Although it was my first time flying with Thai Vietjet Air when I booked the flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, it wasn't my first time hearing about Vietjet Air as I've seen some review for Thai Vietjet Air on the media.
I remember the first time Vietjet Air started their flight operations from and to Jakarta, the Indonesian media basically nicknamed them “the airline with bikini flight attendants.” I didn't know that they have a Thai subsidiary, as I only knew Vietjet Air as a Vietnam-based low-cost airline.
It wasn't until my boyfriend and I decided to book a flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai that I realized that they have Thai Vietjet Air in Thailand, which caters to many domestic and international flights from Bangkok. In this post, I'm going to share my experience of flying with Thai Vietjet Air for the first time, based on my flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai!
As someone who used to work for airlines before, the concept of a subsidiary in airlines is not new for me. As I used to work for AirAsia, a part of my product knowledge then was to understand that there's a difference between the operations of AirAsia Berhad in Malaysia and other AirAsia subsidiaries, including Indonesia AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, and AirAsia X. Well, the concept is the same as when we talk about the difference between Vietjet Air and Thai Vietjet Air.
While essentially they operate under the same brand, their management and crews are different. As the first privately owned airline in Vietnam, Vietjet Air is headquartered in Hanoi. However, since Thai Vietjet Air is under management in Thailand, the headquarter at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok also becomes its operation base and main hub in Thailand.
Source: Unsplash.
Yep, despite being a budget airline, Thai Vietjet Air flies from Suvarnabhumi (BKK) instead of Don Mueang Airport (DMK) in Bangkok. So you can also consider the practicality before booking your domestic flight in Thailand with Thai Vietjet Air.
If you stay in the city center, I think it's worth considering other low-cost airlines in Thailand like Thai AirAsia or Nok Air since Don Mueang is closer than having to go all the way to Suvarnabhumi at Samut Prakan area.
Another way to differentiate Thai Vietjet Air from its counterpart in Vietnam is also by using their flight code as the reference. Flights operated by Thai Vietjet Air will have the code VZ, while Vietjet Air will start with VJ (not to mistake with VN, which belongs to Vietnam Airlines).
So, how's my experience of flying with Thai Vietjet Air?
Thai Vietjet Air Flight: Bangkok to Chiang Rai (VZ-130)
Initially, we planned to book a Thai Railway sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai so that we could go to the weekend market in the city. However, as we ended up staying overnight in Kanchanaburi before traveling to Hua Hin, we didn't have much time to explore the northern part of Thailand so then we decided to travel on the first flight to Chiang Rai instead.
We booked the first flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai on Sunday, with the number VZ-130. The estimated departure time was 6.30 AM, and the flight was pretty smooth and we departed on time from Bangkok. We even arrived early in Chiang Rai.
Flight Ticket and How to Book It
While you can book directly through the Thai Vietjet Air website, you can also use the third-party booking website like Trip.com or Traveloka. We booked the ticket through Traveloka as I have a Silver member there, and I could use my points when booking the flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai.
We paid IDR 607,296 (around $40) for 2 passengers in total, and the price includes 15 kg checked-in baggage and seat assignment with the price breakdown as the following:
The price breakdown for VZ-130 flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai in Thailand.
As a priority member of Traveloka, I got a chance to redeem my loyalty points when booking this Thai Vietjet Air flight. So if I had booked without the points redemptions, the flight price would have been IDR 752,174 (around $50 USD).
Honestly, given that we only paid around $25 USD per person, it was so cheap! Coming from Indonesia where the domestic flight was super expensive, I would definitely recommend getting on the domestic flight in Thailand to save time and money. I could say this, as we bought first-class train tickets from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, and we paid 2,692 THB (around $78 USD) for the trip!
Check-In & Boarding Process
We arrived at Suvarnabhumi around 4 AM, and since we booked 15 kg of checked in baggage, we had to wait until the check-in counter opened at 4.30 AM. For our flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, Thai Vietjet Air opened their check-in counter at C lines.
We had no issue with the check-in process as it was pretty smooth, but I was a bit disappointed as I forgot to pack my dry shampoo into the checked in baggage when the security had to take the can as it exceeded the 100 ml requirement to get on board with me as a hand carry. 🙁
Thai Vietjet Air check-in counters at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.
