- I went with my brother for a weekend in London and did the rest of the trip alone.
- The price of the Paris – London ticket and the London – Bangkok ticket costs me less than the Paris – Bangkok ticket.
- The rushed flight to Bangkok was decided two weeks before.
I often use the principle of leaving from another city or taking a stopover in another country when I book my plane ticket, because the plane ticket does not cost hundreds of extra euros and allows you to make an additional destination instead of having a stopover of several hours. It’s a win-win.
So I spent two weekends in London for the same price as if I had left from Paris to Bangkok, but of course I lost 3 days of my trip.
The classic trap to avoid
Avoid “open jaw” tickets that are too strange if you don’t master them. A Paris-Bangkok / Phuket-Paris ticket may seem clever but will cost you €100 more than 2 separate tickets Paris-Bangkok + Bangkok-Phuket domestic.
| Airline | Type | Average round-trip price |
|---|---|---|
| Thai Airways | Direct | ~€750 |
| Air France | Direct | ~€800 |
| Qatar Airways | Stopover Doha | ~€600 |
| Turkish Airlines | Stopover Istanbul | ~€550 |
| Etihad | Stopover Abu Dhabi | ~€580 |
Of course, if you think that the extra days in the exotic country are more important than the days spent on the stopover, my case does not apply. In my case, it was not the case, because I had already been there the same year.
Some tips for choosing your plane ticket
To delve deeper into the subject, the guide on tips for a offers additional practical advice. You will also find interesting leads in our article on return plane tickets, and if you are preparing the next part of your trip, the one on where to travel is timely.
- Always try several departure airports (Barcelona or Madrid for departures to Latin America, Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt for the rest).
- Try to spend a few days where you make the stopover. I paid an extra 50 euros to stay 4 days in Dubai during my Paris – Bali trip a month ago.
- Vary departure and arrival dates to get lower prices; if you leave during the week and return during the week, the ticket price is generally lower.
And you, have you ever made this kind of choice for your plane ticket?
What is the best time to buy a Paris-Bangkok ticket?
6 to 8 weeks before departure on average. Earlier for Christmas holidays, sometimes later for the low season.
Is there a direct Paris-Bangkok flight?
Yes, Thai Airways and Air France operate direct flights in about 11 hours.
What are the best comparison tools?
Skyscanner for an overview, Google Flights for price history, Kayak Explorer to find flexible destinations.
