From Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, Bangkok is a short flight of roughly two to three hours, and from Shanghai or Beijing about four to five. Full-service airlines and some low-cost ones fly to Suvarnabhumi (BKK); much of the AirAsia group and other low-cost carriers use Don Mueang (DMK). Many routes also fly straight to Phuket and Chiang Mai.
For travelers from Southeast and East Asia, Thailand is one of the easiest international trips there is. Flights are frequent, fares are competitive, and the entry rules are simple: Singaporeans and Malaysians get 30 days visa-free, and citizens of China, Hong Kong and Macao get 30 days per entry under bilateral agreements (as of October 2026).
The decision that matters most is not the airline but the airport, in Thailand and sometimes at home. This page explains how to choose, and what to check before you book.
Flying to Thailand from Asia, October 2026
- Main arrival airports
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang (DMK); also Phuket (HKT), Chiang Mai (CNX), Krabi, Hat Yai
- Low-cost hub
- Mostly Don Mueang; Scoot and some Thai AirAsia flights use Suvarnabhumi
- Visa exemption
- Singapore, Malaysia: 30 days. China, Hong Kong, Macao: 30 days per entry (bilateral)
- China cap
- No more than 90 days in any 180-day period
- Before you fly
- File the free TDAC at tdac.immigration.go.th
Approximate distances and flight times
We could not find an official timetable listing scheduled times for all these routes, so the table below gives the straight-line distance between airports, which we calculated, and our estimate of the flying time based on that distance. Your ticket shows the scheduled time; use the table to compare options.
| From | To Bangkok (BKK/DMK) | To Phuket | To Chiang Mai |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 1,420 km, about 2½ hours | 980 km, about 2 hours | 2,010 km, about 3 hours |
| Kuala Lumpur | 1,220 km, about 2 hours | 710 km, about 1½ hours | 1,810 km, about 3 hours |
| Penang | 930 km, about 1½–2 hours | 380 km, about 1 hour | 1,500 km, about 2½ hours |
| Hong Kong | 1,690 km, about 2½–3 hours | 2,300 km, about 3½ hours | 1,610 km, about 2½ hours |
| Guangzhou | 1,710 km, about 2½–3 hours | 2,330 km, about 3½ hours | 1,570 km, about 2½ hours |
| Kunming | 1,290 km, about 2 hours | 1,950 km, about 3 hours | 810 km, about 1½ hours |
| Chengdu (Tianfu) | 1,890 km, about 3 hours | 2,550 km, about 4 hours | 1,400 km, about 2½ hours |
| Shanghai (Pudong) | 2,900 km, about 4–4½ hours | 3,530 km, about 5 hours | 2,670 km, about 4 hours |
| Beijing (Capital) | 3,320 km, about 4½–5 hours | 3,990 km, about 5½ hours | 2,910 km, about 4 hours |
Thailand is one hour behind China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, so set your watch back on arrival and allow for it when you read arrival times.
Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang: check the code on your ticket
Bangkok has two international airports in different parts of the city, Don Mueang in the north and Suvarnabhumi to the east, and moving between them takes time in Bangkok traffic. The airline directories published by Airports of Thailand show the split:
- Suvarnabhumi (BKK) lists Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific, HK Express, Hong Kong Airlines, Greater Bay Airlines, Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia and many Chinese airlines, including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Spring Airlines, Juneyao and Sichuan Airlines.
- Don Mueang (DMK) lists AirAsia from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Batik Air Malaysia, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Cebu Pacific.
So "low-cost means Don Mueang" is only partly true: Scoot, HK Express, Spring Airlines and some Thai AirAsia flights use Suvarnabhumi. Check the three-letter code (BKK or DMK) on the booking, not the airline's name. If you are going straight to central Bangkok, Don Mueang has the A1 to A4 airport buses and the SRT Red Line; our guide to getting from Don Mueang to central Bangkok explains them, and the Suvarnabhumi transfer guide does the same for BKK. Our page comparing Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang goes further.
Two separate tickets through Bangkok can mean changing airports. If you fly in on a low-cost airline to Don Mueang and out on a full-service ticket from Suvarnabhumi, you need to cross the city and clear immigration and customs. The free inter-airport shuttle requires proof of an onward flight, and you should allow several hours.
From Singapore
Singapore has the densest network. Thai Airways alone schedules 35 flights a week between Singapore and Bangkok in its winter 2026/27 timetable (25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027), according to The Nation. Singapore Airlines and Scoot appear in AOT's directories for Bangkok and Phuket, and Scoot also appears for Chiang Mai and Hat Yai. For a beach trip, flying straight to Phuket saves a domestic connection.
Singaporeans enter visa-free for up to 30 days and are not affected by the limit on land-border entries. Paying is easy too: many Thai shops accept PayNow through the cross-border QR link; see our guide to paying by card and QR in Thailand.
