Low-cost airlines have revolutionized travel in the region, making it easier and cheaper than ever. But our love for AirAsia, Tiger Airways and Nok Air might have blinded us to the competition, particularly from what is called “last-leg flights”—direct regional flights departing from Bangkok which are not offered by regional airlines. These flights offer all the comforts of a traditional carrier—meals, miles, higher baggage allowance—at prices comparable to (and sometimes even better than) the low-costs.

What Are They?

International airlines flying to Bangkok from outside of the region occasionally continue on to another Southeast Asian destination. For example, a flight from Lufthansa might depart from Frankfurt, stop in Bangkok and then continue to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. That second part of the flight is what’s called a last-leg flight and because some of the passengers will have gotten off in Bangkok, the airline is eager to pick up new passengers here for the second part of the trip. That’s why tickets on last-leg flights tend to be fairly cheap.

The Benefits

Last-leg flights are not always cheaper than 

low-costs, although that can be the case, particularly when booking at the last minute, when low-costs tend to get more expensive. But even at similar, or slightly higher prices, they come with all the perks of a regular carrier: a choice of seat, free meals and free 20kg baggage allowance (as opposed to having to pay for 15kg on a budget airline). The final point is slightly down to where you live but all of these flights leave from Suvanabhumi Airport rather than Don Mueang. Still it’s definitely a nicer airport, has better duty free and the option to get there via the Airport Link.

Where to Find Them?

You can use all the usual booking engines, such as Expedia (www.expedia.com), routehappy (www.routehappy.com) and hipmunk (www.hipmunk.com), which provide you with comparisons of all the flights flying from Bangkok to your destination.  At that point, you can either book through that website or double-check the carrier’s own website. If you’re just curious about what cities Bangkok has direct flights to, and who offers them, routehappy.com is your best bet. (You’ll see an option towards the bottom of the homepage called “Nonstops from your city.”) But it can also be a good idea to subscribe to the newsletters of those airlines who routinely offer cheap last-leg flights from Bangkok, such as Lufthansa.

HANOI

Qatar Airways

B8,110

Qatar is flying to the lovely Vietnamese city of Hanoi nearly every day for the coming weeks, with flights leaving around 1pm and arriving around 3pm. Check out flights QR614 or QR828. www.qatarairways.com

HO CHI MINH CITY

Lufthansa

B5,505

This flight is only available three days a week but what a price! The flight will leave Bangkok at 4:25pm and arrive at 6:05pm. Tickets must be purchased seven days in advance. www.lufthansa.com

Turkish Airlines

B6,048

Named the best airline in Europe by Skytrax in 2012, Turkish Airlines is one of our favorite ways of getting to Europe (we’d much rather stop off in Istanbul than Dubai). It’s also got this fairly good deal from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City (takeoff 4:15pm). Hurry, this deal ends Oct 31 (for the outbound flight, you’ve got a bit more time to get back). www.turkishairlines.com

KUALA LUMPUR

Lufthansa

B5,510

Flying Mon, Wed and Thu with a departure at 4:25pm and arrival at 7:40pm, this flight is becoming a bit of a worst-kept secret for travelers wishing to reach the Malaysian capital on a dime, but without putting up with AirAsia’s no-frills comforts. You need to purchase the ticket in advance for seven days. www.lufthansa.com

HONG KONG

Emirates

B8,240 

(from Nov 1)

Daily direct flights from this much-loved airline that makes even economy feel comfy. Flight EK0384 operates a giant Airbus A380-800, meaning you can also go jogging in the aisles. www.emirates.com

Kenya Airways

B8,480

Not that well known in this region Kenya Airways are actually a very solid carrier with a decent fleet. It’s a bit more expensive than Air Asia, but it does come with more perks. www.kenya-airways.com

GUANGZHOU

Kenya Airways

B11,090

For not even B1,000 more than AirAsia, Kenya Airlines is offering a direct flight to the largest city of Guangdong province. www.kenya-airways.com

SINGAPORE

Cathay Pacific

B8,475

Despite being Hong Kong’s carrier, Cathay also operates daily direct flights from Bangkok to Singapore. The flight codes, to look for are CX713 to Singapore and CX712 on the way back. www.cathaypacific.com

Note

While accurate at the time of writing, prices and flight codes change all the time.