Flights to Thailand land mostly in Bangkok, and direct ones leave from London, Manchester, Australia, Europe and Vancouver, but not from the United States. London to Bangkok takes about 11 hours 45 minutes nonstop, and May is the cheapest month from the UK. We checked every route, schedule and fare below on 14 November 2026.
Which airport to fly into in Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and the islands
Most long-haul flights land at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) in Bangkok. Phuket also takes direct flights from Europe, Australia and the Gulf. Chiang Mai, Krabi and Koh Samui get flights from Asian hubs and from Bangkok.
| Airport | Code | Best for | Who flies there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok Suvarnabhumi | BKK | Long-haul arrivals, Bangkok, onward flights | Thai Airways, BA, EVA, Emirates, Qatar and most full-service airlines |
| Bangkok Don Mueang | DMK | Domestic and regional low-cost flights | Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Nok Air |
| Phuket | HKT | The Andaman beaches, Phang Nga Bay | Virgin Atlantic, Norse, Qatar Airways, Jetstar, Finnair, SAS |
| Chiang Mai | CNX | The north, Chiang Rai, Pai | Thai Airways and the low-cost airlines from Bangkok, regional flights from Asia |
| Krabi | KBV | Ao Nang, Railay, Koh Lanta, Phi Phi | Domestic flights, seasonal Finnair and SAS from the Nordics |
| Koh Samui | USM | Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao | Bangkok Airways, Thai Airways, flights from Singapore and Hong Kong |
Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang?
Long-haul flights almost all use Suvarnabhumi, while the low-cost airlines fly from Don Mueang, about an hour away by road. If your domestic flight leaves from Don Mueang on a separate ticket, leave at least three or four hours between the two flights. From Suvarnabhumi, the Airport Rail Link reaches the centre in about 30 minutes, the fastest start to the things to do in Bangkok.
Direct flights to Thailand from the UK in winter 2026-27
Four airlines fly nonstop from London to Bangkok this winter, and a fifth flies to Phuket. Kayak counts about 29 direct flights a week between London and Bangkok, most of them leaving around 9 pm and landing the next afternoon.
| Airline | Route | Flights | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thai Airways | London Heathrow to Bangkok | 14 a week | All year |
| British Airways | London Gatwick to Bangkok | 6 a week in winter, 3 in summer | All year since summer 2026 |
| EVA Air | London Heathrow to Bangkok, then Taipei | Daily, reported | All year |
| Norse Atlantic | London Gatwick to Bangkok | 3 a week, 4 from December | Winter |
| Norse Atlantic | Manchester to Bangkok | 4 a week | From 5 December 2026 |
| Norse Atlantic | London Gatwick to Phuket | 3 a week | From December 2026 |
| Virgin Atlantic | London Heathrow to Phuket | 3 a week | 18 October 2026 to 27 March 2027 |
British Airways turned its Gatwick to Bangkok route from winter-only into a year-round service in summer 2026. Norse Atlantic is the low-cost option, with a Boeing 787 and the cheapest direct return fare Kayak found from London, 290 GBP. Its cheapest fares leave out the checked bag.
Flights to Thailand from the USA: no nonstop in 2026
No airline flies nonstop from the United States to Thailand. Thai Airways stopped its Los Angeles and New York flights years ago and has said it has no plan to bring them back. Every trip from the US has at least one stop, usually in Asia or the Middle East.
United sells a Los Angeles to Bangkok flight launched in 2025, but it stops in Hong Kong. The most booked airlines on momondo from the US are EVA Air through Taipei, then Cathay Pacific through Hong Kong. Kayak found Taipei to be the stop with the shortest layover from Los Angeles.
Los Angeles to Bangkok takes about 20 hours 25 minutes on average with one stop, and Miami about 24 hours 40. From the East Coast, Qatar Airways through Doha, Emirates through Dubai and Turkish Airlines through Istanbul are the usual routes.
The only nonstop flight from North America is Air Canada from Vancouver, on a Boeing 787 for about 16 hours. It has run as a winter route, so check the dates before you plan a trip around it.
Flights to Thailand from Australia, Canada and Europe
From Australia
Thai Airways flies 14 times a week from Sydney and Melbourne and daily from Perth this winter. Qantas flies daily from Sydney, and Jetstar flies daily to Bangkok from Melbourne and Perth. Sydney to Bangkok takes about 9 hours 30 minutes, Melbourne about 9 hours 10 and Perth about 7 hours.
Jetstar also flies straight to Phuket from Melbourne and Perth, which saves the connection in Bangkok for a beach holiday.
