High Airfares in Thailand Set to Stay as Demand Stays High

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Paxes

 

Travellers in Thailandhttps://aseannow.com/forum/18-thailand-news/ can expect air ticket prices to remain elevated this year, despite hopes for more affordable travel. Key factors among major airlines—including airport fees, ground handling charges, and an ongoing supply chain disruption—are driving a steady or slightly increasing airfare trend.

 

Asia Aviation, which holds a majority stake in Thai AirAsia, noted that the airline saw a surge in revenue due to higher airfares in 2024, totaling 49.4 billion baht from sales and services—a 20% increase from the previous year.

 

The airline reports that costs tied to airport operations and strong public demand for travel are impacting ticket pricing. Thai AirAsia’s CEO, Santisuk Klongchaiya, highlighted that fares could potentially increase by up to 10% this year.

 

In 2023, Thai AirAsia's average fare rose by 10% to 1,967 baht, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 33%. The airline recorded a core operating profit of over 3 billion baht, marking its first positive return since COVID-19, with 20.8 million passengers onboard and a 91% load factor.

Looking ahead, Thai AirAsia aims to carry 23-24 million passengers at a 90% load factor in 2024, anticipating 15% revenue growth from additional fleet capacity and favourable fare conditions.

 

Similarly, Bangkok Airways reported a 19.8% growth in revenue last year, reaching 26 billion baht, driven chiefly by the airline division. Their average airfare increased by 11.5% to 4,189 baht.

 

President Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth pointed to improved passenger revenue and associated business success for an operating profit of 5.4 billion baht, marking a 79% rise.

 

Despite difficulties in aircraft acquisition, Bangkok Airways targets 4.7 million passengers this year, an increase of 9% over the previous year. However, it foresees a slower seat capacity growth rate of 8%, with plans to maintain average fares around 4,200 baht while boosting load factors slightly to 82%.

 

Thai Lion Air echoes this sentiment, forecasting stable airfare levels similar to 2024. The airline plans to focus on more promising routes, including flights from Bangkok to Nagoya via Taipei, as well as direct Bangkok to Bali services.

 

As airlines navigate these challenges, travellers can anticipate continued premium pricing, reflecting both operational costs and persistent demand, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2025-03-08

 

 

[DonniePeverley]

Air fare prices are crazy. Paying double now from the UK pre pandemic. 

 

Would have thought it might have kept the Bendiorm Brits away, but they somehow managed to make it here too. 

 

[Toby1947]

Don't forget the Benidorm Brits, benefits have gone up as well 🤣😂

[pest]

Cartel

[hotchilli]

The gouging must continue....

[Hawaiian]

I am okay with the higher airfares if the money is used for maintaining safe aircraft. 

[watchcat]

3 hours ago, Hawaiian said:

I am okay with the higher airfares

 

As i never travell I'm fine with them.

[impulse]

On 3/8/2025 at 9:15 AM, DonniePeverley said:

Air fare prices are crazy. Paying double now from the UK pre pandemic. 

 

I'm paying about half of pre-Covid airfare from China to BKK.  The trade-off is that they're doing hub and spoke instead of direct flights so I always have a layover now.  Usually reasonable, but sometimes a long one.  Which is okay if they have reasonably priced transfer hotels like some airlines in some airports.  But sleeping on the airport floor is miserable.

 

Edit:  I'd add that London to BKK looked a lot closer and cheaper with no Russkie overflight restrictions.  One more reason to end the war and start rebuilding.

 

[Celsius]

Just bought 2 business class tickets from Bangkok to Toronto. Less than 80,000 baht each with EVA.

 

Cheap as chips.

[grumpyoldman]

At 33thb to the US$, Thailand is no longer a budget destination.

[DonniePeverley]

34 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I'm paying about half of pre-Covid airfare from China to BKK.  The trade-off is that they're doing hub and spoke instead of direct flights so I always have a layover now.  Usually reasonable, but sometimes a long one.  Which is okay if they have reasonably priced transfer hotels like some airlines in some airports.  But sleeping on the airport floor is miserable.

 

Edit:  I'd add that London to BKK looked a lot closer and cheaper with no Russkie overflight restrictions.  One more reason to end the war and start rebuilding.

 

 

If you are travelling to the UK, no amount of saving is going to make me fly to China from Thailand, and then have a long stayover, and then add extra hours to a flight that is already insanely long. No saving is worth that. 

