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Is Flying Business Class to Asia Worth it?


by @iamjamesrodgers 8yr  | 10 comments

Flying soon from Toronto YYZ to ICN Seoul so, most likely Asiana but maybe Korean Air.

Read a few of the websites/blog post reviews for both Airlines -Seems nice. First/Suite Class seems a little bit lacking in value proposition for me. But feel like Iโ€™m kind of at a point in life where I want to fly upgraded just to have an experience with it.

But from your experience as a nomad is it really worth doing?
โ€ฆ Maybe Iโ€™ve been home for too long haha.

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You should look into buying points and then using points for Business Class - the raw $ advantage can really be worth it ($2500 in points can equal a $5000 ticket).

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Also, business class fares originating in the US are ridiculously priced. You can get way better business class fares originating from Asia or Europe.

For example, an NYC->Barcelona->NYC itinerary might cost $3000++ but the same itinerary in reverse: BCN->NYC->BCN might cost around $1500. Pretty nuts the way this arbitrage works.

Iโ€™m never going to spend $4k on a biz fare if the economy costs $400. But if I can get business for up to 2-3x economy on a 8 hour+ trip I might consider it. Still, the price difference is hard to justify for a few hours of extra comfort. Thatโ€™s what makes this a tough decision.

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@dvc 8yr

Bit of a tough question to answer meaningfully because โ€œis X worth the money?โ€ is usually a matter of opinion. Hereโ€™s my opinion: Iโ€™ll usually fly business (or US domestic First) if itโ€™s within ~125-150% of the price of economy, which means Iโ€™m probably in economy around 90% of my flights and business/US domestic First the other 10%. Iโ€™m young and fairly resilient, and, no matter what class youโ€™re in, youโ€™re still suck in a seat; other things equal, Iโ€™d rather pay for a shorter flight or one at a better time of day than for a more comfortable seat, especially at the premium normally asked for business class.

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Following up

Well - I pulled the trigger with it and am quite happy to have the experience under my belt.

I realized what @dvc said:
โ€œIโ€™ll usually fly business (or US domestic First) if itโ€™s within ~125-150% of the price of economy.โ€

IMO Is probably the most realistic evaluation on the whole situation if you are flying more than 5-6 times per year.

(I didnโ€™t realize that my flight was infact only 134% more until well after I landed)

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I donโ€™t think itโ€™s worth the 5K+ price tag unless you have 30K+ monthly income and donโ€™t fly frequently. To me, I am skinny and I sleep on the airplane so I donโ€™t really mind the small space or the person sitting next me (as long as he/she is normal and polite).

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If money isnโ€™t tight, I think business class is the way to go. If you need to stay on a budget, but still need comfort, do some research and plan wisely. Iโ€™ve flown from the US to Thailand 8 times. The first was regular economy (didnโ€™t pick the seat dooh!) and it was a horrible experience. The second time, I wanted to spring for business or first class, but was shocked by the pricesโ€ฆ Most economy flights were in the $900-$1,500 range. First was in the $12,000-$15,000 range, and business was in the $5,000-$7,000 range. After much shopping around and moving dates around, I settled on business class with China Airlines for $4,200ish. It was nice to stretch out and it was a much better experience, but I donโ€™t think it was worth $4k. Over the course of a few years, and 6 more flights, I refined a nice balance of comfort, and price. What works for me is: good airline (late model plane, with good seating arrangement and tilt.) economy plus or comparable, aisle seat, emergency exit or bulkhead preferable, bathroom nearby, 2-4 hour layover leaves ample time for connecting, walking, stretching, eating etc., do plenty of stretching on plane, good quality neck cushion and earplugs, time flight to Asia arriving around midnight local time so that you are beat when getting to hotel and go right to sleep on local time. Anyway, thats my .02

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@pashley 8yr

I have a friend who is huge, built like a lineman in American football; he finds going business class essential for every flight. Another friend found that for one flight where he needed a lot of baggage โ€“ an international long-term move โ€“ it was not much more to go business class than fly economy & pay for excess baggage.

Another way to make a long trip more bearable is to break it up. e.g. instead of direct Toronto-Seoul, add in a day or two in Vancouver.

Smokers with long flights should carry nicotine gum,

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@kathrynoh 8yr

Nicotine gum is worse than smoking withdrawal! I use an inhaler (not an e-cig) for nicotine emergencies.

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@kathrynoh 8yr

Itโ€™s worth doing at least once so you know what youโ€™re missing out on :smile:

I used to fly business & first class when I didnโ€™t pay for it myself but now Iโ€™m too cheap. But I find it next to impossible to get work done in economy because itโ€™s so cramped and it does take longer to get over the flight.

