TAT's Airline Focus delivers new routes, boosting Thai tourism
TAT’s Airline Focus strategy secured a major boost in international flights and new routes, readying Thailand for the Q4 high-season tourism surge.
- The Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) "Airline Focus" strategy, a collaboration with international airline partners, is successfully driving an increase in flight routes, frequencies, and seat capacity to the country.
- In the fourth quarter of 2025, international airlines have launched over 80 new routes from regions including East Asia, South Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.
- The new and expanded services connect various foreign cities to multiple Thai destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket, and Rayong.
- A key part of the strategy is stimulating charter flights, including over 700 from secondary cities in China, to meet rising tourist demand during the high season.
- Flight frequencies from some regions, particularly Europe and South Asia, have already surpassed pre-Covid-19 levels, underscoring the strong growth in travel demand.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced on October 16, 2025, that international airlines from East Asia, South Asia, ASEAN, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East are increasing flight routes, frequencies, and seat capacity to Thailand in the fourth quarter.
This expansion reflects a growing trend of rising foreign tourist demand during the year-end period.
This positive development is a result of TAT's proactive policies and continuous implementation of the "Airline Focus" strategy in collaboration with international airline partners.
This includes stimulating charter flights from secondary cities in China through the Thailand Summer Blast project, aimed at boosting tourist numbers and revenue to meet set targets.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool stated that the intensified implementation of the TAT's Airline Focus strategy, promoting cooperation and co-marketing with airline partners for both Scheduled Flights and Charter Flights through various projects, including the Thailand Summer Blast, is aimed at stimulating and revitalising the tourism situation.
This has driven the opening of new routes and increased flight frequencies, consistently leading to an expansion in airline seat capacity into Thailand.
It's noted that during the fourth quarter of this year, which is the tourism high season, international airlines from short-haul markets (including East Asia, especially China, South Asia, and ASEAN) and mid- and long-haul markets (from the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas) have collectively launched over 80 new routes. These routes connect both major and secondary foreign cities to Thai destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket, and Rayong (U-Tapao).
There is also a marked increase in flight frequencies to Thailand, particularly on European and South Asian routes, where the flight situation has already expanded and surpassed pre-Covid-19 levels, underscoring the strong growth in travel demand to Thailand during the late-year season.
New and Increased International Flight Routes (October – December 2025)
East Asia Region
China:
- Thai Lion Air is launching new scheduled services:
- Chongqing to Bangkok (7 flights/week), starting October 26, 2025.
- Tianjin to Bangkok (4 flights/week), starting October 27, 2025.
A total of 731 Charter Flights are scheduled under the "Thailand Summer Blast" project, covering numerous routes:
- Xi'an to Bangkok: 52 flights, from September 21, 2025, to January 19, 2026.
- Xining to Bangkok: 16 flights, from September 15, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
- Chengdu to Bangkok: 34 flights, from September 15, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
- Chengdu to Chiang Mai: 29 flights, from September 15, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
- Chengdu to Koh Samui: 2 flights, from October 2 to 7, 2025.
- Hefei to Bangkok: 62 flights, from October 6, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
- Huangshan to Bangkok: 30 flights, from October 6, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
- Jinan to Bangkok: 93 flights, from October 25, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
- Guiyang to Chiang Mai: 7 flights, from October 26 to November 26, 2025.
- Ordos to Bangkok: 15 flights, from September 5 to November 10, 2025.
- Changsha to Bangkok: 68 flights, from October 1, 2025, to March 22, 2026.
- Nanchang to Bangkok: 35 flights, from October 25, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
- Wuxi to Bangkok: 103 flights, from November 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
- Changzhou to Bangkok: 84 flights, from February 4 to June 30, 2026.
- Datong to Bangkok: 40 flights, from October 1 to December 31, 2025.
- Macau to Bangkok: 61 flights, from November 1 to December 31, 2025.
Japan:
- Thai AirAsia X will commence service from Sendai to Bangkok (4 flights/week), starting December 1, 2025.
South Korea:
- Thai Vietjet is launching a route from Incheon to Bangkok (7 flights/week), starting October 1, 2025.
Hong Kong:
- United Airlines will operate a service from Hong Kong to Bangkok (7 flights/week), starting October 26, 2025.
- Hong Kong Airlines will launch flights from Hong Kong to Phuket (7 flights/week), starting October 14, 2025.
ASEAN and South Asia Region
Singapore:
- Scoot is launching a route from Singapore to Chiang Rai (5 flights/week), starting January 1, 2026.
Indonesia:
- AirAsia will operate flights from Surabaya to Bangkok (4 flights/week), starting October 2, 2025.
Malaysia:
- Firefly is introducing a service from Kuala Lumpur to Krabi (7 flights/week), starting November 17, 2025.
India:
- Spice Jet will operate from Mumbai to Phuket (7 flights/week), starting November 6, 2025.
- Akasa Air is launching a route from Bangalore to Phuket (7 flights/week), starting October 1, 2025.
- Air India Express will introduce service from Bangalore to Bangkok (7 flights/week), starting October 18, 2025.
Europe Region
United Kingdom:
- Norse Atlantic is launching two routes:
- London to Bangkok (3 flights/week), starting October 27, 2025.
- Manchester to Bangkok (1 flight/week), starting November 27, 2025.
Sweden:
- Norse Atlantic will offer two routes:
- Stockholm to Bangkok (2 flights/week), starting October 23, 2025.
- Stockholm to Phuket (1 flight/week), starting December 5, 2025.
Norway:
- Norse Atlantic is launching a service from Oslo to Phuket (1 flight/week), starting December 9, 2025.
Israel:
- Arkia Israeli Airlines will operate flights from Tel Aviv to Bangkok (2 flights/week), starting November 26, 2025.
France:
- Air France is commencing service from Paris to Phuket (3 flights/week), starting November 28, 2025.
Kazakhstan:
- Scat Airlines will operate a route from Shymkent to Bangkok (1 flight/week), starting December 16, 2025.
- Thai AirAsia X is launching a route from Almaty to Bangkok (4 flights/week), starting December 2, 2025.
Americas and the Middle East Region
United States of America:
- United Airlines is launching a service from Los Angeles via Hong Kong to Bangkok (7 flights/week), starting October 26, 2025.
United Arab Emirates:
- Etihad Airways is launching flights from Abu Dhabi to Krabi, starting October 9, 2025, and from Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai (4 flights/week), starting November 4, 2025.
- Air Arabia will operate a service from Sharjah to Krabi (7 flights/week), starting November 28, 2025.
Saudi Arabia:
- A new route from Riyadh to Don Mueang (DMK) (4 flights/week) will begin operations on November 2, 2025.
The visibly improving situation in international route openings and increased flight frequencies during the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by TAT’s Airline Focus strategy, is expected to be a key factor supporting the Thai tourism industry in achieving its 2025 targets.