From Europe
Thai Airways flies nonstop to Bangkok from 12 European cities in its winter 2026-27 schedule, which runs from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027. Frankfurt has 14 flights a week, Paris goes from 7 to 14 from 1 December and Munich from 7 to 10 from 16 December.
The other cities are Istanbul, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Zurich, Milan, Amsterdam, Brussels and London. Condor also flies daily from Frankfurt, Finnair from Helsinki, and Turkish Airlines three or four times a day from Istanbul. Norse Atlantic adds winter flights from Oslo and Stockholm to Bangkok and Phuket.
How long is the flight to Thailand? Flight times by departure city
Times below are for a nonstop flight to Bangkok, unless the table says otherwise. The return to Europe is usually an hour or so longer, against the jet stream.
| From | Flight time | Direct or with a stop |
|---|---|---|
| London | About 11 h 30 to 12 h 40 | Direct |
| London to Phuket | About 12 h 15 | Direct, winter only |
| Manchester | About 12 h | Direct, from 5 December 2026 |
| Frankfurt | About 11 h | Direct |
| Istanbul | About 9 h 15 | Direct |
| Dubai | About 6 h 10 | Direct |
| Doha to Phuket | About 6 h 25 | Direct |
| Sydney | About 9 h 30 | Direct |
| Melbourne | About 9 h 10 | Direct |
| Perth | About 7 h | Direct |
| Vancouver | About 16 h | Direct, Air Canada |
| Los Angeles | About 20 h 25 on average | One stop |
| Miami | About 24 h 40 on average | One stop or more |
Flights to Thailand with a stopover: Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei
A one-stop ticket is often cheaper than a direct flight and is the only option from the US. The Gulf hubs suit travellers from Europe and the East Coast, and the Asian hubs suit the West Coast.
| Hub | Main airlines to Thailand | Last leg |
|---|---|---|
| Doha | Qatar Airways, 3 flights a day to Phuket as well as Bangkok | About 6 h 25 to Phuket |
| Dubai | Emirates, 5 flights a day to Bangkok | About 6 h 10 |
| Istanbul | Turkish Airlines, 3 or 4 a day, and Thai Airways | About 9 h 15 |
| Singapore | Singapore Airlines, 6 a day, Thai Airways, Scoot | About 2 h 30 |
| Hong Kong | Cathay Pacific, 7 or 8 a day, Thai Airways, HK Express | About 3 h |
| Taipei | EVA Air, China Airlines, Starlux, Thai Airways | About 4 h |
From Los Angeles, the cheapest one-stop fares in Kayak's data went through Shenzhen, at about 627 USD return on average. They often mean a long wait, so compare the total journey time as well as the price.
How much are flights to Thailand? Fares by season
The month you fly matters more than the airline. Kayak's average return fares over the last 12 months, read on 14 November 2026, show December as the dearest month from all four cities below.
| Route, return | Cheapest month | Dearest months |
|---|---|---|
| London to Bangkok | May, about 570 GBP | December 910 GBP, July 836 GBP |
| Los Angeles to Bangkok | March, about 683 USD | December 1,154 USD, June 1,108 USD |
| New York to Bangkok | April, about 884 USD | December 1,401 USD, June 1,216 USD |
| Sydney to Bangkok | February, about 1,023 AUD | December 1,759 AUD, January 1,312 AUD |
Cheap flights to Thailand from the UK fall in May and September, the start and the end of the rainy season. momondo reports about 576 GBP in May and 579 GBP in September. The rain rarely lasts all day, and in both months the Gulf islands are drier than Phuket, a key point of the best time to visit Thailand.
From the US, June is expensive because it is the American summer, while March and April are cheaper. From Australia, the January school holidays push fares up after Christmas.
Best time to book flights to Thailand
The studies do not agree, because they measure different markets. What they share is that booking six months ahead is rarely the cheapest, except for Christmas and New Year.
| Source | Advice |
|---|---|
| Kayak, London to Bangkok | Cheapest about 4 weeks before departure |
| Kayak, Los Angeles and New York to Bangkok | Cheapest about 10 and 9 weeks before, last-minute fares 10 to 12% higher |
| Kayak, Sydney to Bangkok | Cheapest about 9 weeks before |
| Expedia 2026 Air Hacks, UK | International flights 15 to 30 days ahead, 93 GBP less than six months ahead |
| Expedia 2026 Air Hacks, US | International flights 31 to 45 days ahead, 190 USD less than six months ahead |
| Expedia 2026 Air Hacks, Australia | Four to six weeks ahead, 140 AUD less than six months ahead |
| Going, updated 11 November 2026 | 2 to 8 months for international trips, 4 to 10 months for peak season |
For a trip from mid-December to early January, book as soon as your dates are fixed, as December is the dearest month on every route. For the rest of the year, start watching fares three months out and book one to two months before. Expedia's data also names Sunday as the cheapest day to book in the UK and Friday in the US.