[SABloke]

35 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I'm paying about half of pre-Covid airfare from China to BKK.  The trade-off is that they're doing hub and spoke instead of direct flights so I always have a layover now.  Usually reasonable, but sometimes a long one.  Which is okay if they have reasonably priced transfer hotels like some airlines in some airports.  But sleeping on the airport floor is miserable.

 

Edit:  I'd add that London to BKK looked a lot closer and cheaper with no Russkie overflight restrictions.  One more reason to end the war and start rebuilding.

 

 

It's cheaper to fly to Thailand than to fly within China 🤣 You must be in smaller city if you don't have any direct flights.

[impulse]

5 minutes ago, SABloke said:

 

It's cheaper to fly to Thailand than to fly within China You must be in smaller city if you don't have any direct flights.

 

True.  I priced out tickets to go to a fishing trade show in Weihai and it was 3x what I pay to fly 5x as far to BKK.  Go figure.  

 

Also true.  My city only has 15 million people.  Tianjin.

 

 

 

 

[SABloke]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

True.  I priced out tickets to go to a fishing trade show in Weihai and it was 3x what I pay to fly 5x as far to BKK.  Go figure.  

 

Also true.  My city only has 15 million people.  Tianjin.

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, the domestic routes are ridiculous (and the highspeed rail isn't cheap once you start heading over 200km).

Surprised that Tianjin doesn't have direct flights, but maybe it's because Beijing is so close. 🤔 I know there are direct flights from Qingdao and Xi'an and those are much smaller than Tianjin. It might also have to do with Thais visiting those cities more often (Thai consulates in both Qingdao and Xi'an so I assume there are sizable Thai populations in those cities - not sure about Tianjin)

[Patong2021]

On 3/7/2025 at 8:15 PM, DonniePeverley said:

Air fare prices are crazy. Paying double now from the UK pre pandemic. 

 

Would have thought it might have kept the Bendiorm Brits away, but they somehow managed to make it here too. 

 

What is crazy? It is relative. Yes, on some routes like Thailand -Japan and in premium classes  on premium airlines, it is expensive. On other airlines it is not. E.G.post Songkran Apil/May, Continental EU in Economy is wll under 30,000 baht RT.  Longer routes to YVR or LAX are under 30,000 baht too.  Flights to Australia are 14,500-18,000 baht. 

 

Domestic airfares are 1700-2500 RT in Y countrywide. That is still inexpensive. I don't know why some consumers think they should still be able to fly for sub 1000 baht airfares. Operating costs all increased and fares reflect those increases.

 

Airfare in Thailand remains affordable and  inexpensive. 

 

[impulse]

2 hours ago, SABloke said:

Surprised that Tianjin doesn't have direct flights, but maybe it's because Beijing is so close.

 

PEK has several non-stops a day, but that adds another 3-4 hours (plus safety cushion) to take the high speed rail to Beijing, then take an hourlong taxi to the airport.  Longer if I take the BJ subway.  About the same price as a Tianjin one stop ticket at $250-$400, depending on the day and whether it's a holiday. Which is amazingly cheap.

 

Before Covid, I flew non-stop all the time.  But it cost about $600-$750 R/T.  Now I'm a cheap bastard, and I'll take the layover to save that kind of money.  Back when I was working, not so free with scheduling.  

 

I haven't taken the high speed rail other than TJ-BJ and in Shanghai.  My contacts in Weihai claim it's a 7 hour trip, and I haven't priced it out. Maybe next fall for the Weihai fishing show.  It's well worth the trip, but this year I had scheduling conflicts with my GF's health care issues.

 

Edit:  All prices are in USD, which is how my little pinhead works.  I get confused dealing in CNY, THB, KRW, HKD, Malaysian whatevers and Singapore dollars, so I convert them all to USD in my mind to stay clear.  I've made some bad decisions when a price looked real good, but I was in the wrong country...

 

[BritManToo]

23 minutes ago, impulse said:

PEK has several non-stops a day, but that adds another 3-4 hours (plus safety cushion) to take the high speed rail to Beijing, then take an hourlong taxi to the airport.  Longer if I take the BJ subway.  About the same price as a Tianjin one stop ticket at $250-$400, depending on the day and whether it's a holiday. Which is amazingly cheap.

My last return to China (Chiang Mai to Changsa) was 2,500bht return ........ $80 (Pre COVID)

[2long]

5 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

As i never travell I'm fine with them.

Then why bother commenting?

It's like being in the Gay forum and saying you're straight.

Just stay away and/or quiet.