From Kuala Lumpur and Penang
From Kuala Lumpur, the main choice is between Malaysia Airlines, listed at Suvarnabhumi, and AirAsia or Batik Air, listed at Don Mueang. AirAsia also appears in the Phuket directory, and Batik Air in the Hat Yai directory, which is useful for southern Thailand and Koh Lipe. Thai Airways flies Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur twice daily in its winter schedule, rising to three times daily from 1 December 2026, and Bangkok to Penang daily, rising to twice daily from 16 November 2026.
Many Malaysians do not fly at all. If you live in the north of Malaysia, the train to Padang Besar, the road via Sadao or the ferry from Langkawi to Koh Lipe may suit you better; our overview of overland routes from Malaysia compares them.
From Hong Kong
Hong Kong to Bangkok is one of the busiest routes in the region. Thai Airways schedules 28 flights a week in winter 2026/27, increasing to 35 from 1 December, and AOT lists Cathay Pacific, HK Express, Hong Kong Airlines and Greater Bay Airlines at Suvarnabhumi. Cathay Pacific, HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines also appear in the Phuket directory, and Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express in Chiang Mai's.
Hong Kong passport holders get 30 days visa-free under a bilateral agreement. Hong Kong residents can also pay many Thai merchants through the FPS cross-border QR link, according to the Thai government's visitor payment page.
From mainland China
Thai Airways' winter schedule includes Shanghai and Beijing (14 flights a week each), Guangzhou (14), Chengdu and Kunming (7 each) and Xiamen (4), all to Bangkok. Chinese airlines add many more: AOT's Suvarnabhumi directory lists over twenty from mainland China, and the Phuket and Chiang Mai directories also include China Eastern, China Southern, Spring Airlines and Juneyao, among others. For a beach holiday, a direct flight to Phuket avoids Bangkok entirely; for the north, Kunming and Chengdu are close to Chiang Mai.
Chinese citizens enter under the Thailand–China mutual visa exemption agreement, in force since 1 March 2024: up to 30 days per entry, and no more than 90 days in total in any 180-day period, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Our guide to Thai visa rules for Chinese citizens covers the details. Alipay and WeChat Pay can be used to scan Thai QR codes at many merchants.
Low-cost or full-service
Low-cost airlines suit you if
- You travel with cabin baggage only
- Your Thai destination is Don Mueang or a regional airport they serve directly
- You can be flexible on times
Full-service is worth the difference if
- You check bags, carry sports equipment or travel with children
- You connect to a domestic or long-haul flight on the same ticket
- Missing a connection would cost you a night or a ferry
Compare the full price with bags and seats included, and add the cost of reaching the airport at both ends. A cheap fare into Don Mueang can lose its advantage if your hotel is near Suvarnabhumi or your next flight leaves from there. For more on airports outside Bangkok, see our guide to Thailand's airports, and for domestic onward flights the page on domestic flights in Thailand.
Before you board: the paperwork
- TDAC: every foreign arrival must file the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online, only at the official site. See our guide to the TDAC.
- Passport valid for at least six months, plus a return or onward ticket.
- Funds: immigration may ask for 10,000 baht per person or 20,000 baht per family. Our page on the Thai visa exemption explains the rules.
- Customs: duty-free is 200 cigarettes and 1 liter of alcohol per person, and vapes are banned; see our page on Thai customs rules.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Singapore to Bangkok?
The airports are about 1,420 km apart, which means roughly two and a half hours in the air. Check the scheduled time on your ticket. Phuket is closer to Singapore, at about 980 km, so a direct beach flight is shorter.
Does AirAsia fly to Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang?
Mostly Don Mueang. AOT's Don Mueang directory lists AirAsia from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, Thai AirAsia and Thai AirAsia X. Thai AirAsia is also listed at Suvarnabhumi, so always check the BKK or DMK code on your booking.
Do Chinese tourists need a visa for Thailand?
Not for short visits. Under the Thailand–China mutual visa exemption agreement, in force since 1 March 2024, Chinese ordinary passport holders can stay up to 30 days per entry, with a total of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.
Can I fly directly from Hong Kong to Phuket or Chiang Mai?
Airlines from Hong Kong appear in the airline directories of both airports: Cathay Pacific, HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines at Phuket, and Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express at Chiang Mai. Routes change by season, so check the current schedule.
Sources
- Airports of Thailand – Suvarnabhumi airline information (checked October 2026)
- Airports of Thailand – Don Mueang airline information (checked October 2026)
- Airports of Thailand – Phuket airline information (checked October 2026)
- Airports of Thailand – Chiang Mai airline information (checked October 2026)
- The Nation – Thai Airways sets 66-route winter schedule (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Visa-free access for tourists from China (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – New 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules (checked October 2026)
- Royal Thai Government, 2026 Annual Meetings – Payment methods for international visitors (checked October 2026)