Thailand’s New Year 2026 travel sees nearly 580,000 passengers
The Department of Airports reports a surge in New Year 2026 travel with 580,000 passengers. Krabi leads in both passenger numbers and flights.
Danai Ruengson, Director-General of the Department of Airports, has revealed the overall air travel figures for the 2026 New Year period, spanning from December 26, 2025, to January 5, 2026. The total number of passengers reached 579,969, marking a significant recovery in the aviation sector.
Krabi Airport continued its popularity as the top airport in terms of passenger numbers, with 145,828 passengers and 946 commercial flights.
Following Krabi, the airports with the highest passenger counts were Udon Thani Airport (73,598), Khon Kaen Airport (64,232), Surat Thani Airport (60,677), and Ubon Ratchathani Airport (43,501).
In terms of flight management, the Department of Airports reported a total of 3,827 commercial flights. Interestingly, Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport topped the cargo transport list, handling 22,294 kilograms of goods, out of a total of 102,072 kilograms.
When compared to the New Year period in 2025, this year showed remarkable growth, with passenger numbers up by 81.54% and the number of flights rising by 78.75%.
Danai highlighted that the overall service was smooth, with emphasis on safety and facilitating easy connections between airports, cities, and tourist destinations. Sufficient public transport was arranged to ensure no passengers were left stranded, which greatly contributed to customer satisfaction.
The impressive growth in passenger numbers this year is seen as a key driver of tourism, revitalising the regional economy and ensuring a lively year ahead.
