PHUKET, Thailand – Phuket International Airport is facing continued pressure on its passenger-handling capacity, with annual traffic already exceeding its current design capacity and a major international terminal expansion not expected to be completed until 2032. The airport is designed to handle around 12.5 million passengers a year, but annual passenger numbers have already surpassed 17 million, putting increasing pressure on facilities as demand for travel to the island continues.
Construction of Phase 2 of the international passenger terminal is scheduled to begin next year. Once completed in 2032, the expansion is expected to add capacity for another 5.5 million passengers annually, bringing the airport’s total designed capacity to approximately 19 million passengers. Even with the expansion, the additional capacity could be quickly absorbed if passenger growth continues.
From October 2025 to September 2026, Phuket International Airport handled an average of 288 flights and 47,219 passengers per day, according to figures cited in the report. The approaching high season is expected to bring further pressure, with daily passenger numbers potentially exceeding 50,000 if travel demand rises as anticipated.
The figures underline the challenge facing one of Thailand’s most important tourism gateways: passenger demand has already outgrown the airport’s existing capacity, while a substantial increase in space and handling capability remains several years away.
