Thai airports report December traffic matching 2019 levels as daily passengers surge despite a 7% fall in arrivals. It comes with strong Chinese travel, holiday peaks amid Thai–Cambodian border war warnings impacting international tourism through key airports.
Air Chief Marshal Manat Chuwanaprayoon, Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) Director, on Christmas Eve, announced a rise in air traffic through Thailand’s airports in December. The increase comes despite foreign tourism arrivals dropping an estimated 7% from 2024. It also comes amid the Thai–Cambodian conflict and a Cambodian campaign warning travellers against using Thai airports. Manat highlighted a surge in Chinese travellers. On Sunday, December 21, no fewer than 479,979 passengers passed through Thai airports, including arrivals, departures, and transit passengers. He said this traffic level matches pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
Thailand’s foreign tourism industry is reporting a challenging year as 2025 comes to a close. Arrival numbers are down between 7% and 8%, according to government estimates. The official figures will be confirmed in January.
By December 21, only 31.76 million visitors had arrived, compared with 35.5 million in 2024. Authorities project 33 million arrivals for the full year, which would still be 2.5 million fewer than last year. Consequently, the decline represents a 7% drop compared with 2024 levels. News of lower arrivals comes during the kingdom’s busiest season, traditionally late December and early January, when tourist volumes peak.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) reported that December air travel has surged to near pre-pandemic levels. On December 21 alone, 479,979 passengers passed through Thai airports.
Domestic and international passenger volumes surge in December as daily traffic nears a record
This included 208,040 domestic travelers and 271,939 international passengers. The authority expects peak traffic between December 27, 2025, and January 4, 2026. Since December 1, daily passenger volumes have increased steadily, reflecting seasonal demand for travel during the end-of-year and New Year holidays.
Air Chief Marshal Manat Chuwanaprayoon, CAAT Director, confirmed the growth. He said passenger numbers have risen every day this month, particularly on international routes to China and India.
International air routes have shown significant recovery, particularly to China. CAAT reports 19,852 passengers on these routes, reaching 75% of pre-COVID-19 levels. Meanwhile, traffic from India reached 10,616 passengers, which is approximately 10% above pre-pandemic figures. Domestically, Don Mueang Airport handled roughly 63,981 passengers per day. Suvarnabhumi Airport recorded 36,499 daily passengers.
Chiang Mai and Phuket airports each processed approximately 20,000 travellers per day. These numbers indicate that domestic and international travel are rebounding, although total arrivals remain below last year’s figures.
Authorities coordinate additional flights and seat capacity to meet rising holiday travel demand
To manage the increased travel demand, authorities implemented several measures. The Ministry of Transport and CAAT coordinated with airlines and aviation agencies. Special flights were added on six major domestic routes: Bangkok–Krabi, Bangkok–Chiang Mai, Bangkok–Chiang Rai, Bangkok–Khon Kaen, Bangkok–Trang, and Bangkok–Samui. These flights provided 11,312 seats across 66 flights.
In addition, various Thai airlines introduced a 30% fare reduction on selected flights. This reduction covered 36,620 seats across 202 flights on 11 domestic routes, including Bangkok–Chumphon, Bangkok–Hat Yai, Bangkok–Nakhon Si Thammarat, Bangkok–Surat Thani, and Bangkok–Phuket.
Passengers can purchase discounted tickets directly from airlines. Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Thai Vietjet Air, and Nok Air accept bookings for travel between December 26, 2025, and January 5, 2026. Bangkok Airways accepts bookings for travel between December 25, 2025, and January 5, 2026.
Travelers advised to book early as supporting measures and fare reductions prepare for holiday spike
CAAT advises travellers to check booking periods carefully. Many discounted tickets have already sold out. Travellers are encouraged to book early and remain flexible. Alternative airports may provide lower fares for the same travel routes.
Aviation agencies have implemented supporting measures. Airports of Thailand (AOT) reduced landing and parking fees by 30% for participating flights. Aeronautical Radio of Thailand also lowered domestic air navigation charges by 30% for special flights during the peak period.
