BANGKOK, Thailand – The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) says affordable domestic flight tickets remain available for the 2027 New Year holiday, but budget seats are becoming limited as travel demand increases. Phuket has the highest fares, followed by Chiang Mai.
A survey conducted on November 2 covered eight domestic routes from Bangkok: Phuket, Hat Yai, Trang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Nakhon Phanom. The CAAT examined fares offered by full-service carriers (FSCs) and low-cost carriers (LCCs), finding that passengers can still find reasonably priced tickets on some flights.
For full-service airlines, the average lowest fare across six surveyed routes was 3,566 baht, while the average highest fare was 5,028 baht. Bangkok–Phuket recorded the highest fares, followed by Bangkok–Chiang Mai. Among low-cost airlines, covering all eight routes, the average lowest fare was 2,532 baht and the average highest was 3,512 baht. Bangkok–Phuket and Bangkok–Chiang Mai were also the most expensive routes in this category.
A comparison of six routes served by both types of airlines found that the average lowest full-service fare was approximately 41.6% higher than the low-cost equivalent. The difference reflects varying service levels, ticket inclusions, passenger demand and available seat capacity. The CAAT cautioned that the survey reflects prices at a specific point in time and fares may change depending on seat availability and booking dates.
Passengers are advised to book early, compare prices across airlines and check government travel promotions where available. They should also consider the total cost, including baggage fees, additional service charges and flight-change conditions. The authority said it would continue monitoring domestic airfares to promote price transparency, fair competition and passenger protection. Travellers wishing to file complaints can use the CAAT online complaint system at complaint.caat.or.th.
