A Few Things To Note About Flying In and Out of Thailand

If you live in North America, finding a cheap destination is a big priority this year. Thailand represents a killer deal and it is very friendly towards Americans. If you are going for the first time, however, there is something you need to know about the flight.

To be honest, there are a couple of things you need to know about flying to Thailand. The first thing to grasp is the flight is long. I’m talking watch the grass grow long. I’ve flown internationally much of my life and the flight to Thailand feels like it is one of the longest. Depending on where you are coming from, it will clock in at 22 to 28 hours.

The second thing to know is that you really need to pay attention to the difference in time between your location and Thailand. From the west coast of the United States, the difference is such that you often fly into Bangkok at about one o’clock. One as in the time the bars are closing! It is pretty much just you and your fellow travelers in the airport.

Before you mark Thailand off of your list of destinations, it is important to keep in mind that pretty much everything is open at this late hour. They Thais know the flights are coming in late and cater to them. You can get taxis, hotel rooms, change money and so on. It is not a situation where you walk out of the airport and a tumbleweed rolls down the road.

The third key thing to know has to do with your flight out of the country. You really need to call in and check for updates on the flight out a few days to a week ahead of time. Why? The flights change all the time. They usually leave on the same day, but may do so as many as six hours earlier than it reads on your ticket.

This leads to some fairly amusing situations. The Thais are mortally offended if you miss your flight. If there is any chance of getting on it or a flight to the same destination, they will drag you all over the airport to get there. I’ve often ended up on a different airline asking where the heck I am going. Despite the chaos, it always seems to work out.

About the Author

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of writing journals to record your travels in.