How to get the cheapest flight to Myanmar

Logically, the cheapest time to fly to Myanmar is during the off-season from April until October. As there are not many tourists visiting the country, the airlines and hotels seem to offer promotion to attract more tourist and try to fill-up the plane. If you are ok with the heat and some sudden rain, this is the time for you.

According to cheapflights.com.au, the cheapest flights to Myanmar are usually found when departing on a Monday. The departure day with the highest cost is usually on a Friday.

Moreover, Myanmar flights can be made cheaper if you choose a flight at noon. Booking a flight in the morning will likely mean higher prices.

Simply follow this, sometimes you can have the promotion of 40-50% discount.

Wonderful!!!

Hold on, this sounds perfect, but it seems not always to be your case. We believe you want to see Myanmar at its best or you cannot change the tight travel schedule date.

Is there any chance to have the cheap price during high-travel or even peak-travel period???

The answer is yes!!! And it just requires a little plan ahead and simple skills to do so.

We will first need to know…

The best time to visit Myanmar (Burma) is during the drier winter months of November to February. It's hot during the daytime, and lowland temperatures remain pleasant at night – although bring much warmer layers for the highlands and hill stations as they are chilly in the evenings. 

Bagan and Mandalay are the hottest, driest regions – temperatures can peak at over 40°C – but rainfall is still light here in the wetter season, and with more bearable temperatures this is the best time to visit Burma to avoid the winter crowds.

If you intend to visit the country during this peak tourist period, expect to pay higher than the low tourist period, and in most case, the suppliers are not willing to give any discount for your trip.

Here is our guide detail about Best time to visit Myanmar

Apart from spontaneous promotions, it is advisable to buy your tickets between 6 and 8 months in advance in order to enjoy the best possible price. Tickets are often cheaper than at the last moment and not necessarily more advantageous if you book it 6 months in advance.

Avoid buying your plane tickets on weekends and during the day or evening. Privilege, the middle of the week and late at night. When buying tickets online you should also make sure to activate the incognito feature of your browser to avoid getting tracked and therefore experience higher prices.

Off-peak periods in Myanmar, April to June and September to November, are a good way to travel cheap. Moreover, thanks to its tropical climate, it is possible to enjoy the sun all year round in Myanmar.
You can also look at the Myanmar holiday calendar to avoid the crowds, especially during the Thingyan New Year where prices are inflated.

When buying tickets online you should also make sure to activate the incognito feature of your browser to avoid getting tracked and therefore experience higher prices. This is one of the 9 hacking tips below to book the cheap flight to Myanmar (or anywhere)

"Searching for airfare can often feel like going into battle - one in which only those armed with a lot of time on their hands win" said Brooke Porter Katz from Medium

Many times, when we try to search the flight for our clients or friends, the price would increase when we refreshed the search page.

Based on the cookies in your browser, flight prices do increase when a particular route is repeatedly searched, as the site wants to scare you into booking the flight quickly before prices get even higher. 

To avoid this, don’t let the website read your cookies. And the best way to do so is to delete all the cookies every time you close your browser. If there are no cookies, there is nothing to read.

Here is how to delete your cookies with some popular web browsers: https://www.purevpn.com/blog/how-to-delete-cookies-at-browser-exit/

If you know when and where you're going, don't wait on an unknown sale. More often than not, your biggest savings come from booking far ahead when you can.

As mentioned above, it is better to book the ticket in advance, about 6-8 months before.

Budget airlines offer significantly cheaper tickets than their full-service counterparts. It should be obvious, but this comes with compromises such as less leg room and no “free” food/drink on-board (which by the way, is normally covered in your higher-priced ticket with full-service airlines).

NOTES ON BOOKING BUDGET AIRLINES

• Always read the fine print and do the following:
• Check where the airport location is (some budget airlines fly to airports further out of town).
• Ensure you've booked & paid for your luggage allowance. Adhere to restrictions on weight, height, and # of bags allowed. Some airlines (e.g. Ryanair) will charge hefty fee if you're over. Remember, paying only for the exact luggage space/weight you need is how budget airlines keep their prices lower than traditional airlines!

Read the fine print. The best example is that Ryanair WILL CHARGE A FEE if you do not print your own ticket or adhere to their strict luggage weight and dimensions. A warning of this fee is clearly stated in all capital letters in the first sentence of your e-confirmation. In a nutshell, always read and follow instructions!

Remember, if you want to book the cheapest flight possible (not service-of-the-year-award-winner), be adaptable, do your research, and know the budget airline's requirements & restrictions.

Some website advises you to buy the round-trip ticket to save money for the way back home; some advises you to buy 2 one-way tickets separately even from different airlines and airports which may offer the promotion on both.

Our advice: do your research and find the best price for your travel plan. The booking engines now are very intelligent, it bases on the availability of the flight to set your price. 

Sometimes you can have the best price with a 2-way ticket; but the other times, you can enjoy the promotion on both 2 separate one-way tickets.

With a little effort, you can save 20-30% on your flight ticket. Is that worth a try?

Consider neighboring cities when selecting your departure as fares can vary quite a lot according to the airport: it might be worth the extra time even if it is not the closest airport to your home. 

Whether it be by choice or by obligation, stopovers allow you to move and forget the possible lack of comfort of the plane. It also represents a good opportunity to visit other cities without a mandatory visa through stopovers. 

When looking for indirect routes that include stopovers, we advise you to check the website kiwi.com which mixes and matches airlines in order to find the cheapest price. For long-haul flights especially, this can make a huge difference at the end.

Concerning the arrival airport, you will likely land in either Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw, or Mandalay which are the three main cities in Myanmar. In general, the cheapest flights to Myanmar will fly into Yangon as it services more airlines. It is something to keep in mind when crafting your tour itinerary.

The cheapest solution is to buy your plane ticket directly on the Internet and not at a physical travel agency available at your place to avoid extra costs.

Even with the online travel agencies, the price also varies among the different websites. So, our next tip is...

The online flight searching engines will help you compare the price offered by different suppliers.

Here are the 3 best price comparisons websites:

1. Skyscanner
2. Google Flight
3. Kayak

Do not forget to check the option: "flexible travel date" to find the best price for Myanmar. This option will allow you to estimate the price month by month.

Airlines sometimes make mistakes when posting their fares, leading to seriously discounted flights. This can happen for various reasons – currency conversion mishaps, technical glitches, or human error. If you're in the know-how on where to find airline error fares, you can save yourself some serious bucks on a ticket.

Don’t be tempted to try a “hidden city” flight. That’s when you buy a connecting flight that goes through your desired destination and skip the final leg. Airlines keep track of travelers who do this and aren’t shy to ban folks. Plus, if you’ve booked it as a round trip, your return will automatically be canceled.

No matter which airline you choose and which native English-speaking countries you are coming from, your route will necessarily include at least one stopover. 

Most of the time, it will be one of the main airline hubs in Asia (Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore…), but it can sometimes be in the Middle East depending on your city of departure.

Once you arrived in one of the above stopovers, you have two options for your connecting flight to Myanmar: 

• Selecting the same airline as for the first part of your trip, providing that they also serve Myanmar airports. In that case you do not have to worry much about possible transit issues regarding checked baggage and check-in.
• Using a different airline which serve Myanmar, such as AirAsia. It is often a cheaper solution, but you should plan enough time between the two flights to avoid troubles. 

The most common route when flying from either Sydney or Melbourne is to make a stopover in Singapore before arriving to Yangon. With Singapore Airlines, expect roughly a 12-hour journey, costing around US $550 for a round trip ticket.

If you are flying from Perth, you are lucky since you can reach Yangon in less than 10 hours. Moreover, you can find return tickets at around US $450 via Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia Airlines.

Regarding the departure airport, for obvious reasons you should fly from the capital London, preferably from Heathrow. 

The most popular and convenient route includes a stopover in Bangkok and takes only 15 hours with Thai Airways. The prices are also reasonable and should be around US $700 for a round trip.

If you do not want to make a stopover in Bangkok or simply prefer to travel with a different airline, you can always choose to make a stop at another main airport in Southeast Asia. Nevertheless, expect the trip to be a little bit longer as well as slightly more expensive.

If you are flying from the West Coast (San Francisco, Los Angeles or Vancouver), the shortest flight duration is roughly 19 hours and most of the time include a stopover in either Taipei via China Airlines or Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific.

