How long does it take to fly to Thailand?
The time it will take to fly on flights to Thailand will vary depending on your departure airport in the United States. If you are departing John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Thailand flights you should budget for a travel time of around 20h and 45min before arriving at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK). If instead you will be departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport on cheap flights to Thailand and you are traveling to Phuket City (HKT) you can plan on a travel time of around 24h. On flights that depart from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the trip to both Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Phuket City takes about 20h. If you have a ticket to depart from Chicago O' Hare International Airport (ORD) you should plan on traveling for about 21h and 35min by plane to the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport and about 25h and 10min before landing at Phuket City.
Are there any nonstop flights to Thailand from the US?
While it is unfortunate that there are no direct flights to Thailand from anywhere in the United States there are still plenty of one-stop options that can get you there quite quickly. For a departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport, Finnair offers a one-stop flight that has a layover at Helsinki-Vantaa (HEL) before arriving at the destination of Bangkok Suvarnabhumi. If instead you are traveling to Phuket City from John F. Kennedy International Airport, Singapore Airlines has a one-stop flight that has a layover at Singapore Changi (SIN). When leaving from Los Angeles International Airport there is a one-stop flight that offers service to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi on American Airlines that has a layover at Tokyo Narita (NRT) and if you want to fly from Los Angeles International Airport for an arrival at Phuket City, Singapore Airlines has a one-stop flight that has a layover at Singapore Changi. For those leaving from Chicago O' Hare International Airport Finnair has a one-stop flight to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi that has a layover at Helsinki-Vantaa.
Once I arrive in Thailand What is the best way to travel around?
By far one of the most convenient ways to get around Thailand is to do it through the air especially when you are traveling to large cities such as Bangkok and Phuket. There are direct flights available between these two cities that can make the journey in about 5h’ time. If instead, you would prefer to travel on the ground by bus there is service available. While buses can get you to your destination bear in mind that the bus is going to make stops quite a bit along the way picking up and dropping off passengers on the side of the road. Because of this bus travel can take quite a bit of time especially if you are going a long distance such as on the trip between Bangkok and Phuket. There is also train service between these two cities. There are three classes of seating on most trains in Thailand with first class being the nicest and the most expensive. It is also important to remember that trains move rather slowly here so your trip times are going to be somewhat high compared to European trains for example.
If I am a United States citizen and I am flying to Thailand do I need a visa or a passport?
For citizens of the United States traveling to Thailand, you will require a valid passport and the government of the United States recommends that your passport be valid for at least 180 days from your date of entry into Thailand. If you will be traveling as a tourist to Thailand and you do not plan on staying for longer than 30 days you do not need a visa to travel here.