Being stuck in Southeast Asia is certainly not the worst problem in the world. But for many European travellers the practical question remains the same: how do you get back to Europe without paying a small fortune for flights from for example Thailand?
Flights home from Southeast Asia are currently starting around €3,000 per person, and often significantly higher. For families that means the total can easily reach €12,000 or more.
Travellers are now looking at alternative routes via places like Seoul, Taipei and Hong Kong and finishing the journey with ferries to get back to Europe without breaking the bank.
Small note: this article was written on a mobile phone while I am still travelling in Southeast Asia, so please forgive any small formatting quirks.
Travellers across Southeast Asia are seeing similar patterns, whether they are flying from Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) or Phuket.
Normally a large share of travellers flying between Southeast Asia and Europe route through major Gulf hubs such as Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi. Tickets on those routes can still be reasonably priced. However, because of the current tensions and conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran and the resulting airspace disruptions, some travellers prefer to avoid routing through that region for the time being.
The bigger issue we noticed during our own ticket search was something else entirely. Many direct flights from Thailand and other South East Asian countries to Europe are currently extremely expensive.
From cities such as Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore we repeatedly saw fares starting at roughly €3,000 per person for direct flights, and often significantly higher.
Prices obviously change quickly, but this was the pattern we repeatedly saw while comparing tickets.
Flights might look manageable when you search for one ticket. But when you travel as a family the maths changes instantly. A €3,000 ticket quickly becomes a €12,000 journey home, and sometimes even more.
Jan Willem van Tilburg – Ferrygogo
For families the multiplier effect is huge. Four tickets at those prices quickly turn into a very serious travel bill.
That is exactly when alternative routing suddenly starts to make much more sense.
One option that still works surprisingly well right now looks like this:
Southeast Asia → East Asia → Europe → ferry home
Example price comparison for a family of four
- Direct flights Southeast Asia → Europe: from roughly €3,000 per person
- Family of four: typically €12,000 or more
- Bangkok → Seoul flights: about €900 total
- Seoul → London flights: about €2,000 total
- Harwich → Hook of Holland ferry cabin: about €350
Total alternative route: roughly €3,250
That is still a lot of money. But compared with €12,000 or more for direct flights it suddenly becomes a much more realistic option.
The East Asia workaround
Instead of flying west via the Gulf region, some travellers are flying north first and then continuing towards Europe.
The most interesting hubs we found during our searches were:
- Seoul
- Taipei
- Hong Kong
- Shanghai
- Beijing
- Helsinki
For us personally, Seoul turned out to be the most practical option.
Flights from Bangkok to Seoul were still available, although prices have increased compared with normal times.
Taipei is another interesting hub to keep an eye on. Taiwan has strong long-haul connections to Europe, and flights there can sometimes be cheaper than direct routes from Southeast Asia.
During our search we also spotted an interesting option from Phuket to Helsinki. The total price was around €5,000 for four people. That is still expensive, but compared with direct flights from Thailand starting around €3,000 per person it suddenly becomes far more realistic.
Arriving in Helsinki also opens up several ferry connections towards mainland Europe, including routes towards Germany and Sweden.
Ferries rarely appear in flight search engines, but they can solve the final leg of the journey surprisingly well.
Our route: Bangkok → Seoul → London → ferry to the Netherlands
After comparing many options, this is the route we eventually booked:
Bangkok → Seoul → London → Harwich → Hook of Holland
The final leg is the overnight ferry between England and the Netherlands.
Harwich – Hook of Holland ferry guide
A family cabin costs roughly €350 and means you arrive the next morning well rested.
Why ferries make sense after long flights
- children do not have to sit in airplane seats for hours
- you can walk around freely
- proper beds in cabins
- restaurants onboard
- fresh air on deck
Smart routes travellers are using to get back to Europe
- Seoul → London → Harwich → Hook of Holland
- Seoul → London → UK ferries to France
- Seoul → London → UK ferries to Spain
- Seoul → Helsinki → Travemünde
- Seoul or Oslo → Kiel
Ferry routes from the UK back to mainland Europe
Ferry to the Netherlands from the UK
Important if travelling via the UK
Final thought
Being stuck in Southeast Asia might not be the worst problem in the world. But getting home without paying €12,000 or more for flights is still something many travellers are trying to figure out.
Sometimes the answer is simply a small detour and a ferry at the end of the trip.
JW (Jan Willem) van Tilburg is one of the co-founders of FerryGoGo, has a passion for food, drink and travel. He loves exploring data and the history of the destinations featured on FerryGoGo, and he’s always curious about the population of each place. He’s also sailed many of the ferry routes between the UK and the continent himself; from Saint-Malo–Portsmouth to overnight crossings such as Portsmouth–Cherbourg and Newcastle–Amsterdam - so his guides are grounded in first-hand experience.
