Thai Airways promo codes & sales, tested

Thai Airways runs its frequent flyer scheme, Royal Orchid Plus, and it is a member of the Star Alliance. Members collect miles by flying with Thai Airways and other Star Alliance carriers, and they can also earn through partner companies, including hotels and car rental firms. Miles can be added by transferring points from several banking and loyalty programmes, although some of these transfers have minimum amounts.

For Air Traveler Club, one Royal Orchid Plus mile is worth about 1.35 US cents. This is our working estimate rather than a figure taken directly from a published table, and we refresh it twice a year. When judging a redemption, compare the miles needed with the cash price of the same seat, and remember to add any taxes and carrier surcharges, which are payable even on award tickets.

Royal Orchid Plus has four tiers: Basic, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Status is based on the qualifying miles you accumulate on Thai Airways and Star Alliance flights over a set period, and Platinum requires 80,000 THAI miles across two twelve-month windows. Higher tiers bring benefits such as bonus miles, priority check-in and boarding, and lounge access.

Miles can be used for award tickets, cabin upgrades, Star Alliance awards, and redemptions on partner airlines. Check the taxes and carrier surcharges on any award, since these are not covered by miles, and confirm the expiry rules that apply to your account. Availability for award seats can be limited, so search before assuming a particular flight is open.

Based on our tracking over the last twelve months, Thai Airways offers we have covered fell into several groups: seven fare sales, three discounts on award tickets or upgrades, three extras and add-ons, three other promotions, and two offers to buy miles. How useful any one offer is depends heavily on the date you travel and the country you depart from, because fares and promotions often differ by market.

A fare sale offers a percentage off, or a fixed low price, on selected routes and travel dates, usually for a short booking window. Before you pay, check the travel dates, the departure country (sales often apply only to flights leaving from certain markets), the cabin class and fare rules such as baggage, changes, and refunds, and whether the advertised price includes taxes and fees. To judge whether it is genuinely good, compare the final total against recent fares for the same route and dates rather than against the original price shown.

A miles discount lets you pay fewer frequent flyer miles than the standard price for a particular award ticket or upgrade, often for a limited set of dates, routes, or cabins. Before using one, check the travel window, the departure country, whether the discount applies to your cabin and fare class, and whether taxes and fees are still payable in cash. To judge the deal, compare the miles you save with what the same seat would cost in cash and with the value you would otherwise get from those miles.

Extras and add-on offers let you buy items like checked bags, seat selection, lounge access, hotel rooms, or car rentals alongside your main booking, often at a discount when bundled. Before you buy, check the travel dates, the departure country, and any cabin or fare conditions, since an extra may apply only to certain flights or rates. Remember to factor in taxes and fees, which can raise the final price. A good deal is one where the bundled price, with all charges included, is lower than buying the same item separately for your exact trip.