Cheap flights in Asia with the Discovery Airpass

If you're planning a holiday in Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and are thinking of flying some of the legs, then the Discovery Airpass -- a flight coupon deal offered by Bangkok Airways, Lao Airlines and Siem Reap Airways -- can work out to be a money saver, delivering on the promise of cheap flights right across Southeast Asia.

The pass is offered for flights on all three airlines, but, as Bangkok Airways has the most comprehensive network, most travellers will find they'll be using at least one coupon with this Thailand-based airline. As Bangkok Airways also flies to Burma, China, Hong Kong, Japan and the Maldives you can even use the passes for other countries in the region.

The Discovery Airpass works on a coupon system, where you buy individual flight-coupons which are valid for most flights offered by the carriers. Not all flights though -- some routes, notably Chiang Mai to Ko Samui, Siem Reap to Ko Samui, Siem Reap to Saigon and Bangkok to Fukuoka and Hiroshima -- are not included in the program. Most other routes though, are.

These exceptions aside, coupons are valid for either a domestic or an international leg and a passenger must purchase a minimum of three coupons and a maximum of six. Most importantly, the Discovery Airpass cannot be purchased in Thailand.

What does the Discovery Airpass cost?

All Discovery Pass coupons are priced in US dollars.

Domestic
Domestic flights cost US$60 for an adult, $30 for a child, $6 for an infant (no seat), with the following exceptions:
Bangkok to Ko Samui, Vientiane to Pakse, and Luang Prabang to Pakse each cost US$75 for an adult, $38 for a child and $8 for an infant (no seat).

International
International flights cost US$100 for an adult, $75 for a child and $10 for an infant (no seat), with the following exceptions:
Pakse to Siem Reap and Pakse to Phnom Penh each cost US$55 for an adult, $41 for a child, $6 for an infant (no seat).
Bangkok to Xian and Bangkok to Male each cost US$160 for an adult, $120 for a child, $16 for an infant (no seat).

Taxes, fees and surcharges
The coupon price excludes taxes, airport departure fees and other charges.

Predeparture planning

Picking your dates
One of the great things about the Airpass is that the dates are flexible. All you need to do is decide on the date of your first leg and then book all the subsequent coupon dates as you travel. Note though, that some flights have few seats open for Discovery Airpass holders, so it's in your interests to settle on your dates sooner than later.

Validity and changes
Once you've used the first coupon, the last coupon must be used within two month's. The coupons are non transferable, but rerouting is permitted. A coupon rerouting will cost US$20 per change -- plus any fare difference.

Routing
Now this is important. Individual legs may not be travelled more than once in each direction and only one stopover is allowed per city. So what this means is you can fly Bangkok - Ko Samui - Bangkok, but you can't fly Bangkok - Ko Samui - Bangkok - Ko Samui.

Checking in, connection time and baggage allowance
Bangkok Airways recommends allowing at least one hour and 15 minutes connecting time between flights and you're required to be at the check-in counter at least and and a half hours prior to scheduled departure for domestic flights and at least two hours prior to scheduled departure for international flights.

The check-in counter closes 40 minutes before domestic departures and 50 minutes before international departures. Don't forget Suvarnabhumi Airport is HUGE, so allow enough time for trekking around the place.

Passengers (both adults and children) are allowed 20kg, babies get 10kg and Frequent Flyer Members get 30kg. Excess baggage attracts a charge of 1.5% of the highest applicaple fare per kg -- so travel light -- or borrow your neighbours babies to beef up your allowance.

Bangkok Airways recommends reconfirmation of flights by telephone at least one day prior to departure.

Cost comparison

Taking a browse through the Bangkok Airways website I got the following fares for departures a week from now -- the equivalent price with a Discovery Pass is in orange:

Bangkok to Phuket
US$75 -- US$60
Bangkok to Phnom Penh
US$117 -- US$100
Bangkok to Siem Reap
US$118 -- US$100
Bangkok to Trat
US$77 -- US$60
Chiang Mai to Phuket
US$63 -- US$60
Pakse to Siem Reap
US$58 -- US$55
Luang Prabang to Vientiane
US$90 -- US$60
Vientiane to Pakse
US$130 -- US$75
Luang Prabang to Hanoi
US$170 -- US$100

Savings vary depending on the flight, but especially on the international flights the savings can add up. If the above is still going to break your bank, take a look at Asian low cost carriers like AirAsia, Nok Air or One Two Go, as their flights are often cheaper again.

