Domestic Flights in Thailand

Thailand is now home to several low cost airlines. This makes domestic flights in Thailand a viable choice for your family even if your vacation budget is limited. After switching all air traffic from Don Muang International airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport in September, 2006, Thailand decided to re-open Don Muang airport to handle the majority of the domestic air traffic in Thailand. When you purchase tickets for domestic air travel in Thailand, make sure you know whether your flight takes off from Don Muang or Suvarnabhumi.

Thai Airlines

Thai air is the national carrier for Thailand. They operate many domestic and international flights each day. Thai airlines are a member of the Star Alliance. Their frequent flier program is called Royal Orchid Plus. You can receive Royal Orchid Plus points for flights with Thai air as well as stays at partner hotels, car rentals (Avis, Budget, and Hertz), and various credit card partners.

Thai Airlines domestic flights have two classes, economy and Royal Silk (Thai's name for business class). Royal Silk has wider seats and more legroom. Both classes receive a snack or meal with drink, depending on the length of flight and time of day. Thai Air also offers copies of Thai and English newspapers and an assortment of magazines for reading during the flight.

Thai Air operates domestic flights from Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi Airports. Flights out of Suvarnabhumi have a three digit code, such as TG213. Flights out of Don Muang have a four digit code, such as TG1213.

If your travel budget is not limited, I recommend using Thai Air for your domestic flights in Thailand. The service is great and tickets can be changed with no additional fee. Most of the budget airlines charge heavy fees if you need to change your travel plans after your ticket is booked.

Back to Travel from Bangkok

Air Asia

Air Asia is a low cost airline based in Malaysia. It operates about 200 flights a day to cities throughout Southeast Asia and is rapidly expanding its operations. Thai Air Asia is a joint venture with Air Asia which operates many domestic flights within Thailand. All Thai Air Asia flights originate from and return to Suvarnabhumi airport.

Air Asia was the first Asian airline to implement a total e-ticket system. Bookings can be made online. Ticket prices are based on the number seats still available on the plane, ie the first bookings made for a specific flight will be cheaper than later bookings. In addition to the scalable ticket prices, there is an additional fee added to the cost of each leg of your journey. This surcharge was added in recent years due to the increase in fuel costs.

As a budget or low cost airline, Air Asia offer no frills service. Snacks and reading material are not included in the price of the ticket. Seating is limited to one class and it is not possible to reserve a specific seat in advance. Although, it is now possible to pay an extra fee for express boarding. With express boarding, you can board the plane before passengers who have not purchased that option, which means you will have a greater selection of seats when you get on the plane.

To further off set the rapid rise in fuel prices, Air Asia now charges a small handling for for each piece of checked luggage.

Nok Air

Nok Air is a low cost carrier which is owned in part by Thai Airlines. They offer flights to most major cities in Thailand and have recently begun their first international flight to Hanoi, Vietnam. Nok Air operates the majority of their flights out of Don Muang airport.

Nok is my preferred low cost airline in Thailand. They offer both economy and business class seating. They also allow passengers to reserve specific seats in advance, so there is no need to rush to the boarding gate in order to be first in line to board the plane. Business class, or Nok Plus, provides a wider seat and includes a snack and drink, a copy of a daily newspaper, and the ability to change your ticket without a fee.

Nok Air provides online booking. They recently updated their website and are now able to accept international credit cards as payment through the website. If you wait until you are in Thailand to book your domestic flights with Nok, they provide a variety of options for payment. You can book your ticket online and pay with cash at most 7-11 stores throughout Thailand.

Bangkok Airways

Bangkok Airways began service way back in 1968. It was called Sahakol Air and only offered private air transportation for companies and organizations that were involved in natural gas and oil exploration in the gulf of Thailand.

Today Bangkok Airways is known as Asia's Boutique Airline and serves several domestic and internatonal destinations. The boutique marketing scheme was introduced to help Bangkok Airways compete in the ever changing airline industry. Bangkok Airways owns and operates three airports in Samui, Sukothai, and Trat.

Back to Travel from Bangkok

Return to Bangkok Family Vacation Home page