Air Canada will launch new seasonal service to Bangkok, Thailand this winter from its Vancouver hub, becoming the only airline with nonstop service between North America and the Thai capital.
Air Canada Bangkok Service Set To Begin In December From Vancouver
Bangkok marks Air Canada’s first nonstop foray into Southeast Asia. The service will begin on December 1, 2022 and operate four times weekly during the winter season.
Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President of Network Planning and Revenue Management, at Air Canada said:
“We are extremely pleased to be launching our first non-stop service to South-East Asia this winter, the only one between North America and Thailand. Thailand is a popular leisure destination for Canadians and this new service will give Aeroplan members exciting opportunities to both earn and redeem their points. For further convenience, our Bangkok flights will connect to our extensive domestic and trans-border network giving customers added seamlessness and choice when travelling.”
It’s also a popular leisure destinations for Americans and one of my favorite places in Southeast Asia because of the kind people and because your dollar (CAD or USD) just goes further.
The new service will utilize a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, featuring:
- 30 Signature (Business) Class suites
- 21 Premium Economy seats
- 247 Economy Class seats
The flight is 7,344 miles and is blocked at 15 hours, 55 minutes traveling westbound and 13 hours, 5 minutes traveling eastbound, operating according to the following schedule:
- AC65 departs Vancouver (YVR) 11:00PM – arrives Bangkok (BKK) 5:55AM+2 days
- operates Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
- operates December 1, 2022 – April 14, 2023
- AC66 departs Bangkok (BKK) 8:30AM – arrives Vancouver (YVR) 6:35AM
- operates Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
- operates December 4, 2022 – April 17, 2023
Tickets are already on sale and currently running about 1,265USD round-trip.
Thai Airways and United Airlines have offered service to Bangkok in the past, but this marks the first return of service to North America since 2012.
CONCLUSION
Air Canada will operate seasonal nonstop service to Bangkok this winter. Tickets are already bookable online using dollars or Aeroplan points. Bangkok has traditionally been a loss-leading route due to the lack of business travel, but a new generation of fuel efficient aircraft plus strong leisure demand will hopefully make the new route a success.
Will you travel to Bangkok on Air Canada?
How is Air Canada long haul? I’ve flown American in business and first classes to Asia and the experience was pretty singularly unimpressive except for the Captain Kirk seats in first.
Opinion:
The 787 business class is comfortable. Friendly crew, middle of the pack catering. Absolutely fine for a long flight. Bring something nice to supplement the meals. Wines are nice.
Economy class? Hard seats, tight pitch, meals rock bottom. (Transatlantic breakfast? A muffin. ) Skip the nonstop, see a city you are transiting, rest up in a hotel, pay a bit more, and fly more comfortably.
I would hope there would be a full breakfast before arrival in Bangkok…
I’ve flew Air Canada to Hong Kong in economy (with a crew change in Seoul due to HK COVID regulations) back in November.
Was offered two full hot meals (actual meals, not just a muffin haha) and also a sandwich as a snack. Food offered was adequate I guess (though a little on the small side), but pretty mediocre taste-wise. (Catering is definitely not as good as what you’d get on an Asian airline :-P)
Thailand is getting a lot of love as of late. I can see how it has become the secret sauce for actually staying in world class hotels and resorts for pricing that is not off the charts like everywhere else these days. Just left the MO in BKK, truly one of my favorite hotels in the world, and it was $275 a night. The price of a Courtyard these days in Dubuque. Let’s hope though that all the renewed attention does not begin to inflate pricing there as well. Please, not another Hawaii and $1200 a night rates at the Andaz Maui, lol.
$275 is still a fair bit of money for many people, even in developed countries. I recall meeting 10 years ago someone who was practically living in a junior suite in the Dusit Thani at a rate of less than $100 a night (although I appreciate that today’s dollars are worth less and that the Mandarin Oriental must be more luxurious than the Dusit). I also remember loving my visit to Chiang Mai, which was incredibly cheap before the influencers and digital nomads descended on it- I understand that it’s only somewhat affordable now.
Agreed on all points. But it’s still an incredible value in Thailand, especially these days with everything over the top. Matthew did some Hyatt reviews last year there with rates at Hyatt properties under $100 a night. You really could locate there for a few months and live pretty well. And the service is still tremendous most everywhere.
Is this the first time a Canadian airline has operated to Bangkok since Canadian airlines operated YVR-HKG-BKK decades ago?
I see why this would appeal to people, but part of the fun in flying to BKK are the exotic routings. Where can’t you connect on the way to Bangkok? I’d say this is handy for YVR ( and SEA) based travelers who can truly enjoy the nonstop, but I don’t see why I’d choose YVR over TYO, HKG, DXB, DOH, AUH, IST, HEL, FRA, LHR, ADD, CDG, AMS, or anywhere else for that matter.
The best routing is probably BKK-TYO-NYC in ANA or JAL business/first. I just did the routing on JAL a few weeks ago. It is kind of tired, but who besides ANA can best it?