Step-by-Step Travel Booking Process
Lock in Your Dates
Estimated time: 5 min
Confirm travel dates across all travelers. Account for work schedules, school holidays, visa processing. Once you have dates, prices become available. SHASA locks dates in itinerary, preventing changes.
Book International Flights First
Estimated time: 10-15 min
Use Skyscanner, Google Flights, Kayak for search; book on airline website or aggregator. Search 'Round-trip from [origin] to Bangkok (BKK)'. Filter for direct flights. Book 6-10 weeks ahead for peak season. Confirm final cost includes taxes (+15-20% of base fare).
Book Accommodation
Estimated time: 20-30 min
Use Booking.com (best selection), Agoda, Hotels.com, Airbnb. Search specific neighborhoods (Silom/Sukhumvit Bangkok, Old City Chiang Mai, Patong Beach Phuket). Filter: 4.5+ stars, free cancellation until 7 days before. SHASA pre-identifies best neighborhoods based on your activities.
Book Domestic Flights
Estimated time: 15-20 min
Book once itinerary finalized. Use Skyscanner, airline websites (Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air). Search 'Bangkok to Chiang Mai, round-trip' or one-way legs. Book 4-6 weeks ahead for peak season. SHASA ensures domestic flights don't overlap with hotel bookings.
Book Activities & Tours
Estimated time: 10-15 min each
Book 5-14 days before activity. Use Viator, GetYourGuide, Klook. Search specific activity ('Grand Palace guided tour Bangkok', 'Jungle trek Chiang Mai'). Check 4.5+ star reviews, group size <20 people. SHASA pre-identifies top-rated operators filtered by safety standards.
Book Ground Transport
Estimated time: 10 min
Airport transfers: Book through hotel (฿400-600/$11-17), Grab app (฿200-400), or pre-arranged driver. Inter-city: Domestic flights from Step 4; use Grab or hotel transport. SHASA pre-books early-morning transfers to avoid surge pricing.
Finalize & Review
Estimated time: 15 min
Confirm all booking confirmation emails received. Create master itinerary: flight times, hotel check-in, activity codes, contact info. Export to phone (in case internet fails). Set calendar reminders: 7 days before, 1 day before, morning of. SHASA creates consolidated itinerary exportable to PDF.
Where to Book Thailand Flights
Skyscanner
Best for: Price comparison across all airlines. Transparent pricing, no direct booking. Free to use.
Google Flights
Best for: Price tracking, calendar view, price history. Redirects to airline/aggregator for booking. Free to use.
Kayak
Best for: Multi-site comparison, flexible date search. Shows all options. Free to use.
Airline Websites
Best for: Direct booking, loyalty points, seat selection. Sometimes 1-2% cheaper than aggregators. Can't compare across airlines easily.
SHASA Recommendation
Start with aggregators (Skyscanner, Google Flights) for price comparison. Book direct on airline website if within 1% of aggregator price to avoid middleman complications. For budget airlines (AirAsia, Nok Air), book direct to avoid extra booking fees.
For detailed flight planning, visit our Thailand flight planner page.
Booking Platform Comparison
| Platform | Best For | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotels | |||
| Booking.com | Volume + diversity | 1M+ properties, good filters, free cancellation | Booking fees sometimes high |
| Agoda | Asia-specific | Exclusive deals, good customer service | Fewer Western brands |
| Airbnb | Unique stays | Local experiences, kitchen access | Service fees high, variable quality |
| Activities | |||
| Viator | Tour variety | 50K+ tours, TripAdvisor owned, reliable | 10-20% middleman markup |
| GetYourGuide | Price | Often cheapest, fast booking | Smaller network, variable operators |
| Klook | Asia tours | Southeast Asia specialists, local operators | Smaller selection than Viator |
Cancellation Policies & Travel Insurance
Flight Cancellations
Refundable Fares (฿1,499-2,299)
Cancel = full refund to original payment (5-7 days). Change = rebook within 12 months (often no fee). SHASA recommendation: If any doubt about dates, pay ฿400 premium for peace of mind.
Non-Refundable Fares (฿599-899)
Cancel/change = lose entire amount. Only use if 100% certain of dates. SHASA recommendation: Avoid unless budget critical; higher stress.
Hotel Cancellations
Free Cancellation (Standard)
Cancel anytime up to 7 days before arrival, get full refund. SHASA recommendation: Always select free cancellation option (sites usually default to it; verify at checkout).
Non-Refundable Rates (10-20% cheaper)
Zero refund if you cancel for any reason. SHASA recommendation: Only use if certain of dates and willing to risk loss.
Travel Insurance
Highly recommended if booking expensive activities ($500+ like helicopter tours, multi-day treks), traveling with health conditions (medical evacuation costs $50K+), or booking non-refundable flights.
SafetyWing: $45 for 28 days basic coverage
IMG: Comprehensive, $150-300 for 10 days
World Nomads: Flexible, add anytime during trip
Common Booking Mistakes & How to Avoid
Mistake: Booking Accommodations Before Finalizing Itinerary
Book Bangkok hotel for 3 days, then realize you want to skip to Chiang Mai day 2 (already paid). SHASA solution: Lock flights first, confirm cities, then book hotels. Use free cancellation until itinerary 100% certain.
Mistake: Underestimating Travel Time Between Regions
Book hotel check-in 2pm, flight arrives 1pm (30min taxi + 30min hotel = arrive 3:30pm). Hotel may charge extra. SHASA solution: Always give 2-hour buffer after flight arrivals. Request early check-in in advance.
Mistake: Forgetting Time Zone Differences
Book 6am Bangkok activity, flight from US lands 11pm previous day (actually 11 hours before activity). SHASA solution: Always convert to Thailand time (UTC+7), calculate sleep available before activity.
Mistake: Not Reading Booking Confirmations
Pay for tour, receive confirmation, show up wrong day (misread email date format). SHASA solution: Screenshot all confirmations, set calendar reminders, confirm 24 hours before each booking.
Mistake: Booking Expensive Activities Too Early
Book 3-day trek 8 weeks ahead; 2 weeks before you get sick, non-refundable, lose ฿3,000. SHASA solution: Book day-trips 1 week ahead, multi-day tours 5-14 days ahead for flexibility buffer.
Mistake: Mixing Booking Platforms & Currencies
Pay USD on Viator, EUR on GetYourGuide, THB direct = currency conversions add 2-5% fees. SHASA solution: Consolidate to 2 currencies maximum (USD + THB), minimize conversion losses.