Thai Airways Royal Orchid
Thai Airways Royal Orchid program is a basic frequent flyer program that is perfect for anyone who regularly embarks on Asian travel. The program provides members with hundreds of opportunities to build up points on every day purchases, and the airline comes very highly recommended.
About Thai Airways
Thai Airways is the national airline of Thailand. The airline has a focus on collaboration in order to improve customer experiences; Thai Airways is one of the founding members of the Star Alliance network, the largest airline alliance in the world. This means that customers can benefit from flying with Thai Airways when they later travel with any of the other airlines in the Star Alliance. A relatively young airline (its first flight took place in 1960), Thai Airways has a small fleet of 91 aircraft, with 11 more on order.
Perhaps this intimacy has led to Thai Airway’s excellent reputation for customer care. In 2006, Skytrax awarded Thai Airways International as the airline with the World’s Best Cabin Staff, as well as the Best Airline in the World. In 2007, Skytrax recognised Thai Airways as second in the Airline of the Year category as well. Additionally, Skytrax named Thai Airways’ First Class lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport as the World’s Best First Class Lounge in 2009. As well as all these accolades, Thai Airways has received awards from the World Health Organisation for the high standard of its inflight hygiene measures.
Thai Airways Flights
Thai Airways’ hub is Suvarnabhumi Airport, and the airline has strong connections with Chang Mai and Phuket. The airline’s flight path network is well-developed around Thailand, but also runs a non-stop flight from Bangkok to Los Angeles. So, this is the ideal airline for someone who regularly travels to Thailand, or perhaps is planning a backpacking trip around the country. It is even a great choice for someone who regularly flies to the United States and breaks the journey in Thailand, as the opportunities to earn points with this airline are good and its Thai flights are the most regular.
Entitlement
There are three levels to membership of the Royal Orchid program. These are Entry Level, Silver and Gold. Each level entitles a member to different benefits with Thai Airways and its partners. With Entry Level status, members are allowed to collect and redeem miles, and work their way towards Silver status. This means that members can start enjoying the benefits of Thai Airways’ loyalty program early on.
With the second tier status, Silver, members get a personalised membership card and a member’s handbook. On Thai Airways flights they get priority baggage handling and an extra 10kg of baggage allowance, and on Star Alliance airlines, Silver members get priority reservation and airport standby on fully booked flights. On the final level, Gold, members received personalised Gold membership cards, and two luggage tags. On Thai Airways flights, Gold members are entitled to a complimentary round-trip upgrade, guaranteed economy seating, priority reservation and airport standby, and priority check-in, boarding and baggage handling. As well as this, Gold members also get 20kg extra baggage allowance, and access to all airport lounges that display the Star Alliance Gold symbol, for the member and a guest.
Earn Thai Airways Royal Orchid Points
There are two different types of points available with Royal Orchid. Customers gain points which they can redeem on more flights with Thai Airways and Star Alliance partner airlines, as well as qualifying miles, which are miles that count towards moving up a status tier. Members must reach 10,000 qualifying miles within from the date of enrolment until the 31st December in the same year, or 15,000 qualifying miles from the date of enrolment until 31st December in the next calendar year, in order to move up to Silver status. To move up to Gold status, members must earn 50,000 qualifying miles from the date of enrolment until the 31st December in the same year, or 80,000 qualifying miles between the date of enrolment and 31st December of the following year.
Other miles can be redeemed on flights with Thai Airways or upgrades with them, flights with any of the Star Alliance airlines, hotel accommodation, extra baggage, Thai Airway’s shopping, magazines, spas, and catering.
Eligibility
Thai Airways Royal Orchid has very few restrictions on membership. The program is open to anyone aged two years or more, who lives in Thailand or a country in which membership of Royal Orchid is permitted.
