The International Schools Review Forum

What is the best airline to get to Bangkok from the East Coast of USA? Do you go east or west? What city is best to have a layover?

Best way I think is to go east. Atlanta - Dubai is 17 hours, plus a 4-5 hour flight from Dubai to BKK for 22 hours plus stopover in Dubai.

NY to Dubai can be done in about 14 hours...plus 4 - 5 hours to Bangkok for 18 - 19 hours.

If you go west - Atlanta to LA - 5 hours. LA to Hong Kong - 16 or more hours. Hong Kong to BKK - 2 - 3 hours for a total of 24 hours plus stopovers...

If it were me, I would go east if I were on the East Coast, west if I were on the West Coast.

As to airlines, flying East I would go Emirates. Flying West, I would go Singapore or Cathay Pacific. Those are just my personal preferences.

If you want a really really perfect flight with things "just so", you might want to try Japan Airlines. You will go through Japan and honestly, ANY flight into Tokyo the bathrooms are cleaner than any other time (on any airline) and things are "just so"...LOL

I happened to really like flying Thai Air from the west coast direct to BKK. I traveled with a dog and cat and Thai took phenomenal care of them!

From the east coast (JFK and O'Hare)to asia, the only airline i can recommend and flown is Korean Air. All the other times its been on a Euro carrier or American carrier and I cant recommend any of them. From the west coast ive flown many, but Singapore and JAL are by far my favorite airlines.

East coast usually has a layover at Heathrow, and from the West Coast its Narrita. Im not a big fan of Naritta airport, the airport is too far from Tokyo to really travel into the city for anything except an over night layover, and Narritta itself tends to be more practical and unitarian. If I was really going to pick somewhere from the West coast Chang mai airport in Singapore is probabley the best airport in the world, and its not too bad if you want to leave the airport during a substantial layover.
From the east coast a layover at Heathrow or Charles de Gull would give you some time to see a bit of the city, but the airports themselves are some of the worst in the world.

Basically any Asian carrier (except the chinese carriers) is going to be a far better flight experience and stewardesses then the American carriers.

[quote="mamanaia"]I happened to really like flying Thai Air from the west coast direct to BKK. I traveled with a dog and cat and Thai took phenomenal care of them![/quote]

That flight no longer exists. Thai also used to do a NYC to Bangkok direct flight, but this route was also stopped years back.

To the OP, shouldn't your school be sorting this out for you?

[quote="buffalofan"] That flight no longer exists. Thai also used to do a NYC to Bangkok direct flight, but this route was also stopped years back.

To the OP, shouldn't your school be sorting this out for you?[/quote]

Good to know, buffalofan. It's been 3 years since I taught in Thailand. Too bad those flights were canceled. In that case I would agree to fly via Dubai to the east.

PsyGuy, if I had a choice I would fly into Dubai and avoid London or Paris...and I would fly Emirates, not BA, or UA, or AA, or Delta, or....well, anybody else...

Qatar from DC.

Bobby Bamboo-- you are very wise. Qatar is the best.

"If I was really going to pick somewhere from the West coast Chang mai airport in Singapore is probabley the best airport in the world.."

I didn't realize that the Chiang Mai airport relocated from Thailand to Singapore. :)

@shadowjack

I wouldnt want to hang out at many of the Euro airports, but I would MUCH (infinitely) prefer spending some time in Paris or London then Dubai if I had a long enough layover that i could get out of the airport.