When I fly Air Asia and other airlines that have the option, I will pay extra to get an empty seat beside me. That way I can spread out and relax, although the planes are designed so those damn armrests never fold up completely.

Other than the space, the other advantages of the front of the plane donโ€™t really help me - fancy food and extra luggage arenโ€™t worth the expense for me.

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If you find economy very uncomfortable and wonโ€™t miss the money, then yes.

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Read and participate in 14,117 discussions on Nomad List

Suggested topics

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Anybody bring their car to Mexico instead of flying?


in Mexico by @digitaldiva 4yr 4 years ago  | 2 comments

Iโ€™m curious whether anyone drove to Mexico instead of flying and used their car down there. Iโ€™ve heard bad stories of people driving down there but not sure I believe them. How safe is it to drive through rural areas, and to park in cities? It would be cool to have the car to explore while there.

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Best place in South East Asia to live for 6+ months per year


in Indonesia by @miklaskroager 4yr 4 years ago  | 1 comment

We're looking for a country in South East Asia that can function as our base, mainly for tax purposes. Meaning it will have to be a place where we can stay for the 183 days required without too much hassle.

We've been looking at Thailand, but have heard that it's very hard to do visa runs etc., so what other can you recommend? Indonesia looked like a good option, but the income rate is a flat 20% and very high for the region.

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What are the best blogs by individuals who have started businesses in Southeast Asia?


in Thailand by @haiducii 4yr 4 years ago  | 0 comments

Hey everyone,

Looking for blogs by individuals who document their progress/business in South East Asia - ideally Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos - but also Thailand/Myanmar too.

Thank you,

Haiducci

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I dream of being a digital nomad? How do I do it?


by @programmingmark 4yr 4 years ago  | 2 comments

Hello digital nomad!

I dream of being an independent digital nomad. But it feels very elusive & unattainable with my success rate. In full disclosure, whilst I have dreamed about making money online since high school; I have not earned a single cent making money online. $0, nada, zilch!! On the contrary, I have spent a lot of time & money on books, podcasts. Even though I have spent a lot of time reading/listening to others, I do not have anything to show for it!

I have made attempts in the past to start an online business, but these fizzle out quite quickly when I do not see traction especially when the goal I have set myself is too high.

Instead of reaching for the ultimate nomadic lifestyle goal, I want to start much smaller. Really small! I am simply looking to make $50 profit per month from a new online business. Thatโ€™s it.

I need some advice from you please!

  • Is $50 profit too low? How long did it take you to earn $50 profit per month?

  • What is a good way of achieving this goal?

Thanks
Mark
aka the $0 online business entrepreneur

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Should we go to South East Asia or Latin America with kids?


by @nomad4 5yr 5 years ago  | 2 comments

Hi guys!

Weโ€™re leaving on Dec 1st for a 5-month DN experience with our kids, but we have second thoughts on our journey. We were supposed to do a trip in South-East Asia (Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia). Weโ€™re from Canada, and our clients are all in Canada right now (weโ€™re digital marketing consultants).

After comparing destinations, weโ€™re starting the think Latin America may be a better choice to make sure we keep most of our clients during these 5 months (same timezone). Also, it seems Latin America fits our needs too :

  • cheap (actually often cheaper than Chiang Mai according to Numbeo)
  • great weather (sunny while less hot than Asia)
  • business continuity : good wifi connection, limited time difference
  • learning opportunity : one single language = great opportunity to improve our Spanish
  • relaxed pace of life
  • kid-friendly
  • relatively safe (see countries below)

So here are our 2 options ; which one would you recommend for our criteria?

A: SEA : Thailand (Chiang Mai and a couple islands in the South), Indonesia (Bali and Lombok), Malaysia (Penang)
B: Latin America : Mexico (Playa Del Carmen/Tulum), Colombia (Medellin), Peru (Lima and other TBD towns), Chile (Santiago and other TBD towns), Argentina (Buenos Aires and other TBD towns).

Thanks!

