Thailand For Visitors

Plane Travel In Thailand

In recent years, the number of domestic air carriers has practically exploded, with as many as half a dozen carriers, depending on who is actually in business at the moment. Many of these new airlines are the result of Thai Airways' attempt to offload unprofitable destinations, so their long term viability is in question. The smarter ones are taking a cue from Bangkok Airways and developing new destinations.

Many of the small startups have code share agreements with Thai, at least for the routes they took over from the national carrier. For one or two, the only way to book a flight is through a Thai Airways agent. Note that code-share flights are usually not eligible for e-ticketing.

Thai Airways
The national flag carrier flies to almost all major tourist destinations. Their web site allows you to view schedules and seat availability. You can now even book and pay online for paperless travel. See our article on Thai e-Travel for more information.
Bangkok Airways
The nation's second carrier is almost solely responsible for developing special destinations such as Samui and Sukhothai. Their now extensive network covers several countries and many of the major world heritage destinations of Southeast Asia.
Nok Air
Budget carrier with Thai Airways as one of its major investors. Like most other budget lines, serves mostly the major tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Phuket.
Air Asia
Air Asia was the first budget airline to go regional. Based in Malaysia, Air Asia started flying in Thailand in 2002, and has a reputation for offering some of the lowest fares around. Thai destinations include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai and Phuket. The airline also flies from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur and from there on to Bali, Singapore and other destinations. If considering Air Asia, it's important to keep in mind that the fares go up the closer you get to your departure date. To get the cheapest fares you need to book at least three months in advance.

In this section

Bangkok Airways

Based in Bangkok, this regional airline labels itself "Asia's boutique airline". The origins of the airline go back to 1968, when it started business as Sahakol Air, an air taxi service supporting the oil and gas explorations in the Gulf of Thailand. Scheduled services began in 1986, making it the first privately owned domestic airline in Thailand. The company was re-branded to Bangkok Airways in 1989. Bangkok Airway's first big claim to fame was probably the construction of its own airport on the resort island of Samui.

Nok Airlines Review

Nok Air was formed in 2004 by the Thai national carrier Thai Airways, in cooperation with several large banks, institutional investors and private companies, with the goal of exploiting the burgeoning market for budget airlines. Nok - pronounced with a long "O" sound, not to rhyme with "knock" - means "bird" in Thai, so the name is somewhat appropriate for a small airline. Nok currently flies Boeing 737 planes seconded from Thai.

Tips for Using Budget Airlines

Budget airlines have exploded around Southeast Asia since the year 2000. Almost every country, including tiny Singapore, boasts their own low cost carriers. Some countries have more than one carrier, while a few of the airlines have even gone regional in their service. While budget carriers will definitely save you money, it's good to keep in mind the old adage "you get what you pay for." To help you get the best price and make your trip as enjoyable as possible, we've developed the following tips: