The difference between being an average traveler and an expert traveler is how you use your frequent flyer miles.
Here are specific strategies you can use to lower your costs for domestic flights in Thailand using your frequent flyer miles.
Thai Airways and Thai Smile
If you plan to fly with Thai Airways or Thai Smile a lot, applying for their Royal Orchid Plus program gives you additional privileges such as:
- free flights
- priority check-in
- priority reservation
- extra luggage allowance
- lodge access
- and more
You can get at least 500 miles for every domestic flight when flying with Thai Airways.
You can redeem these miles for a free flight.
It takes 15,000 miles for a round trip within Thailand or 20,000 miles for Royal Silk Class.
And it takes 25,000 miles to fly between Chiang Mai and Phuket or 40,000 miles for Royal Silk Class.
If you live in Thailand and can pay for stuff by credit card, it might be worth looking into one of the credit cards that allow you to collect Thai Airways points.
If you not only pay restaurant bills by credit card, but also pay for flights, hospital bills and insurance payments, this can add up to a free flight.
Bangkok Airways
FlyerBonus is Bangkok Airways’ mileage program. The membership status will stay active as long as you fly within any twelve month period.
Sign up for the FlyerBonus program and immediately get an extra 10 kilograms checked baggage allowance, making it 30 kilograms in total.
Once in awhile, Bangkok Airways has a FlyerBonus sale that can score you up to a 70% points discount. Usually the promotion is held in the middle or at end of the year.
AirAsia
Instead of a mileage system, AirAsia has its own loyalty points system called AirAsia Big Point.
It works the same way a credit card does. For every 20 baht you spend on AirAsia, excluding airport fees, VAT, and fuel surcharge, you get one AirAsia Big Point.
You can later redeemed these points for tickets, hotels, and other items.
To spend AirAsia Big Points, you should wait for promotional events, such as AirAsia Big Points Sale, where you can redeem even zero points for one ticket.
Remember, in this case you’ll get very limited seating and routing options.
Since thousands of people access AirAsia at that time, the website tends to temporary shutdown. So be the early bird.
NokAir
Nok Air has its own loyalty program called Nok Fanclub, which has a 200 baht sign up fee. Anyone who is older than 12 can get a membership card called Nok Smile.
The benefits of joining Nok Fanclub aren’t worthwhile though.
The only worthwhile benefit is that you get priority check-in at Don Muang Airport.
It’s very difficult to get a free ticket unless you fly with Nok Air at least once a month.