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Which places in South East Asia are suitable for kids?


by @nomad4 5yr 5 years ago  | 3 comments

Hi everybody,

weโ€™re a family of 4 from Canada (Quebec province) leaving to Thailand on December 1st.
Our plan is to take things slowly and live in a peaceful environment while working a little and doing homeschooling to our 6-year-old son (plus escaping Canadian-cold winter :smile:)

This is roughly what our plan would look like:

  • arriving in Bangkok, staying there for about a week (air bnb probably)
  • moving to Chiang Mai then Krabi (most likely Ao Nang, Ao Tha Lane, Railay) or Koh Pha Ngan (North part) or Koh Chang (2-3 months)
  • then Indonesia (Bali/Gili islands) (1,5 months)
  • And Malaysia (Batu Ferengi, Penang) to finish (1 month)

Weโ€™re not city dwellers, and love being surrounded by nature.
Knowing that, what would be the best places for a family who want something quiet, walkable and with reliable Internet service?

Thanks! :slight_smile:
Magali and Guillaume

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Recommendations for UK/Scotland accountants that understand remote businesses?


by @eduardoyi 5yr 5 years ago  | 1 comment

Looking for recommendations for reliable accountants who understand how remote businesses with off-shore freelancers and clients work. Thanks!

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What's the best place to incorporate an online business?

 

by @octave 5yr 5 years ago  | 63 comments

I have an commerce website. We get around 1000 orders per month and this is going to get quite a bit bigger in next few years.

I am British. I live in Thailand.
Im not allowed to majority own a Thai business and small foreign entrepreneurs are not really welcome. So i need an offshore company.

I need PayPal and an ecommerce internet merchant account. Also looking at alternatives like worldpay. 2checkout etc

Does PayPal need me to be a resident to the country i register my account to? Are there complications being a non resident to get other payment solutions?

Apparently in Hong Kong you need 2 years trading history to get an Internet Mechant Account and they generally turn their noses up at those with less than $1m(us) a year turn over. Singapore seems a bit easier.

I really want to avoid paperwork and book keeping. I hate it.

So i was looking at Seychelles, Panama, BVI, Belize.

Does anyone have experience with payment providers in these countries?

Most nomads i see donโ€™t really have a high volume of small monthly transactions which i do. Im going around in circles and donโ€™t know where to start.

Ill also need a bank account for business and a personal bank account to pay my salary into

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Nomad volleyball hubs, know of one? (Asia)


by @brmolin 5yr 5 years ago  | 2 comments

Hey all! Planning to head to Southeast Asoa later this year and Iโ€™m looking for a place thatโ€™s got a good community of people who play beach volleyball. Iโ€™m in Medellin at the moment and joined up with a community of locals and expats who play a few times a week and Iโ€™ve gotta say Iโ€™ve quickly fallen in love with the game!

I want to find a place thatโ€™s got a good community I can play and practice with somewhere down there. Mix of locals and expats are both fine, though ideally thereโ€™s at least a few expats so I can communicate with at least one person in the same language! Iโ€™m open to indoor volleyball too, though I know thatโ€™s much less common (especially amongst nomads).

Appreciate any direction yaโ€™ll can give!

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Foreigner owned Coworking business in Malaysia


in Malaysia by @newyam 5yr 5 years ago  | 0 comments

Heyo folks! The idea to open up an own coworking space in Malaysia has been on my mind for quite a while and I would like to reach out on foreigners being a business owner/co working space owner in Malaysia, there are a lot of questions that would follow up but most importantly is to reach out to someone with experience.

Ideally would be someone who runs a coworking space in Malaysia, second best would be to just come in touch with a foreign business owner in Malaysia.
Cheers
Yamin

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Is there a US bank for easily creating new business checking accounts remotely?

 

by @tylertringas 5yr 5 years ago  | 23 comments

Every accountant is going to tell you that you really should be keeping separate accounts for all your businesses and even projects that may one day become businesses. But in my experience setting up a new account associated with an actual business entity is a pretty annoying process involving an in-person visit to a bank branch, proof of residence in that branchโ€™s region, etc. Has anybody seen a bank that letโ€™s you easily create a simple business checking account online and more importantly that would let you add additional accounts and transfer funds between them?

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How do you manage your location independent business as a Nomad Entrepreneur?


by @vzablocky 6yr 6 years ago  | 3 comments

Iโ€™d like to invite nomad entrepreneurs in this topic to discuss what are the challenges you face in filing taxes, insurance and banking complications, while travelling and running your business remotely.

Please share your thoughts! I would be happy to help!

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Where in Asia should I go?


by @bovanalst 6yr 6 years ago  | 3 comments

Hi there,

Glad to be part of the digital nomad community.

Originally from the Netherlands, I lived in Madrid for two years and have been living in Melbourne since July 2017. Although I am used to living abroad and working from home, the digital nomad lifestyle is new to me.

