JamesA

Firefly is adding some very interesting routes out of Singapore, for those going through Singapore and Malaysia these could be 'interesting'
Firefly is a budget airline using ATR-72 turbo-props
Started on the SIN (Budget terminal )to KL ( Subang ) route 6 x daily, also starting this month from SIN to Ipoh, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, from September SIN to Malacca /Melaka, so these could interest those looking for short side-trips from SIN
Laster this year they plan Kota Bahru and Alor Setar.
They also do routes such as Penang-Phuket and KL-Samui
http://www.fireflyz.com.my/
I haven't flown on them yet, I think Michael or others have.

JamesA

Do note those flight sare to Subang not KLIA

Lee

I am interested in the cheapest way to fly to the Maldives from SFO or western US with possible interesting stopovers enroute. Would you suggest using this carrier?

Cat12345

Subang is closer to downtown KL than KLIA.

Kathie

Lee, I don't believe Firefly flies to the Maldives.

I just checked their website and unless I'm missing something, it doesn't appear to fly there.

Bangkok AIr, a boutique airline, has recently started flying from Bangkok to Male.

www.bangkokair.com

JamesA

They don't fly to the Maldives.

From SFO probably your fastest same carrier one stop service would be Emirates, SFO-DXB-MLE, that'as daily non stop SFO to Dubai and then between 2 and 3 flights daily from Dubai to Male ( Madlives ), all wide body flights, PTVs etc etc.

More interesting route though would be westbound Singapore Airlines via Singapore to Male. That gives you 'one airline' all the way.
That gives you the chance to see other places in the area and good stopover opportunities.

JamesA

Bangkok Airways flights from Bangkok to Male are only a few times per week, it's not a cheap route.

You could do Maldives and then add Sri Lanka which should not be expensive, Sri Lanka very different from Maldives, Emirates can do SFO-DXB(Dubai)-MLE-CMB (Colombo Sri Lanka )-DXB-SFO routing.
Singapore Airlines hub through Singapore would though give more options if your interested were Southeast Asia as various budget carriers with cheap options.
These may interest
http://www.tigerairways.com
http://www.jetstar.com
http://www.airasia.com
http://www.fireflyz.com.my
http://www.singaporeair.com
http://www.emirates.com

Kathie - it's on their Discovery Pass now but US$ 160 o/way ( also Xi'an )

Kathie

As a part of Bangkok Air's Discovery Pass it's a real deal!

Bushranger

" I am interested in the cheapest way to fly to the Maldives from SFO or western US with possible interesting stopovers enroute. Would you suggest using this carrier? "

Lee,
You may want to look at http://www.flychinaeastern.us/ctva78...BB5F9B5CC7F8A8 for about US$800 ret LA/Shanghai and then a cheapie down to Hongkong or Macau as Tiger Airways [subsidiary of Singapore Airlines] do Macau to Singapore as may Airasia too.
If need be you can also ferry between HK and Macau.

Then use cheapest out of Singapore or Bangkok to Male [another cheapie to BK if need be]
There's plenty of budget airlines about, more popping up all the time but also you need to be aware of dodgy bros types.

I'd stick with Tiger, Airasia, Bangkok [Thai Airways] and do not know if fireflyz have an affiliation with anyone or not.

www.attitudetravel.com is a good site for finding cheapies wherever.

Lee

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have a lot of research to do!!

JamesA

The only airline with direct flights between Singapore and Maldives in Singapore Airlines ( I think daily but you would need to check ), buying just that sector would be very expensive.

The only airline with direct flights between Bangkok and Maldives is Bangkok Airways, a couple of times per week.

Connections from Singapore and Bangkok to Maldives over Colombo Sri Lanka with Srilankan an option but takes a long time.