Thailand's airports boom: rising passenger numbers and future expansion

According to the Ministry of Transport, from October 2023 to May 2024, 81.05 million passengers used Thailand's airports, representing a significant increase compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Of these passengers, 48.95 million were international passengers and 32.09 million were domestic passengers, government spokesman Chai Watcharoenke said. During this period, there were 490,970 flights: 274,410 international and 216,560 domestic.

Prime Minister Sritha Thawisin aims to improve Thai airports, improve their services and safety standards to establish Thailand as a regional aviation hub. The Ministry of Transport is working on increasing airport capacity and developing aviation infrastructure to accommodate more tourists. Part of this plan includes expanding Suvarnabhumi Airport and opening a third runway in September 2024, which will increase its capacity from 68 to 94 flights per hour.

The 2024 World's Best Airports report ranks Suvarnabhumi Airport 58th, up ten places from 2023, and Don Mueang International Airport is ranked 10th among the world's best low-cost airline terminals. These rankings are based on global air passenger satisfaction from the 2023-2024 World Airport Survey.

Thailand aims to become a global aviation hub, boosting the country's competitiveness, promoting tourism, and creating more economic opportunities.