If you decide to fly from the East Coast (New York, Chicago, Toronto), it will at least take you 22 hours to reach your destination ; most affordable and convenient flights making a stopover in Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific or Doha with Qatar Airways. 

In both cases if you follow the above advices, you can get a return ticket for as little as US $800. It is even possible to find cheaper routes, but it will imply 2 or more stopovers and longer journey duration.

That said, when comparing the ticket price, you should recheck if it is the full fare with all the services included. Usually, there are hidden costs such as handling fee, payment charges, travel insurance, luggage, choice of the seat or simply meals.

Keep in mind that each airline has its own policy and it is wise to check for instance the cancellation conditions and refund possibilities before buying your ticket.

Also check the total amount and do not hesitate to compare the different companies to find the ones that best meet your expectations. Believe us, you do not want to issue the ticket with the low-cost airlines with $50 cheaper then find out that the checked luggage is not included and you need to pay $70-100 for that.

Finally, to guarantee maximum satisfaction, here is the list of the 6 airlines recommended by our travelers during a trip to Myanmar:

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Thai Airways
3. Malaysia Airlines
4. Cathay Pacific
5. Qatar Airways
6. AirAsia

With overland border crossings close to impossible for independent travelers, almost everyone arrives in Myanmar at either Yangon or Mandalay airports. There is also an international airport in the capital Nay Pyi Taw, although few airlines use it at present. The international flag carrier, Myanmar Airways International, only serves destinations within Asia.

That said, the cheapest way to reach Myanmar from outside the region is usually to fly to a regional hub such as Bangkok or Singapore. Current routes within Asia include flights to Yangon from Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok. Connections with Mandalay are limited to Dehong, Kunming and Bangkok.

We will check more detailed information on how to get to Myanmar from its neighboring countries as below.

From Thailand, you have both options of taking the flight or crossing the borders to get to Myanmar.

By flight

From Thailand to Yangon (RGN)

There are many flights per day from Thailand to Yangon via all 3 international airports in the above map.

From Suvarnabhumi (BKK), there are more than 10 flights per day operated by both the airlines from Thailand (Thai Airways or Bangkok Air) and the airlines from Myanmar (MAI Air or Myanmar National Airlines). The flight takes about 1 hour and a half and cost $110-150/ticket.

From Don Meuang (DMK), there are about 7 flights per day operated by the low-cost airlines such as Nok Air, Thai AirAsia, or Thai Lion Air. The flight will take about 1 hour 15 minutes and cost about $60-90/ticket

From Chiang Mai (CNX), there are more than 1 flight per day operated by Bangkok Air and Myanmar National Airlines. The flight will take about 1 hour 30 minutes and cost about $160-190/ticket

From Thailand to Mandalay (MDL)

Though there are less flights to Mandalay from Thailand, but it is still enough if you have the plan ahead.

From Suvarnabhumi (BKK), there are more than 1 flight per day operated by Bangkok Air. The flight will take about 2 hours and cost $260-300/ticket

From Don Meuang (DMK), there is 1 flight per day operated by Thai AirAsia. The flight take 1 hour 45 minutes and cost about $125-150/ticket

From Chiang Mai (CNX), there are 4 flights per week operated by Bangkok Air. The flight will take 1 hour and a half and cost $230-$280/ticket 

From Thailand to Nay Pyi Taw (NYT)

At the moment, there is now only the direct flight from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Nay Pyi Taw. The flight will take about 2 hour 30 minutes and cost about $345-390/ticket

By land border checkpoint

Mae Sot/Myawaddy

The Mae Sot (Thailand, Tak Province) / Myawaddy (Myanmar, Kayin State) crossing point is the most practical place to cross for onward travel into Myanmar, because of its relative proximity to the main Myanmar transport network and places of interest such as Mount Kyaiktiyo (the Golden Rock), Hpa An and Mawlamyine.

At the passport control points (located on either side of the ‘Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge’ river crossing), there are separate windows for foreigners – you do not have to stand in the same (sometimes long) line as the locals. The border point is located about one kilometre from Myawaddy bus station on the Myanmar side and five kilometres from Mae Sot town on the Thai side; there are usually plenty of motorbike taxis on both sides.