In my defense though, the 100 ml liquid requirement usually only applies to international flights in Indonesia. So normally, if we fly domestically in Indonesia, we can usually get away with more than 100 ml of liquids on board, so I thought this applies to domestic flights everywhere. Needless to say, I've learned it the hard way and I had to lose the dry shampoo that my boyfriend brought all the way from England!
Apart from that, everything went so smoothly as the boarding room was quite spacious, and we didn't have to wait long until we boarded the plane.
Aircraft & In-Flight Services
The aircraft used for the Thai Vietjet Air flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai is Airbus 320 with a single aisle. The legroom is pretty spacious (although keep in mind that I'm only 158 cm and my boyfriend is 175 cm), despite the fact that we purchased the regular seats instead of the premium one.
Since the flight time was barely an hour, we didn't purchase any hot meals on the flight but I had to say that when I checked the catalog in front of my seat, the menu looked quite decent!
A-320 aircraft for Thai Vietjet Air flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai.
I'm not sure if they applied some promo for pre-booked meals, but when I checked the catalog, the full set of meals on board cost around 300 THB (around $8.5 USD), which I find pretty affordable especially if it's yummy. Though I can't speak for myself here since I didn't get a chance to order any meals on board for my flight to Chiang Rai with Thai Vietjet Air this time.
Although I can't speak much for the in-flight service, I think they prioritize safety on top of everything as I can see that the safety cards were in all seat pockets, at least they were in our seats during the flight. Since we sat not too far from the emergency exit, the flight attendant also gave a clear direction to the passenger sitting on the exit seat.
FAQ About Thai Vietjet Air
As usual, in this section I will compile some of the most frequently asked questions about Thai Vietjet Air and answer them based on my personal experience when I flew from Bangkok to Chiang Rai.
Is Thai Vietjet Air reliable?
Absolutely! My flight to Chiang Rai from Bangkok was pretty smooth, and we had a pleasant experience flying with Thai Vietjet Air. The flight was on time, and we didn't get any issues with the checked in baggage or anything.
I was also surprised by the fact that the flight ticket was so cheap compared to train tickets in Thailand. Honestly, unless you look for the experience of getting on the Thai Railway train, I think flying domestic in Thailand is worth so much more as not only is it more affordable, it's also faster and more convenient!
Thai Vietjet Air plane for BKK-CEI flight.
Does Thai Vietjet Air include baggage?
No. Just like most budget airlines in Southeast Asia, you need to prebook checked-in baggage if you want to check in your bag for your Thai Vietjet Air. This is important, because while you can purchase baggage directly at the check-in counter, the price may be double or even more compared to if you prebook the checked-in baggage when booking your flight ticket.
As I booked our flight ticket on Traveloka, I managed to prebook 15 kg checked in baggage with Thai Vietjet Air for IDR 159,776 (around $10.5 USD).
Where is the Thai Vietjet Air check-in counter at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok?
Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok only has one main terminal building, and you can check the flight information board to ensure the right check-in counter for your Thai Vietjet Air.
While I'm not sure if it's designed for Thai Vietjet Air all year round, the check-in counter for my flight to Chiang Rai was located on the C line at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.
Final Review: Flying from Bangkok to Chiang Rai with Thai Vietjet Air
There is no train service from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, so the only way to travel from Bangkok to Chiang Rai will be either by bus or by flight. Thai Vietjet Air provides direct flights from Bangkok to Chiang Rai a couple of times a day, making it a great transportation option if you plan to travel directly to Chiang Rai from the capital city.
Boarding gate at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.
Don't expect a full-service flight, but Thai Vietjet Air offers so many advantages if you want to travel fast and conveniently from Bangkok to Chiang Rai. The flight only takes around an hour in total, and you can still order meals on board if you need to.
Honestly, based on my experience of flying with Thai Vietjet Air for the first time, I didn't have any cons of the airlines since my flight went so smoothly from check-in to arrival. I'd recommend the airlines in a heartbeat!
So, have you flown with Vietjet Air before? Maybe in Thailand or Vietnam? Or maybe you've flown with both and had some mixed opinions about each subsidiary? Share your experience in the comment, and cheerio!
Marya The BeauTraveler
I am the founder and main editor at The BeauTraveler. I spent 4 years working in the aviation industry but ironically got to travel more right after quitting the industry in 2015. Born and raised in Indonesia, I started working remotely in 2017, and while I stay at home most of the time, I also regularly spend 2-3 months living a semi-digital nomad life elsewhere every year.
I never traveled here before, this was very helpful. Thank you!
I am always SO weary of trying new airlines. This post is very informative!