Nok Air Review [2024]: Can you trust this Thai airline?

One of the most exciting parts of travel is taking a plane to your destination. When you choose your flight, you'll also choose an airline. Not all airlines are created equal. There are many things to consider, and one airline's strength may be another's weakness.

If you're planning to travel within Southeast Asia, you may have encountered Nok Air in your searches. As with most airlines, there are pros and cons to choosing Nok Air. Should you fly with them on your next trip? Keep reading for everything you need to know about Nok Air!

What is Nok Air?

Founded in 2004, Nok Air is a low-cost airline based in Thailand. Its name is derived from the Thai word for bird, and the bird theme is carried throughout their airplanes and crew uniforms. Most of Nok Air's domestic flights operate out of Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. 

If you're headed to Bangkok, you should spend some time reading about the top eight things to do in Bangkok before you get there!

Is Nok Air still operating?

Yes, Nok Air is still in business, although the company filed for bankruptcy in July 2020. At the moment, Nok Air mainly operates flights within Thailand. Nok Air is currently undergoing a rehabilitation process for recovery, with plans to add new routes and increase the frequency of existing flights.

Where does Nok Air fly?

Nok Air flies throughout Southeast Asia, with most of its destinations in Thailand. They operate 26 domestic flights that can get you to Thailand's northern, northeastern, central, or southern cities. With Nok Air, you can fly to Chiang Mai for the Yi Peng Lantern Festival!

In addition to its domestic destinations, Nok Air also has limited international destinations. These include Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Yangon in Myanmar, and Chengdu in China.

What sets Nok Air apart from other airlines is that they also offer Fly' n' Ferry and Fly' n' Ride services. This allows you to get to some locations that are harder to reach via plane but can be included in your ticket! You can use the ferry service to travel to destinations in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. This includes Koh Phangan if you want to experience a Full Moon Party!

You can find all of Nok Air's destination services, including connecting flights, on its website.

Nok Air Ticket Types

As with many airlines, Nok Air has multiple ticket types. These types all come with different amenities and levels of service. There are three tiers of tickets: Nok Lite, Nok X-tra, and Nok MAX.

With all types, your ticket includes one piece of carry-on baggage up to 7 kg and the same amount of legroom on flights. On a Nok Lite or Nok X-tra ticket, you'll be charged a fee to change your ticket.

To have a hot meal served onboard, you must purchase a Nok MAX ticket since other ticket types only come with water served onboard. Due to Covid-19, however, all food and beverage services have currently been suspended.

How do I purchase Nok Air tickets?

You can purchase Nok Air flight tickets right from their website. Alternatively, I find comparing flight options and prices very effective in planning the most convenient and affordable trip possible.

Before booking tickets directly from an airline website, remember that you can use sites like Skyscanner to scout out whether you're getting the best deal possible!

How much is a checked bag on Nok Air?

As a low-cost airline, purchasing a ticket through Nok Air has few amenities. If you've purchased a Nok Lite ticket, you'll have no free checked baggage allowance.

For domestic flights, you can add a bag weighing up to 15 kg for $13 and up to 40 kg for $35. If you purchase additional baggage less than 24 hours before the flight, those costs increase to $16 and $41. This cost further increases to $29 for domestic flights and $32 for international flights when checked baggage is paid for at the airport.

Extra baggage fees must be paid in USD or THB. The costs are per flight and per passenger.

Seat Selection on Nok Air

Nok Air has two types of seats you can select, Premium Seats and Happy Seats. Premium Seats are in rows 1-6 or exit rows. These seats also come with priority boarding, check-in, baggage, and coffee or tea on board. Any other seat on the plane is a Happy Seat.

If you opt to fly Nok X-tra or Nok MAX, you can choose a Happy Seat at no cost at any time. Nok Lite passengers can choose a Happy Seat at no cost within one day of departure. You can also pay a little extra to reserve a private seat, meaning you'll get an empty seat next to you.

Premium Seats cost $12 or $20, depending on the aircraft, while Happy Seats cost $6 if not included in your ticket type. The cost is per flight, and seat reservations can be made online or via Nok Air's mobile app.

Nok Air Promo

Who doesn't love a good deal? In addition to their low-cost flights, Nok Air also has a dedicated page on their website for promotions. These could include cashback when booking specific flights, discounts at airport shops, or even discounts at restaurants in your destination city! The promotions are time-limited, and you need to travel between certain dates to take advantage of them.

Nok Air Alternatives

With so many airlines out there, you've probably seen other options besides Nok Air in your research. If you're looking for a budget option but don't want to fly with Nok Air, you also have Thai Lion Air, which operates out of the same airport. 

Unlike Nok Air, Thai Lion Air has business class options and flies to destinations in different countries. Thai Lion Air has also received better customer service reviews than Nok Air.

Another option to consider is Vietnam Airlines, one of the leading carriers in Southeast Asia. Vietnam Airlines flies to major destinations in Thailand like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.

Nok Air Reviews

Recent reviews of Nok Air could have been more favorable, with travelers commenting on how the low-cost model extends to all aspects of service. Many travelers have had flights canceled at short notice or charged extra for checked baggage with no alternatives. Additionally, their customer service has received negative reviews due to long wait times, unclear information, and a lack of helpfulness.

In other reviews, travelers have noted that flights aren't actually that affordable and refunds are difficult to get.

Is Nok Air worth it?

Based on recent reviews of Nok Air's services, flying with this airline may be a turbulent experience. Flying with Nok Air may be worth it only if it suits your budget and itinerary compared to other airlines. For instance, if you're traveling to many destinations within Thailand, Nok Air has the most Thai destination options.

While their list of destinations is more exhaustive than that of other carriers in the area, their lack of customer service and support means that you may not get any assistance should anything go wrong.

With a recent increase in flight cancellations, their timetables could be more reliable. Due to the lack of reliability, flying with Nok Air could result in your travels getting derailed or set back.

Our rating: 3.0/5

Pros:

• Lots of destinations in Thailand
• Ferry service to get to islands
• Affordable fares

Cons:

• Very few international destinations
• Poor customer service
• Low carry-on baggage weight allowance
• Short-notice flight cancellations and delays

Next stop: Thailand!

Whether you've always wanted to visit Thailand or it's part of a wanderlust phase, you'll want the best travel experience possible. Even if you decide that Nok Air isn't the airline for you, make sure you have a solid itinerary and plans in place to ensure a hassle-free and enjoyable trip.