How to Travel to Laos from India?

Laos is the only inland country in southeast Asia. With over a dozen border crossings into Laos, visiting the country has never been easy. To travel to Laos from India, a flight is the most convenient option. However, there are no direct flights to Laos available in India. You can take connecting flights to Laos from India’s major cities, like New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, etc.

Here comes the alternative. Air Asia runs several flights from Thailand or Malaysia to Laos. You can first fly from India to either one of the two countries and then transfer to Laos, which proves to be a more budget option.

A Flight is the Most Convenient Way to travel to Laos from India

Several cities of India, including New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune offer connecting flights to Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, with a stopover(s) in Thailand, Sri Lanka, etc.

Kolkata - Bangkok - Vientiane

Kolkata, also known as Calcutta, is one of India’s largest cities. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport of Kolkata runs connecting flights to Vientiane, Laos.

With a cost of around 110 US dollars, the flight run by Air Asia takes off at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, and lands in Vientiane Wattay International Airport. Flight time takes a total of around 11h 15m, including 2h 30m’s flight time from Kolkata to Bangkok, 7h 35m’s connecting time at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport, and 1h 10m’s flight time from Bangkok to Vientiane.

To fly to Laos from India, the flight from Kolkata to Vientiane is more recommended, with only one stopover in Bangkok and the lowest airfare.

From Kolkata, the connecting flight to Vientiane is more recommended.

New Delhi - Bangkok - Vientiane

Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi serves as the major international aviation hub of India. You can take a connecting flight to Vientiane, Laos here. From New Delhi, the best value flight to Vientiane is run by Thai Airways International, with only one stopover in Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. It takes you about 18h 45m from New Delhi to Vientiane, covering 4h 25m's flight time from New Delhi to Bangkok, 13h 10m's connecting time in Bangkok, and 1h 10m's flight time from Bangkok to Vientiane’s Wattay International Airport. And it costs around 302 US dollars.

There are connecting flights to Vientiane taking off from New Delhi.

Mumbai - Colombo - Bangkok - Vientiane

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is the primary international airport in Mumbai, India. Several connecting flights to Vientiane, Laos are available here. The fastest flight to Vientiane from Mumbai running by Srilankan Airlines takes about 12h 45m, with a cost of $348 dollars. The flight makes two stops at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, which requires a total of around 5 and a half hours.

If you catch the cheaper flight from Mumbai to Vientiane run by SpiceJet, you can get a price at $137 dollars. The flight time takes longer, requiring 28h 20m, with 2 stopovers at Chennai, the fourth largest city of India, and Bangkok.

Pune - Bangalore - Colombo - Bangkok - Vientiane

If you depart from Pune, you can choose the flight run by IndiGo, taking about 22h 30m to Vientiane, Laos. The 3 stopovers at Bangalore, Colombo and Bangkok requires about 14 and a half hours. Ticket price is not cheap, taking about $327 dollars.

A Cheaper Option are Available to Fly to Laos from India

According to many experienced tourists, to get the cheap flights to Vientiane, Laos, you can check Air Asia, where budget alternatives to fly to Laos are available. There is a cheaper option to travel to Laos from India for your reference.

Kolkata - Bangkok - Luang Prabang

As you can see, most flights from India to Laos will make a stop in Bangkok, so actually, you can first fly to Bangkok by yourself, and then transfer to Laos from Bangkok.

Plane from Kolkata to Bangkok lands in Don Mueang International Airport of Bangkok, with 2 and a half hours’ flight time. Airfare requires $57 dollars. From Bangkok to Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage city of Laos, the flight takes 1h 30m, with a price of about $48 dollars.

The flight from Bangkok to Laos is available to direct you to the old town Luang Prabang.

How to get the best price for your flight from India to Laos?

Visiting the Kingdom of Laos tends to be not easy, but also not cheap. As mentioned above, a flight is the most convenient way to travel to Laos from India. Then how to get the best price for the flight from India to Laos? There are some tips to be your money saver.

Book the Flight Seven Weeks in Advance

Do remember not to wait until the last second to book your ticket as airline fares keep rising the closer you get to departure. Don’t book too far in advance either. According to data from the Airlines Reporting Corporation, if you book a flight seven weeks in advance, you will probably get the lowest price, nearly 10% below the average fare.

Book the Flight on Weekdays, Instead of Weekends

Generally, airfare is cheaper at weekdays, thus, you are advised to book your ticket on weekdays, instead of weekends. Friday and Sunday are the most expensive days to fly. Actually, many websites and apps allow you to check the flight prices for a whole month to see what days are cheapest for your departure.

Check Low-cost Airlines

Keep an eye on the low-cost airlines, which will save you a lot of money, for example, Air Asia. If you can’t find the flight information of the budget airlines on some ticketing websites or apps, check the official site of those low-cost airlines.

Air Asia has low-cost flight solution from India to Laos to offer.

Do Not always Fly Direct

Be flexible with not only the dates you depart, but also the destinations you go and the routes you take. For example, as mentioned earlier, there are various departure cities like New Delhi and Kolkata in India, which offer various prices. And “direct flights” from India to Laos proves to be more expensive than non-direct ones.

How to apply for Laos visa for Indians?

Laos issues tourists 30-day visas on arrival at its several major airports and borders, including Vientiane and Luang Prabang, and the Indians’ are of no exception. Visas on arrival cost $30 to 42, available to pay in US dollars or Thai baht cash.

To apply for a Laos tourist visa, you are required to provide a passport with at least 6 months’ validity, a filled visa application form, two passport photos, and the proof of funds amounting to living expenses in Laos.

Also, Indians can apply for Laos eVisa, used for tourism purposes. Simply visit the Laotian Online eVisa website over the internet. With Laos eVisa, you can enter Laos through Vientiane Wattay International Airport, Luang Prabang International Airport, and Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I.

Summary

To travel to Laos from India, we advise you to take a flight, which is actually the most convenient way. However, pay attention that there are no direct flights from India to Laos. From the major cities of India, including New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune, you have several connecting flights to choose from.

The connecting flight from Kolkata to Vientiane, Laos is more recommended, with only one stopover in Bangkok and a low airfare. Except for that, you are advised to fly from Kolkata to Bangkok by yourself, and then catch the flight from Bangkok to Luang Prabang, Laos. Staying for several days in Thailand first and then transfer to Laos to enjoy a wonderful Thailand Laos tour is also a great idea!