PATTAYA, Thailand – Thai Airways has revealed the top international routes preferred by Thai travelers, highlighting a surge in demand for Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Shanghai, China, as the airline prepares to add more flights and offer promotions to stimulate year-end travel.
According to Kittipong Sarnsombun, Chief Commercial Officer of Thai Airways, statistics from January to July 2024 show that the five most popular routes from Bangkok to Asia were Tokyo (Narita), Hong Kong, Osaka, Singapore, and Seoul. In 2025, Tokyo remains the most popular, while Singapore and Shanghai have risen to second and third place, replacing Hong Kong and Osaka.
Notably, Colombo has seen an increase of over 100% in Thai travelers, and Shanghai has grown by more than 80%. Thailand’s travelers are increasingly drawn to China as a “hidden gem” destination, offering affordable costs and a wide range of experiences, from nature, history, and culture to world-famous attractions like Disneyland, providing an alternative to destinations such as Japan or South Korea.
To meet the growing demand, Thai Airways is adding flights to high-demand destinations including Shanghai, Colombo, and Denpasar (Bali). The airline is also focusing on markets with strong growth potential, such as Guangzhou, China, where Thai travelers are exploring not only shopping opportunities but also historical museums, city tours, and street food experiences. The popularity of these routes has been further boosted by China’s free-visa policy, which makes travel more convenient.
To encourage travel during the final quarter of the year, Thai Airways has partnered with Mastercard to offer a 2,000 baht discount per round-trip ticket to any Asian destination booked via www.thaiairways.com
