I’ve compiled a list of some of the best discount airlines serving Asia.
- Air Arabia - Destinations in South Asia and the Middle East
- AirAsia - Extensive network covers Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Australia and the Philippines
- Cebu Pacific - Philippines based, also stops in Thailand, China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia
- Hong Kong Express - Flies to Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan
- Jetstar - Service to Australia, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Hawaii, Vietnam
- Tiger Airways - Flies to India, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Australia, Singapore
- Viva Macau - Flies between Macau, Sydney, Ho Chi Minh and Jakarta
- Kingfisher Airlines (Formerly Air Deccan) - Many routes in India
- SpiceJet - Destinations in India
- Nok Airways - Destinations within Thailand
Don’t forget to check out the post comparing the cheapest Asian countries.
I was poking around planning my epic round the world venture and I was shocked to discover that a one-way flight from the Philippines to Indonesia costs almost as much as a one-way ticket to from San Francisco to the Philippines - at least using my favorite flight aggregator, kayak.
At these rates, it would cost a fortune making your way around the globe spontaneously, as I’m planning to do.
I did some searches on round the world tickets, but it appears (after a very casual examination) that these things tend either be very expensive of they lock you into a relatively limited itinerary.
Then I found this page on Wikitravel about discount airlines, many of which will not show up in a search on expedia, orbitz, etc. Or even a meta-aggregator like Kayak. I also found a very helpful site listing discount air carriers.
While I was getting quotes at US$700-$800 for a one-way from the Manila to Jakarta on Kayak, I found this gem: Jestar Airways, a cheap Australian outfit with a well-designed website, offers the same one-way route for US$89. They fly to quite a few destinations in Southeast Asia in addition to the stops you’d expect Australia and New Zealand.
It looks like the key to making your way around the world in a cheap, highly flexible manner is to get to know these airlines, where they fly, and what their bargains are. Which is a pretty gargantuan task, considering the huge number of carriers, their limited routings, and their often poor websites.
What’s the cheapest country in Asia? This post compares the bare minimum travel costs of 17 Asian nations. Daily travel costs range from under $4 to over $30. Here’s a hint: the two cheapest countries both start with the letter “I”.
Continue reading ‘Cheapest Countries in Asia’