The main international airport in Thailand is Suvarnabhumi Airport based at Bangkok. This is a busy airport and was originally intended to replace the old airport at Don Muang, although air traffic became so heavy that the old airport was reopened and is used to deal with overflow traffic. The airport at Chiang Mai also accepts some international flights and it is also now possible to fly directly to Phuket from some European cities without the need for a change at Bangkok.

There are several airlines operating in and around Thailand. Thai Airways International is the national airline, Bangkok Airways and Air Asia are two of the other airlines which work across Thailand but other international airlines also have regular flights to the country from all over the world and these numbers are being added to all the time, as Bangkok becomes an increasingly popular destination to visit.

All major cities in Asia including Kuala Lumpur and Singapore offer direct flights to Bangkok. From Australia flights are available to Thailand from Sydney and Melbourne via airlines Qantas and Thai Airways. Jetstar has also increased the number of flights from Australia to Thailand in recent years. The same applies to those who are travelling from New Zealand. Those who are flying from Canada can use Air Canada, Cathay Pacific and a number of different US-based airlines and direct flights are available from a number of Canadian cities.

European travellers have many options available to them. Most countries have direct flights to Thailand from at least one airport in the country and several European airlines make regular trips there, including British Airways. Those who are flying between London and Bangkok will find that there are many flight options although the vast majority include a stopover in another country. The average flight time from London to Bangkok is around 11 and a half hours.

From the US it is often the case that tickets for flying from the west coast of America are cheaper than those from the east coast. Many airlines make the trip to Thailand from the US including China Airlines and a number of US-based airlines. From New York the flight time is around 20 hours, although this can be as high as 25 with a connection.

From Los Angeles the flight time on a direct flight can be as short as 17 hours although it can again be as high as 25 with a connection. There are no budget airlines which make regular flights to Thailand, although it is possible to find reasonably priced tickets for the major airlines if you are prepared to shop around.

When arriving at Bangkok’s international airport there are several options available for those who need to take public transport into the city. There is a shuttle bus service which is free to both passengers and airport/airline staff. This takes you from the terminal to the transport centre so you can meet a standard bus or take a taxi onwards. The airport’s taxi ranks are on Level 1 and there are strict regulations on the taxis which are being used at the airport. These include the age of the vehicle and compulsory certification from the Airports of Thailand organisation. The public bus service runs around the clock and there is a bus terminal at the Transport Centre. Bus fare is a standard fee of 35 THB and these can take you right into the heart of Bangkok or the surrounding areas. Details of the routes available are on the airport website.

There are several car hire outlets at each of the major airports within Thailand. Most of these are internationally known names such as Budget and Avis, although there are some local care hire firms in operation too. At Bangkok’s airport the car hire outlets are situated in the Transport Centre along with the bus terminal.

Useful Resources

Bangkok International Airport (Suvarnabhumi)
www.bangkokairportonline.com
Tel: + 66 2132 1888

Chiang Mai International Airport
www.chiangmaiairportonline.com

Air Asia
www.airasia.com
Tel: +66 2515 9999

Bangkok Airways
www.bangkokair.com
Tel: +66 2265 5555

Thai Airways International
www.thaiair.com
Tel: + 66 2232 8000

Thaicarhire.com
www.thaicarhire.com

Budget Car Hire Thailand
www.budget.co.th
Tel: + 66 2203 9222

Avis Car Hire Thailand
www.avisthailand.com
Tel: + 66 2251 1131-2
Email: rev@avisthailand.com