How to get a pass

The Discovery Airpass cannot be purchased in Thailand, nor can it be purchased throught the Bangkok Airways website (http://www.bangkokair.com), and while we'd heard you couldn't buy it anywhere in Southeast Asia, that may not actually be the case. Here's a list of agents that Bangkok Airways suggests you approach for the ticket.

Australia and New Zealand

Australia - Melbourne
Airline Marketing Australia
Level 7, 246 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
T: (61) (03) 9639 2400
F: (61) (03) 9663 6203
Email: bangkokair-mel@airlinemarketing.com.au

Australia - Perth
Airline Marketing Australia
Level 3, Singapore Airlines House, 178 St George Terrace, Perth WA 6000 Australia
T: (61) (08) 9442 6044
F: (61) (08) 9486 1930
Email: bangkokair-per@airlinemarketing.com.au

Australia - Sydney
Airline Marketing Australia
Suite 1819, Level 18, Australia Square Tower, 264 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
T:(61) (02) 8248 0050
F: (61) (02) 9252 5217
Email: bangkokair-syd@airlinemarketing.com.au

New Zealand - Auckland
Airline Marketing New Zealand
Level 14, 120 Albert Street, Auckland, New Zealand
T: (64) 9 969 7600
F: (64) 9 969 7619
Email: bangkokair@airlinemarketing.co.nz

Europe

Czech Republic - Prague
Art of Travel Worldwide
Anny Letenské 7, Prague 2, 120 00, Czech Republic
T: (420) 224 239 250
F: (420) 224 220 414
Email: pg@artoftravelworldwide.com

France - Paris
Aviareps France 11, rue Auber 75009 Paris, France
T: (33) 1 5343 7915
F: (33) 1 5343 7919
Email: reservation@bangkokair.com.fr

Germany - Frankfurt
Bethmannstr. 58, 60311 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
T: (49 69) 133 77 565/ 566
F: (49 69) 133 77 567
Email: info@bangkokairways.de

Hungary - Budapest
Art of Travel s.r.o. Budapest Office
Ferenciek tere 2, 1053 Budapest, Hungary
T: (36) 1 328 0521
F: (36) 1 328 0521
Email: hu@artoftravelworldwide.com

Italy - Rome
SPAZIO s.r.l. Via Nazionale, 66, 00184 Rome, Italy
T: (39) 06 488 2433
F: (39) 06 488 0862
Email: bangkokair@spazio.aero

Italy - Milan
SPAZIO s.r.l. Via S. Antonio 4, 20122 Milan, Italy
T: (39) 02 5830 0646
F: (39) 02 5830 0416
Email: bangkokair@spazio.aero

Russia - Moscow
Tal Aviation Russia, Sadovo Kudrinskaya 20, 103001 Moscow, Russia
T: (7) 095 234 4074
F: (7) 095 234 4079
Email: salestalav@comail.ru

Spain - Madrid
Aviareps Espana
C/ Santa Hortensia No. 15. Oficina E., Madrid 28002, Spain
T: (34) 90 220 2212
F: (34) 91 413 6298
Email: BangkokAirways.Spain@aviareps-group.com

UK - West Sussex
Aviareps House, Gatwick Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9RB England
T: (44) 1293 596 626
F: (44) 1293 596 658
Email: bangkokairways@aviareps-group.com

Middle east/Asia

Maldives - Male
Surf Travel Pvt.Ltd. (General Sales Agent), H.Faalandhoshuge, Ground Floor Ameer Ahmed Magu Malé, Maldives
T: (960) 331 7117
F: (960) 332 1771
Email: bangkokair@surftravel.com.mv

Sri Lanka - Colombo
Jetwing Air (PVT ) Ltd., No 140 / A Vauxhall Street, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka
T: (94) 11 473 24561 ext. 403
F: (94) 11 473 2444
Email: bangkokair@jetwing.lk

United Arab Emirates - Dubai
Sharaf Travel, PO Box 21593, Dubai United Arab Emirates
T: +971 4 3976161
F: +971 4 3978176
Email: gsapg@sharaftravel.com

North America

Canada - Toronto
1235 Bay St. Suite 601, Toronto, Ontario - Canada - M5R 3K4
T: 1 866 BANGKOK
F: (416) 972 0185
Email: yyz@bangkokairwaysna.com

Canada - Vancouver
1166 Alberni Street, Suite 1406, Vancouver, BC V6E 3Z3, Canada
T: 1 866 BANGKOK
F: (604) 681 8953
Email: yvr@bangkokairwaysna.com

US - Chicago
401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 865, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
T: 1 866 BANGKOK
F: (312) 822 0048
Email: chi@bangkokairwaysna.com