I recently decided to explore Asia starting from July/August this year, and am wondering what your thoughts and experiences are. I am thinking of staying about a month in each place. Bali, Chiang Mai and Vietnam are on my mind.

I enjoy a balance between fun and tranquility/nature. I very much enjoy socializing with people, but I prefer good talks in a chilled environment over going out in nightclubs. Any ideas which cities/environment might be suitable?

Thanks in advance for your advice :slight_smile:

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Do you have time zone issues working remotely in Asia?


by @anniestrout 6yr 6 years ago  | 1 comment

Regarding remote work in Asia/Far East, How have or could you successfully navigate the time zone and internet issue. It sounds like you really have to use a cowork space there to have adequate connection but I would be working mainly in US time zones with 12 hour difference, are there spaces open 24 hours? Is it possible to get good internet with a long term rental instead? I would need a really good connection, which itโ€™s hard to tell if exists in some places at all. Thanks!

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I've got where 8 days to get from Tallinn to London - where should I visit?


in Tallinn , Estonia by @kaizenpreneur 6yr 6 years ago  | 3 comments

Iโ€™m heading to Tallinn next month to pick up my e-residency. Iโ€™ve built some time into my schedule, giving me 8 days or so to get from Tallinn to London for a meeting.

Looking for ideas on what route to take / places to visit or if there any good DN locations on-route.

One of my current ideas is to travel to Stockholm and take the train down to Copenhagen and then potentially the train down to Hamburg before train/fly to London.

But Iโ€™m open to suggestions and happy to fly or train it.

Thanks in advanceโ€ฆ

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Are there cards similar to the APEC Business Travel Card that Europeans are eligible for?


by @dpt 7yr 7 years ago  | 3 comments

I heard from an American friend that he has several cards similar to the APEC Business Travel Card (link to Wikipedia ) that allow him to get priority treatment at immigration line in certain countries.
I was very intrigued and quickly checked up on the card, but it seems to be only available to citizens of APEC-member nations.

I was wondering if anyone here uses such cards, what your experiences with them are (specifically, Iโ€™m interested in cards available for Europeans/Germans).

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Do I need vaccinations for traveling in Asia?


by @fredrivett 7yr 7 years ago  | 6 comments

Iโ€™ve been looking to travel for a few years now, and Iโ€™m finally at the point where Iโ€™m pretty much ready to get going, hopefully next month.

That said, Iโ€™ve not planned ahead well, and it only just occurred to me about vaccinations. Iโ€™ve done a bit of research and there are vaccinations available, but Iโ€™m unsure how necessary they are.

I plan to chat to my local nurse/doctor before going, but Iโ€™m also interested to hear whether most people do vaccinate at all before heading out or not?

In terms of specifics, Iโ€™m planning to fly to Japan and then move south, likely hitting up Thailand, Bali, Vietnam etc.

Not expecting any official health advice here, more just personal experience. Any thoughts appreciated :+1:

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Kindergarten experience for DN families. Know a worth-considering place?


by @alexku 7yr 7 years ago  | 1 comment

Hey guys. At the moment I and my wife have two sons - 4 and 1.5 yo. We spent 5 months in 7 Asian countries last winter. Lack of kindergarten was the number one problem. Thatโ€™s the only one reason that stops nomading all the time.
This time weโ€™d like to do the same on another continent. Weโ€™re thinking about Latin America or Africa. We need a good kindergarten and beautiful safe place with good warm weather.
Ideal scenario - Montessori preschool in not too dry but green place with the temperature about 23-30ยฐC/70-90ยฐF.
Could you please share your experience or the useful information from the friends or relatives?

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How do I open a business account in Hong Kong? Proof of business?


in Hong Kong by @omar 7yr 7 years ago  | 6 comments

Hello guys, I was wondering if anyone had any experience in opening a business bank account in Hong Kong. Iโ€™m getting all the paperwork ready to incorporate in Seychelles and open the bank account but the agency that is helping me says Hong Kong bankers are getting more picky. They are asking me for business โ€˜proofโ€™ since iโ€™ve always ran my sites as an individual I wonder if just proof of payment from ad networks is enough. If you have any advice it would be much welcomed.

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Bring external monitor to SE asia and avoid coworking cost?


by @anderkd 7yr 7 years ago  | 13 comments

Would it be advisable or wacky to lug an external monitor from the US in hopes of avoiding coworking costs by working from Airbnb with decent wifi? Iโ€™m not sold on coworking spaces, and like the solitude of coding away in my own little airbnb space. One screen is limiting to productivity, hence the love of an external monitor. Thoughts?

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