Travelling East vs. Travelling West

[revollaro]

I'm looking for opinions on travelling East vs, travellling West.

 

I'm planning my virgin LOS trip from the East Coast US. Currently, the time zone is LOS is 11 hours ahead, I think when we exit daylight savings time, it will be 12 hrs. Which means (with an 11-12 hour time difference) I couldn't be any farther away.

 

So,the main question is: is it better to travel east, or west (assuming prices are comparable)?

 

I'd especially like to hear from BMs from the eastern US, but I welome any advice from experience travellers / mongers.

 

Thanks.

[Touchagrey]

I travel out of EWR. Best case it's about 20 hours from EWR to/from BKK. Eastbound through LHR on United and change in LHR to Thai Air 911. Westbound it's United through Hong Kong, or United to Narita and then Thai Air onward to BKK. Westbound leaves in the morning and arrives late evening the following day. Eastbound leaves in the evening and arrives around dawn 2 days later. I prefer westbound which puts me in Pattaya a bit after midnight, far preferable to arriving at 7:30am, your hotel room isn't ready, and the selection of bedwarmers to pass the morning is not ideal.

[Bunky]

I'm planning my virgin LOS trip from the east coast of the U.S. Is it better to travel east, or west (assuming prices are comparable)? I'd especially like to hear from BMs from the eastern U.S.

I too am on the east coast of the United States. I've done it both ways.

 

First, don't book a trip with two stops. It's just too long. Second, pay attention to layover times. Two to three hours is ideal. That's plenty of time to take care of all the formalities and stretch your legs. You can usually book a one-stop itinerary that has a total travel time of 21-27 hours.

 

When it comes to the flights themselves, there is scant difference between eastbound and westbound. The eastbound flights benefit from prevailing winds, but not by much. And as the original poster noted, no matter how you get there Thailand is 12 hours different to the eastern time zone.

 

What makes a difference for me, is the time of departure. I very much prefer leaving the United States around midnight. There is usually a quick meal service and by 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. your body is craving sleep and it's easier to doze off. After your layover, the flight to Bangkok will also be an overnight leg. Again, easier to sleep.

 

Another advantage of leaving the east coast around midnight is that you'll arrive at BKK in the early morning, when the immigration lines are usually shorter. Figuring very conservatively, allow three hours to change a little money, pick up your luggage, clear customs and hook up with your taxi driver for the drive to Pattaya. You'll check into your hotel in the late morning, but of course your body will think its 12 hours behind. I like to go for a little walk to lay in some supplies and change more money. But I avoid eating, alcohol or caffeine. By late afternoon Pattaya time my body will be craving sleep.

 

After a three or four hour nap I get up rested, ready for a bite to eat and my first night on the town. The temptation is to go all night. (And that's certainly easy to do.) But that's a rookie mistake. The better move is to take it easy and to get back to bed not later than 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. At that point I can usually fall asleep easily, especially after a few beers.

 

The following day I make sure to get up by 10:00 a.m. and I make it a point to get outside right away, usually by walking over to the awesome breakfast buffet at the Lek hotel and dining poolside. I'm still not adjusted to the time change, so I take another nap in the late afternoon and repeat the cycle.

 

After a few days I stop feeling sleepy in the afternoons and I know my body clock has adjusted.

 

Leaving Thailand on a flight that leaves about midnight has all the same advantages. You'll get back to the east coast about mid-afternoon. I wouldn't try to go to work the following day. But if you allow a weekend to adjust, you can get back on east coast time pretty easily.

 

Best airlines for late evening departures in both directions are Turkish Airlines (connecting in Istanbul) and Qatar Airways (connecting in Doha).

 

Bunky

[Methos]

I'm in the same time zone so I'll chime in. I've gone both ways and (as posted above) I prefer to leave in the evening. What I have found though - at least from here - whenever I've booked an economy ticket based on the best price I could find it was always an early morning departure on both ends. When I've booked on points I've had the ability to pick my flights and leave in the evening, from home and from BKK.

[Anokanite]

I've always flowen west to go and east to return. It always takes about 5 hrs less to come home,

 

I always thought it was because of the wind, we do fly into the prevailing winds going to LOS.

 

And with them on the way back. A friend that, this was his first time, He said it was the rotation of the earth.

 

I would like to go the other way, If for no other reason I'd be one of a few people who have been all the way around the world.

 

Instead of 1/2 way and back. I'm 12 or 13 hrs away.

 

Sorry if the wind-rotation thing makes your decision harder. But it's always shorter coming back.

 

I would book going east, but it would mean 1 more stop and about $400 more.

 

And nobody really cares.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Anokanite

[Billy Baht]

I arrived here flying east: Dept Aug 8 @ 1800; arrive BKK 0630 Aug 10.

 

Like other posters I've done it both ways but my preference is west, usually connecting in Tokyo. Booze is usuall free flying west, but trans atlantic flight charge for alcohol.

 

Either way its a long plane ride; hopefully your time in Thailand makes it worth while