United Has Now Loaded Fares For Hong Kong-Bangkok-Hong Kong Route (Not Very Attractive)

United Airlines has just started to load fares for their recently announced route from Hong Kong to Bangkok (vice versa), and it’s unfortunately not very attractive plus the timing leaves everything to be desired as well. The route will be operated with a Boeing 787-10 […]

May 21, 2025 - 17:15

United Airlines has just started to load fares for their recently announced route from Hong Kong to Bangkok (vice versa), and it’s unfortunately not very attractive plus the timing leaves everything to be desired as well.

The route will be operated with a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner and the flight leaves Hong Kong in the morning and Bangkok in the early evening which probably makes it more suitable for HK residents rather than travelers from Bangkok.

It’s been quite a long time since United has had service to Bangkok. The last time was another fifth-freedom flight from Tokyo-Narita, but that was discontinued along with the Singapore route as United gave up on its Narita hub and instead opted for ultra-long-haul flights.

We recently reported that United has Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh flights in the pipeline again:

United Returns To Bangkok & Ho Chi Minh City Via Hong Kong And Starts Adelaide Service From San Francisco

I’ve been monitoring the Bangkok route in particular as I thought it’s a great opportunity to finally redeem my United Travel Bank cash that I have accumulated over the years by dumping my Amex travel credits there.

Well, United has now loaded flights that can also be purchased as fifth freedom segments, but the pricing is unattractive to say the least.

Here is the pricing for Hong Kong to Bangkok:

The timing of a 9 a.m. departure might be okay for someone living in HK who wants to make the most of that day by arriving early in Bangkok, but as someone who lives in BKK, this timing is totally unattractive to me. Leaving the hotel at 6 a.m. to fly? It’s not going to happen.

And then there’s the pricing. US$173 for the one-way in Economy is more expensive than all other airlines except maybe Cathay, which is usually US$240. You can fly Thai Airways, Emirates, etc for much less.

And then there is Bangkok to Hong Kong:

Likewise, the BKK-HKG departure basically means that the day is completely useless and wasted for a short 2:30h flight to HKG. Not a very useful departure time at all though maybe someone who lives in HK could make it work. If you’re going to Hong Kong as a visitor you would not arrive at your (expensive) hotel before 10:00 pm.

Can we talk about the pricing once more? This is ridiculous. United charges more for its flight in business and first class than Cathay and Emirates do. Nobody in his right mind would seriously book the United flight with this pricing, let alone the departure times to/from BKK.

To be competitive on this route United can charge a maximum of $220 round trip in Economy and $400 in Business. Otherwise passengers can just as well take THAI, Cathay Pacific or Emirates with a vastly superior inflight service and more departure time variety.

Conclusion

United has now loaded fares for their new route between Hong Kong and Bangkok but unfortunately both timing and pricing for these flights is very disappointing. The departure/arrival times are not good and the prices totally out of touch with what’s usually available on this route.

The HKG-BKK-HKG route has a lot of competition. There are multiple flights every hour of the day by both budget and full-service carriers. Even Cathay Pacific and THAI offer very competitive fares on this route and if you want to taste a bit of luxury then there is also Emirates on the A380.

Maybe the fares will adjust a bit when nobody books this, I wouldn’t be surprised. In the past, United’s pricing for HKG-SIN and HKG-SGN was always very competitive.

The first flights will operate on October 27th, so there are still five months ahead for some changes to pop up. I don’t expect the times to change but the fares most certainly will.

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