I’m a frequent traveler, so I take dozens of flights every year for work and vacation. To keep my transportation costs down, I often fly budget airlines — but it’s usually an uncomfortable experience.
The author on a flight to Taiwan. Marielle Descalsota/Insider
Last month I embarked on an ambitious trip to four countries across Asia: Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia. As I had work and school commitments in Singapore, I only had nine days to complete the trip.
One of the biggest challenges of the trip was the logistics of air travel. Since I didn’t have time to explore longer routes via bus, train, or boats, I made it a point to travel between countries exclusively through flights.
But I had a strict budget for flight costs — just 650 Singapore dollars or $480 — which meant I had limited choice when it came to the kinds of airlines I could fly. Flying top airlines was out of the question — it’s common for a return ticket from Singapore to Taiwan on Singapore Airlines to cost more than my whole budget. So I decided to purchase only the cheapest tickets available on several popular low-cost carriers.
Here’s what the experience was like, and why I think it’s worth the stress and hassle.
Traveling in Asia on Budget and Low-Cost Airlines Is Worth the Stress
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