Mae Sot has daily direct flights and frequent buses to Bangkok and Chiang Mai. On the Myanmar side, the new road over the Dawna mountains - connecting Myawaddy to the rest of Myanmar - is now open (so you do not need to worry about the issue of the old single track road, with its alternating one-way system).

Mae Sai/Tachileik

Foreigners can cross the border at Mae Sai (Thailand, Chiang Rai Province) / Tachileik (Myanmar, Shan State) and travel as far as Kyaing Tong in Myanmar; to travel over land further than this you will need a permit. Kyaing Tong and Tachileik have airports with internal flight connections to Mandalay, Yangon and Heho (for Inle Lake, Kalaw and Taunggyi).

Tachileik’s economy is based on cross-border trade and tourism, and Thai baht is the main currency (not Myanmar kyat). To find out more about onwards travel from Tachileik into Myanmar, go to Kyaing Tong.

Ranong/Kawthaung

The crossing between Ranong (Thailand, Ranong Province) and Kawthaung (Myanmar, Tanintharyi Region) offers options for further travel in Myanmar – buses or flights on to Myeik, Dawei and north to Yangon, plus cruises to the Myeik Archipelago.

You can take longtail boats between Ranong and Kawthaung, taking 25 minutes and costing 100 Baht. In Ranong, the immigration office can be found at Saaphan Pla Pier; in Kawthaung, it can be found at the main jetty in the centre of town. Both offices are open from 7am to 5pm.

Note that if you are entering Myanmar only for a Myeik Archipelago tour (not for further travel) then, depending on the length of your visit, you may not need a visa - a border crossing permit may be all that is required. If you are on a short stay or visa run from Thailand, you will not need a Myanmar visa, but you will need your passport and a copy of the photo page, plus US$10 in crisp notes for a border crossing permit.

Phunaron/Htee Kee

This remote border crossing point allows access between Phunaron (Phu Nam Ron) (Thailand – nearest town Kanchanaburi) and Htee Kee (Myanmar, Tanintharyi Division – nearest town Dawei). Note that e-visa is not valid for entry at this border crossing.

There are four buses per day from Kanchanaburi to the small border town of Phunaron (70 baht), which has one guest house. The Thai and Myanmar borders are separated by six kilometres of no-mans land; there are also two separate checkpoints separated by around one kilometre. You can take a motorbike taxi (around 100 baht) or try to hitchhike between these points or further afield, in either direction.

From the Myanmar side of the border, it takes five hours to get to Dawei. There are usually cars or minibuses waiting, costing around K30,000 (bear in mind that if you arrive late in the day there may be no transport, and the road can become impassable during the rainy season). Travelling from Dawei to Thailand, daily minibuses to Htee Kee can be booked through most hotels and guest houses in Dawei. 

Check how to get to Thailand here

At the moment, there is no opened border crossing between China and Myanmar; hence, you have the only option of taking the flight from China to get to Myanmar.

You can get direct flight from China to Myanmar via several cities including Guangzhou (CAN), Hong Kong (HKG), Kunming (KMG), Chengdu (CTU), Shanghai (PVG), Hangzhou (HGH), and Beijing (PEK).

The receiving airport in Myanmar includes Yangon (RGN), Mandalay (MDL), and Nay Pyi Taw (NYT)

For further detail, we recommend you check with SkyScanner to have the flight schedule and price for the flight that you are looking for.

You can get to Myanmar from India via both border crossing checkpoints or direct flights between the two countries.

By flight

There is only direct flight from Kolkata (CCU) to Myanmar in Yangon. If you take off from other cities, you need to take the transit flight via Kolkata or Bangkok.

By border crossing

With the latest update from Myanmar immigration office, now you can get to Myanmar from India via 2 border crossing checkpoints, which also accept Myanmar e-Visa.

The 2 checkpoints were opened simultaneously on Tamu-Moreh border between Manipur and Sagaing division and on the Zokhawthar-Rikhawdar border between Mizoram and Chin state.

Check the official Youtube below from ANI News showing the speech by Mr. Vikram Misri, Ambassador of India in Myanmar for your reference.

There is no border opened between Bangladesh and Myanmar, however, you still have the option of taking the direct flight from Dhaka (DAC) to Yangon (RGN) with about 3 departures per week. The flight will take more than 2 hours and cost $250-300/ticket

There is no direct flight to connect the 2 countries at the moment. You need to take the transit flights via Bangkok (both BKK and DMK) or Chiang Mai (CNX).

