Planning to go to Bhutan on Dec 22. Would like to use points from a credit card or just use my credit card to pay. Nobody at Druk Air replies to emails. Any other suggestions on getting just the air portion from the USA before i go ?. Maybe wait to i get to Delhi and hope that the flight isnt booked full and do you think they will accept credit cards ?Snow White tours has no clue on how to accomplish this. I also may try calling the overseas office next week but thought id start here. Thanks for your help...

i assume you know that the government has many requirements for all foreign travellers....you may not be able to just book a flight and fly there...

Well cochin, if you're planning on going to Bhutan in December it might pay to get a travel agent who specializes in Bhutan travel.

Because, if you don't do this, you ain't gonna get in.

I'm heading there in three weeks time - it's a complicated proceedure. Don't think for a moment you can just rock up and bum around the country, making it up as you go.

Unless you have a tour lined up, pay the $200 per person a day tax and charge, [which includes a guide and car and hotels and meals - minimum] and plan an itinerary you, as we say in Australia, are stuffed.

Have you thought of doing a search on Google..... ?

Frankly, I think you've run out of time to set this up - but, I guess, miracles can happen.

And whoever, or whatever Snow White Tours are - they shouldn't have a licence if they don't know all this in the first place.

Dogster: snow white tours have repeatedly informed cochin that credit card cannot be used to buy the druk air tickets nor for the tour payment...yet cochin is reluctant on trying it out due to some points cochin can add to his credit card! We have heard that some overseas company also sells druk air tickets but we dont know for sure, which company sells the druk air tickets as it is not our business because that's the job of a druk air to inform the clients. At times its difficult to convince the clients!!!

It's doable but you've got no time to lose. The planes are bigger compared to some years back. If you want to use your credit card then you have to find a local (as in your home country) tour operator who'll of course pass the charges to you. My Bhutan trip was planned about 8 weeks before departure.

bhutanguide: my apologies - I can only go on the information supplied. It can't be much fun being a travel agent.

It sounds like you're off to a great start with your client....

lol dogster!

Wow , i actually feel i have to set the record straight with all this misguided information.I was trying to use points on my credit card to get the air portion taken care of.Im going on a long trip and thought i could use up some of these points and save a few dollars with the airfare. I was trying to use points not trying to accumulate more. Since then i have put the points to work with Jet Air. I had asked snow white tours if i could purchase the ticket myself from the US. With the internet and all you would think there would be a chance or at least i would give it a try.Snow whites reply was and i quote"as for the ticketing i have no clue how you can make a reservation from the USA. We usually book the flight for our clients.They did say i would have to pay for the land portion with the bank transfer. To me that wasent an answer that said you cant.To me it sounded like they had no clue and really didnt have any information to offer me except that they could book it if i couldnt. If they had said you cant book in the US or you cannot use a credit card for the air portion ,it would of been simple, i wouldnt of asked this board and gotten beat up by dogster and bhutanguide(just kidding).Somebody on lonely planet said i could not use a credit card for Druk air. That was the answer i was looking for. Oh Boy i cant wait for the comments.....hopefully nobody really cares

NO CLUE..means because some people have bought the tickets from their country like Australia and US and flew to Bhutan. We dont want to totally mislead our clients by saying that one can't get the tickets from there anyhow because there is some possibility but "dont have any clue" which company in US actually sells the druk air tickets.

so that's where we have quoted "no clue" As for the Bhutan portion we have informed cochin that one can't use credit card. One time Cochin also mentioned that he can buy the tickets from Delhi and that's also possible. When there are some possibilities to work out on his or her own then how can one say its not possible at all?? The only thing is if one doesn't have the information from where to get it then the best is say "no clue" than to mislead the person

I hope the above helps you to clear the misunderstanding cochin!!

Hubby and I are off to Bhutan in 4 weeks. From what I can gather, only the really big travel agencies will accept credit cards and as dogster said, its not a free lunch. I wired Snow White the money for the Druk Air tickets (we're going Bangkok to Paro and then Paro to Delhi). She promptly sent me scans of our tickets. We will show these at the Druk Air desk in Bangkook and pick up our actual tickets.
Dogster, any interest in swapping itineraries and seeing if our paths cross?

Hi Robbietravels,

Clients can use credit card only if one uses the US based travel agents or tour companies who organizes Bhutan trip. But those companies will have to wire the money to their local company in Bhutan some how!!!

Looking forward to see you in Bhutan!

Dogster has just arrived in Kolkata [gasp]

17 days in the Kingdom from Dec 3.All arranged very efficiently so far by Blue poppy Tours [sorry bhutanguide]

3/overland Darjeeling to Phuntsholing
4/drive to Thimpu
5/Thimpu
6/Thimpu to Punakha
7/Punakha/Wangdi/Punakha
8/Punakha to Trongsa
9/Trongsa to Bumthang [anyplace with name like deserves a visit]
10/Bumthang
11/Bumthang/Tang Valley/back to Bum..
12/Bumthang to Gangtey
13/Gangtey
14/Gangti to Wangdi
15/Wangti back to Thimpu
16/Thimpu to Paro
17/Paro
18/Paro
19/Paro to Kathmandu.

Catch me if you can....

Dogster..you dont have to be sorry for me! I wish you all the best and enjoy your trip!

Dogster have a fantastic trip. Can't wait to hear about it.
J

Looking forward to your trip report, dogster!

You lucky dog, 15 days in Bhutan! Can't wait to read about your experiences.