PATTAYA, Thailand – Air travel across Thailand has surged ahead of the 2026 New Year holiday, with passenger numbers climbing steadily throughout December, prompting the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the Ministry of Transport to expand seat capacity and lower fares to support public travel.
As of Dec. 21, about 479,979 passengers had passed through Thai airports, including roughly 208,040 domestic travelers and 271,939 international passengers, bringing traffic close to pre-pandemic levels. Passenger volumes are expected to peak between Dec. 27 and Jan. 4. On international routes, travel between Thailand and China reached about 19,852 passengers, around 75 percent of pre-COVID levels, while arrivals from India totaled 10,616, exceeding pre-pandemic figures by about 10 percent.
Domestic travel also remained strong, with Don Mueang Airport handling about 63,981 passengers per day, followed by Suvarnabhumi with around 36,499, and Chiang Mai and Phuket airports each serving close to 20,000 passengers per day.
To accommodate the surge, CAAT arranged 66 special flights, adding 11,312 seats on routes connecting Bangkok with Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Trang, and Samui. Airlines have also reduced fares by 30 percent from the maximum ceiling, offering 36,620 discounted seats across 202 flights on 11 routes, including services from Bangkok to Hat Yai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Phuket, Chumphon, and other major destinations.
Supporting agencies have taken additional steps, with Airports of Thailand cutting landing and parking charges by 30 percent for participating flights, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand lowering air navigation service fees for domestic special flights through Jan. 4, and the Department of Airports extending operating hours to manage increased traffic. Travelers are advised to plan ahead, buy tickets directly from airlines, and remain flexible with travel dates to secure the best available fares. (NNT)