US - Houston
3050 Post Oak Blvd, Suite 1320, Houston, TX 77056, USA
T: 1 866 BANGKOK
F: (713) 626 1905
Email: hou@bangkokairwaysna.com

US - Los Angeles
16250 Ventura Blvd, Suite 115, Encino, CA 91436, USA
T: 1 866 BANGKOK
F: (818) 501 2098
Email: lax@bangkokairwaysna.com

US - New York
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1421, New York, NY 10018, USA
T: 1 866 BANGKOK
F: (212) 279 6602
Email: nyc@bangkokairwaysna.com

Asia

Burma - Rangoon
0305, 3rd Floor, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Kyaulktada Township, Rangoon, Burma
T: (95) 01 255 122
F: (95) 01 255 119
Email: rgnrrpg@bangkokair.com.mm

Cambodia - Phnom Penh
No. 61A St. 214, Sangkat Beong Rang, Khan Don Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
T: (855 23) 722 545-47
F:(855 23) 725 502
Email: sales_cambodia@bangkokair.com

Cambodia - Siem Reap
571 Rd., No. 6 Phum Salakanseng, Khum Svay Damkum, Srok Khet, Siem Reap, Cambodia
T: (855 63) 965 422-3
F: (855 63) 965 424
Email: reprrpg@bangkokair.com

China - Guilin
No. 18, Binjiang Road, Guilin, Guangxi PRC 541001, China
T: (86 773) 288 0835-6
F: (86 773) 288 0833

China - Hangzhou
19th Floor Biaoli Building, No.528 Yan'an Road, Hangzhou 310006 China
T: (86 571) 8577 4571-2
F: (86 571) 8577 4573
Email: hghrrpg@bangkokair.com

China - Hong Kong
Suite 1418, Jardin House, 1 Connaught Place, Hong Kong
T: (852) 2899 2597, (852) 2899 2634
F: (852) 2537 4567
Email: hkgrrpg@bangkokair.com

China - Jinghong
No.8 Jingdexi Rd., Jinghong, Xi Shuang Banna, Yunnan, 666100, China
T: (86 691) 212 1881-2
F: (86 691) 212 1880
Email: jhgrrpg@bangkokair.com

China - Shenzhen
No.10# Shop,Shangri-la Hotel,Renminnan Road, Luohu District,Shen Zhen China
T: (86 755) 8232 1251, 8232 5252
F: (86 755) 8232 4345
Email: szxrrpg@bangkokair.com

China - Xi'an
No. B105 Pioneering Square, No.48 Keji Road, XI'AN Hi-Tech Zone, XI'AN Shaanxi P.R. China 710075
T: (86 29) 8835 0081-2
F: (86 29) 8835 0083

China - Zhengzhou
18th Floor, Weilai Building, No. 69 Weilai Road, Zhengzhou, Henan, China 450008
T: (86 371) 6562 8001-2
F: (86 371) 6562 8006

Japan - Fukuoka
6th Floor, 6th Myojo Building 1-15-2 Tenjin, Chuo-ku Fukuoka-City, 810-0001 Japan
T: (81) 092-739 6375
F: (81) 092-739 6378
Email : reservation.fuk@bangkokair.com

Japan - Hiroshima
9th Floor 6-11 Hondori, Naka-Ku, Hiroshima-City, Hiroshima 730-0035 Japan
T: (81) 82 545 5066
F: (81) 82 545 5072
Email: reservation.hij@bangkokair.com

Korea - Seoul
Korea Universal co., Ltd.
8th Floor Soonhwa Building No.5-2,
T: (82) 2 3706 3322/ 3388
F: (82) 2 319 0888
Email: kuc@koreauniversal.com

Laos - Luang Prabang
57/6 Srisawangwong Rd., District 3, Bann Xiengmuan, Luang Prabang, Laos P.D.R.
T: (856 71) 253 334
F: (856 71) 253 335

Laos - Pakse
Ban Sanamsay, Pakse Town, Champasack Province, Lao P.D.R
T: (856 31) 254 499
Email : PKZKKPG@bangkokair.com

Singapore
WISMA ATRIA Office Tower, Unit#20-02, 435 Orchard Road, Singapore 238877
T: (65) 6738 0063
F: (65) 6738 8867
Email: sinrrpg@bangkokair.com

Taiwan - Taipei
Global Aviation Service (Taiwan) Inc. 11F-2, 103, Nan-King E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei,
T: (886) 2 8712 2113
F: (886) 2 8712 3151
Email: gastwn@ms12.hinet.net

Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City
Unit 103, Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam.
T: (+84) 8 910 4490 - 91
F: (+84) 8 910 4548
Email: sgnrrpg@bangkokair.com