Regarding the border crossing, there is no opened checkpoint at the moment.

Check how to get to Laos here

There is no border between the two countries, so you can have the option of taking the flights only.

You can have the direct flight from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city to Yangon with more frequent departure from Hanoi (thanks to the closer geographic location).

From Hanoi to Yangon, there are at least 2 direct flights per day, which takes about 2 hours. You can choose the option of low-cost airlines which starts from $55/ticket or the full-service airlines which starts from $130/ticket.

From Ho Chi Minh to Yangon, there are about 5 departures per week operated by Vietnam Airlines. The flight takes more than 2 hours and costs $150-170/ticket. You can either take the transit flight via Bangkok with cheaper price (about $80-100/ticket) but longer travel time (about 6-7 hours)

Check how to get to Vietnam here

There is also no border crossing between Cambodia and Myanmar, therefore taking the flight is the only option, which is also quite limited.

There is only 3 departures per week from Phnom Penh to Yangon operated by JC International. The flight will take about 2 hours and cost $160-190/ticket. 

Check how to get to Cambodia here

Q. How long does it take to fly to Myanmar?

This will depend on where you are from. For more detail, you will find above in this article in the part of Which airlines operate flights to Myanmar? And Getting to Myanmar from its neighbor countries.

Please keep in mind that there is no direct flight from Australia, Europe, or America, you need to take the transit flight in the regional airport before connecting with the flight to Cambodia, that will make the travel time longer than normal.

Q. Do you need the visa to go to Myanmar?

Yes, you do. But there is nothing to worry. 

In general, Myanmar visa policy is quite easy and straight forward, thanks to the development of tourism. 

If you are from the western countries such as USA, Canada, all European countries, or Australia, you can either apply for Visa online (e-Visa), or Visa at the embassy. At the moment, the citizen of 8 countries can apply for visa on arrival ($50/visa), and 12 countries can have free visa (visa exempt) on arrival. 

Vice versa, the visa is required in advance for most of the countries from Africa, some from central America, and some from middle east Asia.

More detail, please check out dedicated article our Myanmar Visa Policy

Q. How to get from the airports to city center?

Yangon International Airport

Located 16km from town, from Yangon international airport you have roughly 4 options to get to the center of Yangon (around Sule Pagoda): by public bus, by shuttle bus, by taxi, and by train.

Cheapest way to get to Yangon downtown from Yangon Airport is by public bus, which is a little tricky, and involves bit of walk.
We recommend you take the option of shuttle bus, which the easiest and quickest way, and very convenient.

In case you have better budget, taxi is also a good option. We never recommend the option by train as it is complicated and really takes time.

Nay Pyi Taw International Airport

The distance from Nay Pyi Taw International Airport to city center is 16km. The best way for you to get to the center is by taxi, which take about 30 minutes and cost $10

Mandalay International Airport

Located 40 km from town, you have the 2 options to get to city center from Mandalay International Airport.

If you choose a taxi, it will take about 45 minutes and cost $10 for an air-conditional car. Grab is also available here. But the Wifi at the airport is not reliable. Hence, if you want to use Grab, you need to buy a local SIM card first.

Taking a bus is another option in case you wish to cut some cost. The bus will take about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours and cost $4/ticket

Q. Where to go in Myanmar?

Myanmar is dotted with an array of unforgettable views, people and experiences that will ensure you have a memorable time visiting this mysterious country.

Here is the full list of places to visit in Myanmar.

Q. What to do and see in Myanmar?

After decades of being off-limits, Myanmar has become one of South-east Asia's most intriguing destinations, with untouched beaches, ancient temples and a thrilling culture to tangle with.

Check out the full list of Things to do in Myanmar here

Q. Is Myanmar safe to visit?

Travel to almost all parts of Myanmar is safe. In general, visiting to Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake should use normal safety precautions. Anyone thinking about visiting Rakhine State should reconsider their need for travel. The overall rating for the country is “high degree of caution”. 

Check out Myanmar safety and precaution here

Q. What to pack for Myanmar?

Myanmar has classic visit, adventure activities, or beach vacation. So, what to pack is really depends on what you plan to do there.

Here is the guide for Myanmar packing list for your reference