IndiGo eyes new Thai secondary routes to boost 2 million Indian arrivals
India’s IndiGo Airlines is in talks with CAAT to launch new routes to Thailand’s secondary cities, giving Indian travellers more choices and helping push arrivals past 2 million a year.
- India's largest airline, IndiGo, plans to launch new direct flights to secondary Thai destinations, including Udon Thani, Surat Thani, Hat Yai, and Chiang Rai.
- The expansion aims to increase the number of Indian tourists visiting Thailand, which currently stands at approximately 2 million per year.
- The new routes are expected to add several hundred thousand more Indian travelers annually, aligning with the Thai government's policy to promote tourism in regional cities.
Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), revealed that during the 42nd Session of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly in Montreal, Canada, executives of IndiGo Airlines met with CAAT to discuss further route expansion into Thailand.
IndiGo expressed its intention to add new services to Thai destinations including Udon Thani, Surat Thani, Hat Yai, Chiang Rai and other regional airports, while also thanking CAAT for its continued support in facilitating the airline’s operations in Thailand.
The carrier currently operates a fleet of more than 400 aircraft. Its planned expansion is expected to boost tourism to both major and secondary Thai cities, complementing its existing services. The move aligns with the Thai government’s tourism promotion policy at a time when over 2 million Indian tourists already visit Thailand each year.
Tourism and Sports Minister Atthakorn Sirilattayakon said the recent meeting between Manat, director of the CAAT, and IndiGo Airlines executives, Special Director R.K. Singh and Vice President for Aeropolitical and Industry Affairs Rajan Malhotra, during the 42nd Session of the ICAO Assembly was a positive signal for Thailand’s tourism economy.
IndiGo, India’s largest private carrier with a fleet of more than 400 aircraft and an extensive domestic and international network, has expressed interest in expanding direct services to Thailand beyond its current routes to Bangkok and Phuket. The airline is considering adding flights to secondary destinations such as Udon Thani, Surat Thani, Hat Yai, Chiang Rai, and other regional airports.
The minister said that new direct routes would offer Indian travellers more convenient access to Thailand while helping spread tourism income to secondary cities. This aligns with government policy to promote sustainable tourism, reduce congestion at major destinations, and enhance local economies.
“As the minister overseeing tourism and sports, I would like to thank ACM Manat for fostering this cooperation with IndiGo, an important partner in aviation and tourism. This collaboration not only increases visitor numbers but also reaffirms confidence in Thailand’s potential as a world-class destination,” Atthakorn said.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s government is pushing to strengthen commercial aviation partnerships with international airlines, particularly in South Asia, a rapidly expanding market of high-quality tourists with strong spending power.
Thailand currently welcomes about 2 million Indian visitors annually, making India one of the kingdom’s most important and fastest-growing source markets.
The planned addition of direct routes by IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is expected to bring several hundred thousand more Indian travellers each year. This would deliver a direct boost to Thailand’s tourism economy and related sectors, including hotels, restaurants, transport services and local retail.
