# Flights to Thailand and getting around the country

Source: https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/living/flights-and-getting-around
Updated: 2026-11-14
Publisher: Thailand Property Investor (Omnia Capital Group)

## The short answer

Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport is the main gateway, with flights from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Amsterdam, Helsinki, the Gulf hubs and Australia. Phuket has its own long-haul services from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul and Paris, and from London and Scandinavia in winter. Domestic flights link Bangkok to Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai. Koh Samui can also be reached by a 90-minute ferry. Hua Hin and Pattaya are reached by road.

## Key points

- Suvarnabhumi handled 62.9 million passengers in 2025 and is about 25 km from central Bangkok.
- Phuket International handled 17.5 million passengers in 2025 and has flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul and Paris.
- Koh Samui's airport is privately owned and operated by Bangkok Airways, which flies nearly all of its routes.
- Hua Hin had no international flights as of July 2026, and Pattaya's U-Tapao airport is small, so both depend on the road from Bangkok.
- Drive on your home licence together with a 1968 International Driving Permit, and treat motorcycles as the main road risk.

Most foreign owners reach Thailand through Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, which has long-haul flights from Europe, the Gulf and Australia, and then take a short domestic flight or a car. Phuket is the exception: it has its own long-haul services, so owners there can often avoid Bangkok altogether. How easily you can reach a property affects how often you use it and who will rent it, so access belongs in the buying decision.

## Bangkok: the main gateway

Suvarnabhumi (BKK) handled 62.9 million passengers in 2025 and is about 25 km from central Bangkok. Don Mueang (DMK), in the north of the city, is used by low-cost carriers for domestic flights.

Long-haul routes into Suvarnabhumi in November 2026 include:

| From | Airlines |
| --- | --- |
| London | British Airways, EVA Air, Norse Atlantic (seasonal) |
| Paris | Air France |
| Frankfurt and Munich | Condor, Lufthansa |
| Zurich and Vienna | Swiss, Austrian, EVA Air |
| Amsterdam | KLM, EVA Air |
| Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo | Finnair, SAS (seasonal), Norse Atlantic (seasonal) |
| Rome | ITA Airways |
| Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh | Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Riyadh Air |
| Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth | Qantas, Jetstar |
| Vancouver | Air Canada |
| Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo | Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, ANA, Japan Airlines |

Thai Airways flies many of these routes too. Routes change each season, so confirm before you plan around one. Our [buyer guides by country](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/buyers) cover the journey from the [United Kingdom](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/buyers/united-kingdom), [Germany](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/buyers/germany), [France](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/buyers/france), [Australia](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/buyers/australia), [Singapore](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/buyers/singapore), [Hong Kong](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/buyers/hong-kong) and the [United Arab Emirates](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/buyers/united-arab-emirates).

## Phuket: long-haul without Bangkok

Phuket International (HKT) handled 17.5 million passengers in 2025. It is at the north end of the island, 32 km from Phuket Town and closest to [Mai Khao](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/phuket/mai-khao), [Layan](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/phuket/layan) and [Bang Tao](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/phuket/bang-tao).

Long-haul and hub services include Emirates from Dubai, Etihad from Abu Dhabi, Turkish Airlines from Istanbul, Air France from Paris, and Aeroflot from Moscow and other Russian cities. Winter brings seasonal flights from London with TUI and Virgin Atlantic, from Zurich with Edelweiss, and from Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen. Regional links include Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Shanghai, Delhi and Tel Aviv.

For a European or Gulf-based owner of a home in [Phuket](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/phuket), that means one connection or none.

## The other airports

- **Koh Samui (USM).** Built, owned and operated by Bangkok Airways, which flies to both Bangkok airports, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, U-Tapao, Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Scoot also serves Singapore. With one dominant carrier there is little fare competition. See [Koh Samui](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/koh-samui).
- **Krabi (KBV).** 3.05 million passengers in 2025. Domestic flights to both Bangkok airports, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui. Regional flights to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Dubai, Sharjah and Delhi, with seasonal winter services from Abu Dhabi, Helsinki and Copenhagen. See [Krabi](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/krabi).
- **Chiang Mai (CNX).** 9.5 million passengers in 2025. Flights to both Bangkok airports, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui and Hua Hin. International routes are mainly regional, including Taipei, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, with Etihad to Abu Dhabi. See [Chiang Mai](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/chiang-mai).
- **U-Tapao (UTP), for Pattaya.** About 45 minutes south of the city. It handled 370,210 passengers in the year to September 2024, and Bangkok Airways flies to Koh Samui and Phuket. First-phase expansion began in November 2025.
- **Hua Hin (HHQ).** 63,230 passengers in 2025. Thai AirAsia flies to Chiang Mai and EZY Airlines to Phuket, Hat Yai and Surat Thani. There were no international flights as of July 2026.