The Department of Airports extended operating hours to accommodate additional flights. Authorities emphasise that ticket prices must remain within legal ceilings.
CAAT monitoring shows that passenger volumes have grown steadily throughout December. Daily totals have increased compared with the previous month. This trend reflects end-of-year travel demand. Officials note that passenger volumes include transit passengers, who pass through Thai airports without entering the country. Consequently, airport passenger totals do not directly reflect inbound tourism numbers.
Reduced tourism arrivals despite high traffic with transit, departing and domestic passengers
Despite high travel volumes in December, annual arrivals remain below last year’s figures. Thailand expects 33 million arrivals in 2025, which is 2.5 million fewer than in 2024. Authorities stress that these airport numbers include transit passengers.
Transit traffic is significant, especially at major international hubs such as Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports. Passengers travelling through Thailand to other destinations are included in these totals, but they do not contribute directly to the tourism economy.
Similarly, domestic traffic is not linked to foreign tourism arrivals.
The foreign tourism sector presently faces stiff regional competition. Vietnam has been highlighted as a competitor for international visitors. Meanwhile, the Thai baht has strengthened, rising 7% since November 24. This currency movement has increased travel costs for international tourists. Tourism authorities continue to monitor economic and regional factors that affect visitor arrivals.
The situation has not been helped by the Thai–Cambodian border conflict. This has prompted Cambodian warnings to tourists travelling to the eastern kingdom to avoid Thai airports. It also coincided with stiffer security checks by the Airports of Thailand (AOT), as Thailand moved to screen potential mercenaries or operatives working for the Cambodian military from travelling through Thai airports.
Air Chief Marshal Manat emphasises operational readiness and monitoring of holiday traffic
Nonetheless, on Christmas Eve, Air Chief Marshal Manat’s message was a positive and optimistic one. He insisted that CAAT is prioritising operational readiness. Agencies have coordinated with airlines, airports, and aviation authorities to increase seating capacity.
Measures include extended operating hours, reduced fares, and service readiness to manage the holiday travel peak. Special flights and discounted fares are fully supported across domestic routes. Authorities maintain continuous monitoring to ensure safe, reliable, and fair operations.
Passengers are advised to monitor flight schedules closely. Travellers should check for cancellations, delays and changes. Transport officials also advise passengers to allow extra time at airports due to high traffic during peak periods.
Understanding passenger rights in case of disruption is strongly recommended. Authorities note that passengers planning ahead are more likely to secure discounted tickets, while late bookings may face higher prices or limited availability.
December air travel shows varying recovery rates by route. China and India have seen substantial increases. Domestic hubs report the highest daily volumes at Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai, and Phuket airports. Other regional airports have adjusted schedules to meet increased travel demand. Passenger volumes are expected to peak in the final days of the year and during the first days of 2026.
Tourism chiefs expect a stronger showing in 2026, but 2025 remains firmly below 2024 levels
Tourism promotion agencies, including the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, project stronger performance in 2026. However, 2025 arrivals remain below pre-pandemic highs. Thailand received 39.8 million arrivals in 2019, which remains the benchmark for full tourism recovery. Officials will release the final 2025 arrival statistics in January.
Certainly, any plan to boost arrivals will have to deal with a 53% outbound airport tax hike. This is due to be implemented early next year. There are also concerns about heightened security screening and stricter Immigration Bureau checks.
Authorities emphasise coordination across the aviation and tourism sectors. Airlines, airports, and regulatory agencies are working together to manage capacity.
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Measures include fare reductions, additional flights, and operational adjustments to ensure passenger flow. Monitoring continues to ensure compliance with legal fare ceilings and airport safety standards.
The peak year-end period highlights the seasonal intensity of Thailand’s tourism industry. Passenger volumes, airline measures, and airport operations reflect preparation for one of the busiest periods of the year. Travel between major domestic and international destinations shows varying recovery rates.
Overall, 2025 ends with high airport activity but total arrivals below last year’s level. The official figures in January will provide the full assessment of the year’s foreign tourism industry performance.
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