Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, & More! How to Fly to Southeast Asia for Less

A trip to Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, or any other incredible destinations throughout Southeast Asia requires at least one very long flight. But you're not paying by the mile in air travel – you're paying a fare based solely on supply and demand. 
Right now, the supply of flights heading to Southeast Asia from North America is as robust as we've seen in years, and if you're looking to travel there later this year or early next year, you're ahead of the curve, meaning you're already beating the demand. 
In the last few weeks and months, we've found dozens of flight deals in economy, premium economy, business, and even first class flying to some of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia, and we seem to be hitting a sort of sweet spot on the calendar for booking your trip. 
Our Thrifty Traveler Premium members have already seen (and probably booked!) all of these deals, but if you're hunting for a deal flying to Southeast Asia, here's a taste of what we've found. 
 
Cheap Flights to Southeast Asia
From the city of Bangkok (BKK) to the beaches of Phuket (HKT) and everywhere in between, Thailand has so much to offer travelers in the way of cuisines, culture, and incredible landscapes. It's bucket-list fodder for many travelers. 
Once you get there, Thailand is incredibly cheap. But occasionally, you can find a cheap flight there, too – like these fares for under $891 roundtrip! 
 

 
Just last week, we found this flight deal flying some of Asia's finest airlines like Cathay Pacific and Korean Air down to Thailand for prices starting at just $792 roundtrip. 
 

 
These fares are gone now! Get the next deal in your inbox with  Thrifty Traveler Premium !
But if you want to save cash and use up some of those points you've been hoarding, we've got you there, too! 
 

 
You can use your American Airlines AAdvantage miles to fly to Bangkok (BKK) for just 75,000 miles roundtrip! You don't have to live on the West Coast to snag this deal: Whether you live in Raleigh (RDU) or Reno (RNO), you can book quick connections to get to Thailand by just paying the taxes and fees!
 

 
We find flight deals from  200+ airports in the U.S. and Canada !
Another Southeast Asian locale travelers yearn for is Bali (DPS), and flights to the Indonesian resort hotspot can be cheaper than you may think. 
 

 
The lowest fare on this Bali flight deal was from San Francisco (SFO) for just $835 when you book directly with the airline. Just a quick connection in Hong Kong (HKG) in each direction will get you there in no time! 
 

 
If you want to level up from economy, premium economy can be your savior. If you live in or around New York City, you can take advantage of a cool, inexpensive loophole to book Singapore Airlines Premium Economy for the price of a regular economy seat. 
 

 
The New York (JFK) and Newark (EWR) flights to Singapore (SIN) are the two longest flights in the world and they fly on aircraft that don't even have a regular economy cabin. That means the very back of the Airbus is priced a little more closely to economy for what's still premium economy seats. And you'll need need that extra bit of comfort on the 18.5-hour flight down to Singapore!
 
Business Class (& First Class!) Flights to Southeast Asia
These flights to Southeast Asia are long – why not live it up a little in a lie-flat seat and all the trappings that come with it from lounge access and dedicated service to complimentary champagne, multi-course meals, and more 
If you have some points and miles burning a hole in your digital wallet …you're in luck.
 

 
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This flight deal flying Cathay Pacific Business Class through Hong Kong (HKG) is a steal. For 110,000 Cathay Pacific miles – which you can transfer from American Express , Bilt , Capital One , or Citi – one of these lie-flat seats could be yours for the long journey overseas. 
 

 
Plus, you can fly on to Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore for the same price! 
 

 
Cathay's hubs in Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), New York (JFK), and Toronto (YYZ) all got a crack at these business class fares. 
You could even add even more luxury to your trip for a few thousand miles more. First class, anyone? 
 


 
Cathay Pacific First Class, which includes its ridiculously fancy first class lounges in Hong Kong, is one of the fanciest ways to fly, period. 
 

 
If you transfer over some credit card points to Cathay Pacific, you could book first class fares to any one of these Southeast Asia hotspots. 
 

 
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Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop from San Francisco (SFO) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) on an Airbus A350 airplane that includes this swanky-looking business class. 
 

 
On occasion, Vietnam Airlines makes these seats bookable through FlyingBlue , the loyalty program of its partner airlines Air France and KLM, and Virgin Atlantic . That's how you can snag these seats for 128,000 to 140,000 miles each way! 
 

 
While heading west is usually the best way to get to Asia, you can fly east through Qatar and fly one of the best business classes in the world, too! 
 

 
Through Doha (DOH), you can fly Qatar Airways QSuites one-way for just 95,000 points. It's surely the comfiest way to fly to Southeast Asia, although it is also probably the longest journey! 
If that's the longest journey, here's the shortest Southeast Asia business class deal we could find. 
 

 
KLM, based in Amsterdam (AMS), runs a fifth freedom flight between Singapore (SIN) and Bali (DPS). What that results in is the very cheapest way to fly on one of these brand new business class suites between the two countries for just $257 each way!
If you're looking to travel within Southeast Asia, you can't beat these seats at this price. 
 
Bottom Line
Booking flights to Thailand, Bali, the Philippines, Singapore, or Vietnam might seem daunting, but prices – whether you're paying cash or cashing in your points and miles – aren't scary at all right now. 
Whether you want the cheapest possible fare flying economy, fly lie-flat in business class, or try out the bougie life in first class, it's a great time to book a trip to Southeast Asia for this year or next.