Plan the trip before the flight. Most Thailand itineraries for 7 and 10 days fly into Bangkok and out of Phuket, an open-jaw ticket that often costs the same as a return.
Flights to Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui: fly straight to the islands
Flights to Phuket are the easiest way to skip Bangkok. Virgin Atlantic and Norse fly there from London, Jetstar from Australia, Qatar Airways from Doha and Finnair and SAS from the Nordics in winter. The airport is in the north of Phuket, and the Smart Bus to the west-coast beaches costs 100 THB.
Krabi has seasonal Finnair and SAS flights from Helsinki and Copenhagen, plus flights from Asian hubs. From Bangkok, the hop takes about 1 hour 25 minutes, and Thai Airways alone has 21 flights a week. The airport serves Ao Nang, Railay and Koh Lanta, the main bases for things to do in Krabi.
Koh Samui airport belongs to Bangkok Airways, which runs most of its flights, so fares start around 140 USD one way from Bangkok. Bangkok Airways also flies from Singapore and Hong Kong, but cut Samui to Hong Kong from 7 to 4 flights a week from 5 to 30 November 2026. The bus and ferry through Surat Thani cost less but take most of a day to reach Koh Samui.
Chiang Mai is about 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 20 minutes from Bangkok, with 63 Thai Airways flights a week this winter on top of the low-cost airlines. Direct flights also link Chiang Mai to Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui, details in our Chiang Mai travel guide.
Arriving in Thailand: arrival card, 30-day exemption and e-gates
Every foreign visitor fills in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within three days before landing, with the flight number. Since 15 September 2026, US, UK, Canadian, Australian and EU passports get 30 days in Thailand without a visa, for tourism only.
Officers can ask to see an onward ticket and 10,000 THB per person, or 20,000 THB per family. A one-way ticket to Bangkok leaves you without that proof, so book the way out too, even a cheap regional flight.
The e-gates at Suvarnabhumi
Suvarnabhumi has dozens of automatic gates that scan the passport and the face, but few arrivals can use them. Khaosod English reported on 6 November 2026 that they only take returning visitors on the 30-day exemption, and that UK passports are on the list of 33 countries while US passports are not.
First-time visitors and anyone with a new passport go to a staffed desk, where the officer takes a photo and fingerprints. Holders of a DTV or another long-stay visa must also see an officer. Khaosod's reporter queued 45 minutes at 5 pm, and travellers report one to two hours at peak times.
Install a Thailand eSIM before you fly so maps and ride apps work in the arrivals hall, or buy a tourist SIM at the kiosks before passport control. US travellers often ask if it is safe to go now: the State Department has rated Thailand Level 1, the lowest, since 7 July 2026, and the main risks of a Thailand trip are on the roads.
Thailand time difference and jet lag
Thailand is on UTC+7 all year and has no daylight saving time, so the gap with home changes twice a year.
| From | November to March | April to October |
|---|---|---|
| London | Thailand 7 hours ahead | 6 hours ahead |
| New York | 12 hours ahead | 11 hours ahead |
| Los Angeles | 15 hours ahead | 14 hours ahead |
| Sydney | 4 hours behind | 3 hours behind |
| Perth | 1 hour behind | 1 hour behind |
Clocks change in late March and late October in the UK, early March and early November in the US, and early October and early April in Sydney, so check the weeks around those dates.
Overnight flights from London land in the afternoon. Stay up until the evening and keep the first two or three days in Bangkok light, the way most Thailand holidays start, before an internal flight.
Low-cost airlines in Thailand and baggage rules
Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Nok Air and Thai Vietjet cover most domestic routes and the short hops to neighbouring countries. The first three fly mainly from Don Mueang. momondo users found one-way fares from 17 USD with Thai Vietjet, 23 USD with Thai Lion Air and 27 USD with Nok Air.
Their cheapest fares usually include about 7 kg of cabin baggage and no checked bag. Buy the bag online when you book, as it costs more at the airport. Bangkok Airways lists a 20 kg checked bag on its flights, which evens out the price for travellers with a suitcase.
Norse Atlantic works the same way on long-haul, with bags sold as extras. British Airways includes a 23 kg bag in its economy standard fares from London, and Virgin Atlantic includes two 23 kg bags in Premium.
Domestic flights are the fastest way between regions: Bangkok to Phuket, Krabi or Chiang Mai takes 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 35, against 12 hours or more by night train or bus. Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Koh Lanta and the other island Thailand destinations without an airport are reached by ferry from the nearest one.