Step 1 of 5 · Sort it from home
How to book your flight to Asia
Your flight out is the biggest single cost of the whole trip, so this is where there is most to win. From home, Trip.com compares hundreds of airlines at once. Already on the road? Then 12Go is handier: the train, the bus and the ferry sit right next to that plane ticket.
- Hundreds of airlines in one overview
- 2 to 4 months ahead is the sweet spot
- No surcharge you pay the same price
- Count the luggage or your comparison is off
Trip.com or 12Go?
Both are good, just not for the same thing. The difference is where you are when you book: still at home, or already out there.
- Trip.com for your flights out and home
Pick this if you are flying in from home
You are after a long international flight and want to see which airlines fly on your date, what a stopover saves you and how long you are on the move in total. Check a few days either side of your departure date: that is usually where the biggest price gap sits.
- Return flights to Bangkok, Hanoi, Manila or Kuala Lumpur
- One way, if you do not know yet how long you are staying
- Dozens of airlines and stopovers side by side
- Heads up: the cheapest tickets often leave out checked luggage
- 12Go for flights within Asia
Pick this if you are already out there
The big win: you see the train, the bus and the ferry on the same route right next to it. So you know straight away whether that forty euro plane ticket is worth it, or whether you take the night bus for a tenner and save yourself a night's accommodation.
- Domestic flights and hops between Asian countries
- Last-minute tickets, for when the weather or your plans change
- Plane, train, bus and ferry in the same overview
- Heads up: small airports are often far out of town, so count the taxi
In practice you use both: Trip.com for the flights out and home, 12Go for everything you cover in between.
When do you book what?
Book too early and you lose flexibility, book too late and you lose money. This is the order that works for us.
- 6 months out Look, do not buy yet
Set a price alert on your route and learn what a normal fare looks like. Then you recognise a good deal when you see one, instead of having to take somebody's word for it.
- 4 to 2 months out Lock in your flight out
Usually the best moment for a long-haul flight. Around Christmas, New Year and the summer holidays prices climb earlier, so get in a bit sooner then.
- Straight after Your travel insurance
Pick a policy while you still have time to read what it covers. A medical policy does not refund a cancelled flight, so if that matters to you, you need cancellation cover on top, and that only works if you take it out before anything goes wrong.
- 6 weeks out Your visas
E-visas can take a while, so apply now rather than in the week you fly. Our visa page has what each country asks for your passport.
- 1 month out Your first nights
Book a hostel for the first two or three nights and keep the rest of the route open. That is the whole point of backpacking.
- On the road Flights within Asia
You book those once you know where you want to go. Regional tickets are rarely much more expensive a week ahead.
Six things that save you tens of euros
No hacks. Just the things we paid for once and have checked every single time since.
- Book on time, not too early For a long-haul flight you are usually fine between two and four months ahead. Earlier rarely wins you anything, later nearly always costs you.
- Be flexible with your date Leaving a day earlier or later regularly saves tens of euros. Always check a few days around the date you want before you commit.
- Count the luggage Budget airlines look cheap and then charge separately for checked bags and sometimes for your seat. Add it on, or you are comparing apples and pears.
- Look at the arrival time A flight that lands at three in the morning looks like a bargain, and you pay it back in a pricey taxi and an extra hotel night. Landing in daylight is worth a lot on day one.
- Give your connection room Short connections are a gamble, especially when you have to check your bag in again or switch terminals. Two hours is a comfortable minimum.
- Check your name and passport The name on your ticket has to match your passport exactly, and for the countries on this site that passport has to be valid for six months after you arrive. One typo costs you a rebooking.
One more thing
Return or one way?
A return is nearly always cheaper than two one-way tickets, and plenty of countries want to see on arrival that you are leaving again. Do not know when you are coming home? Pick a return with a flexible way back, or pick a date you can change later.
Do I need to show an onward ticket?
In Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia you have to be able to show that you are leaving again, and the check-in desk back home often asks before you have even left. A booked flight, bus or ferry to the next country counts, although a desk checks a plane ticket fastest. Our onward ticket page has what each country asks and how to sort it without locking in your whole route.
When is it cheapest to fly to Southeast Asia?
Outside the school holidays and away from the festive season. May, June and September are usually the cheapest months; around Christmas, New Year and in July and August you pay the most. That is the catch: the cheapest months to fly overlap with the wet season in part of the region.
Is a stopover worth it?
For your wallet, often yes. A flight with a connection in Istanbul, Doha or Kuala Lumpur regularly comes in a hundred euros or more below a direct one. You are on the move a few hours longer, so work out what your time is worth to you and give the connection room.
Can I still change or cancel my flight?
That depends entirely on the fare you buy. Cheap economy tickets usually cannot be cancelled and can only be changed for a hefty fee. If your departure date is not fixed yet, see what a flexible fare costs on top: sometimes that is less than the change fee you would otherwise risk.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
On flights leaving the EU, and on EU airlines flying into it, you are entitled to care and sometimes to compensation. Sort it with the airline you booked and keep your boarding passes and receipts. For the knock-on costs, like a missed connection or a lost hotel night, check what your travel insurance says: some policies pay out for those, others do not.
Sort the next step right away
Route first, bookings second
Booking is a lot easier once you know which way you are heading. Our destination pages have the route through each country, how long to stay and roughly what it costs.
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