U.S. travelers are no strangers to flight passes, but internationally? Now, that’s a new concept.
Every day, it seems there’s a new flight sale between various airlines across the U.S., and every now and then, a steal of a deal is presented with ‘unlimited’ flights.
JetBlue and Alaska have tested the waters, but Frontier has taken a full plunge and still offers travelers a ‘GOWILD!‘ pass for $599 per year.
While these airlines do travel internationally, none of them are as dreamy and bucket-list worthy as what’s being offered now by AirAsia.
In a new marketing campaign to present themselves as Southeast Asia’s top airline, all travelers are eligible to purchase unlimited flights to explore 10 countries in the region for only $311 annually.
Not every traveler will find themselves on this side of the world, but digital nomads, especially, shouldn’t think twice about forking over a few hundred bucks to endlessly explore one of the most stunning regions in the world.
Americans Should Not Be Deterred – This Pass Is For You!
Well, let’s get down to brass tacks right away. The elephant in the room may be that Air Asia does not fly to the U.S.
Don’t let this little detail deter you, however. One of the most important caveats to understand is AirAsia’s ASEAN Explorer Pass is actually designed for international visitors.
All you have to do is reach Southeast Asia, which is much easier than you may realize. There are many nonstop flights from the U.S. to the ASEAN region, such as the Philippines, and Singapore.
Plus, if you happen to be on a global trip or have taken on full blown digital nomad status, there are new cheap flights to Bangkok from Europe with Norse Atlantic Airways.
Any way you slice it, as far-flung as this side of the planet may seem, it’s closer than you think.
Additionally, the pass is actually catered toward international travelers since domestic flights are unavailable for use by passport holders of the same country you’re flying within.
For example, Thai passport holders could not fly from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, yet U.S. passport holders are eligible to hop around as they please.
The bottom line is that just because this pass is based in Asia doesn’t mean it’s not for you.
The Riveting Fine Print
Let’s not pretend of any of us read any fine print legal mumbo jumbo. Watching paint dry is equally amusing.
Although, we all missed the ball with TikTok, didn’t we? I digress…
When it comes to splurging on an unlimited flight pass, it’s important to know all the juicy deets whether a boring read or not.
First, you would probably like to know where you are eligible to fly and that is definitely the most exciting part.
The ‘Explorer’ pass allows travelers to hop around 10 ASEAN nations, which are:
- Vietnam
- Brunei
- Laos
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Myanmar (‘Level 4′ travel advisory)
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Thailand
Best of all, there are no blackout dates. Wanna spend Christmas in Singapore? Nobody is stopping you!
There are, of course, some ground rules:
- Bookings must be made 14 days in advance
- Travelers may not hold more than 3 confirmed bookings at any given time
- Only base fare is covered; Prepare to pay a bit more for fees, taxes, add-ons, etc.
- Pass is valid for one calendar year with ravel period beginning May 21, 2024
Just The Beginning?
There’s a lot of rumors trickling out of Southeast Asia in recent weeks. First, there are talks of a new agreement coming to light comparable to Europe’s Schengen Zone.
The goal would be to make it easier for travelers to visit this region, treating it as a single destination without unnecessary immigration hassles.
Second, AirAsia has lofty goals for their new flight pass, claiming there’s another major airline interested in joining the party to offer such a unique way to explore the region.
Prices have already surged to $311 after an initial offering of $208. If these rumors are true, there may be no better time to purchase to save money.
Although, the pass does advertise some pretty hefty savings with as much as 50% off hotels.
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