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My cheap flight trick in Bangkok totally backfired
I read online that you can save a ton by booking flights directly at the airport counter the day before. Tried it in Bangkok for a trip to Chiang Mai. Showed up at DMK airport, but the only seats left were on the next flight and cost $120, which was double the online price a week ago. I ended up paying it because I had to get north. Learned that this 'hack' only works if you have zero schedule flexibility. Has anyone actually made this work without getting stuck?
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spencerm461mo ago
Yeah, that's the classic travel forum advice that sounds great until you're the one standing at the counter. It's like the online version of 'my uncle's friend's cousin did this once and saved a fortune.' In my experience, that move only pays off if your backup plan is literally sleeping on the airport floor for three days. I tried a similar thing with a bus in Vietnam once and ended up paying a 'foreigner price' that was basically a taxi fare.
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hayden4661mo agoTop Commenter
Ugh, exactly! @spencerm46 gets it. I got that same advice for a train in Italy and the last-minute ticket cost way more than if I'd just booked ahead. Felt so dumb.
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wrenh6525d ago
Right? The whole "foreigner price" thing is so real. My buddy tried the "just show up at the station" move for a train in Morocco and ended up getting charged like triple because the guy at the counter could smell he was a tourist from a mile away. He told me the ticket was literally a different color than what locals were holding, which felt like a personal insult. It’s one of those lessons you only learn once, I guess.
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