## By road and rail

[Pattaya](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/pattaya) is about 120 km from Suvarnabhumi on Motorway 7, and the airport bus takes about 1.5 hours.

[Hua Hin](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/hua-hin) is 199 km from Bangkok by road. Allow about three hours from the airport, and longer on holiday weekends. The train took 3 hours 33 minutes on the 2019 timetable, and double-tracking of the southern line was planned to shorten that.

A high-speed railway linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao is under construction and has been delayed. Do not rely on an opening date.

## Ferries

Koh Samui is linked to the mainland by ferries from Don Sak, in Surat Thani province. Raja Ferry crosses to Lipa Noi pier in 1.5 hours for a passenger fare of THB 210, and also sells combined tickets from Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat airports. Seatran sails from Don Sak to Nathon.

Passenger boats in Thailand have sunk or collided, sometimes with fatalities. Overloading, poor maintenance and rough monsoon seas are the usual causes. Use the larger operators and avoid crossings in bad weather. Our [climate and seasons](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/living/climate-and-seasons) guide shows when each coast is rough.

## Driving

Traffic drives on the left. Visitors should carry their national licence and the 1968 version of the International Driving Permit, obtained before travel. Residents can apply for a Thai licence using their home licence, as explained in [banking and daily life](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/living/banking-and-daily-life). Check that your insurance covers the vehicle you are driving, because driving without a valid licence can invalidate a policy.

Motorcycles are the serious risk. Thailand ranks among the deadliest countries in the world for motorcycle fatalities. Helmets are a legal requirement, and many scooters hired out in tourist areas are unregistered. For a family, a car is the sensible choice. Purchase and fuel costs are in [cost of living](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/living/cost-of-living).

## Access and the choice of area

Count the journey door to door. A villa near Phuket airport can be reached from Dubai or Istanbul in one flight. A villa in Hua Hin means a long-haul flight and about three hours by road. Neither is wrong, but they suit different owners and different tenants. The [area matchmaker](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/tools/area-matchmaker) lets you weight access against everything else.

## Questions

### Can I fly direct to Phuket from Europe?

Yes. Air France from Paris and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul fly all year. Winter services include TUI and Virgin Atlantic from London, Edelweiss from Zurich and Scandinavian carriers. Emirates and Etihad connect through Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Check current schedules, since seasonal routes change each year.

### How do I get to Koh Samui?

Fly with Bangkok Airways from Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Singapore, Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur. The alternative is to fly to Surat Thani or Nakhon Si Thammarat and take a ferry from Don Sak, a crossing of about 90 minutes.

### Can I drive in Thailand on my home licence?

Carry your national licence together with the 1968 version of the International Driving Permit. Residents can apply for a Thai licence using their home licence. Traffic drives on the left.

### How far is Pattaya from Bangkok's airport?

About 120 km by road from Suvarnabhumi on Motorway 7. The airport bus takes about 1.5 hours.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia, Suvarnabhumi Airport (airlines, destinations, passengers)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnabhumi_Airport)
- [Wikipedia, Phuket International Airport (airlines, destinations, passengers)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phuket_International_Airport)
- [Wikipedia, Samui Airport (operator and destinations)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samui_Airport)
- [Wikipedia, Krabi International Airport (airlines, destinations, passengers)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krabi_International_Airport)
- [Wikipedia, Chiang Mai International Airport (airlines, destinations, passengers)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Mai_International_Airport)
- [Wikipedia, U-Tapao International Airport (routes and expansion)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-Tapao_International_Airport)
- [Wikipedia, Hua Hin Airport (routes and 2025 passengers)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hua_Hin_Airport)
- [Wikipedia, Hua Hin district (road distance and rail times)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hua_Hin_district)
- [Wikipedia, Pattaya (road distances and transport)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattaya)
- [Raja Ferry Port, routes and fares](https://www.rajaferryport.com/)
- [Seatran Ferry, routes](https://www.seatranferry.com/)
- [UK Government, Thailand travel advice, safety and security](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/safety-and-security)