Phuket International Airport (HKT) is the second-busiest airport in Thailand after Bangkok, and for most visitors it is the only sensible way onto the island. This page keeps the practical side of getting there in one place: which cities have direct flights, how long they take, what a ticket usually costs by season, how to get from the airport to the beaches, and what you can and cannot put in your bag. The live boards below update automatically, so the schedules you see are current, not a copy from last year. Prices are in Thai baht and US dollars as of 2026.
Direct Flights to Phuket in 2026
Phuket has one runway and two terminals. Terminal 1 handles international arrivals, Terminal 2 handles domestic flights, and the two are a five-minute walk apart. The list of nonstop routes changes with the season, but the core network looks like this.
| From | Airlines | Flight time | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok (BKK and DMK) | Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, Thai Vietjet | 1 h 25 min | 30 to 40 flights a day |
| Singapore | Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Jetstar Asia | 1 h 50 min | Several a day |
| Kuala Lumpur | AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air | 1 h 30 min | Several a day |
| Hong Kong | Cathay Pacific, HK Express | 3 h 20 min | Daily |
| Dubai | Emirates | 6 h | Daily |
| Abu Dhabi | Etihad | 6 h 15 min | Daily in high season |
| Doha | Qatar Airways | 6 h 45 min | Daily |
| Istanbul | Turkish Airlines | 9 h 30 min | Daily |
| Seoul | Korean Air, Jeju Air, T’way | 6 h | Daily |
| Delhi and Mumbai | IndiGo, Thai Airways | 4 h 30 min | Daily |
| Beijing and Shanghai | Air China, China Eastern, Spring Airlines | 5 to 6 h | Daily, more in winter |
| Sydney and Melbourne | Jetstar | 9 h | Seasonal |
| Frankfurt, Zurich, Vienna, Helsinki | Condor, Edelweiss, Austrian, Finnair | 11 to 12 h | Winter season only |
Two things to keep in mind. European nonstops are seasonal and usually run from late October to March. Outside those months you connect through Bangkok, Singapore, Doha, Dubai or Istanbul. And if you come from a city that is not on the list, the cheapest connection is almost always through Bangkok, where the domestic leg to Phuket costs less than a taxi ride in many European capitals.
Singapore to Phuket Flight Schedule
Singapore is the busiest international route into Phuket. Singapore Airlines flies wide-body aircraft several times a day, while Scoot and Jetstar Asia cover the budget end. The flight takes under two hours, so a long weekend on the island is realistic. Expect one-way fares from about 60 to 150 US dollars on the low-cost carriers, more on public holidays.
Beijing to Phuket Flight Schedule
Chinese routes to Phuket grew fast after the mutual visa waiver between Thailand and China took effect in 2024. Air China and Spring Airlines serve Beijing, China Eastern serves Shanghai, and several regional airlines add flights from Chengdu, Kunming and Guangzhou during Chinese New Year and the October holidays. Flight time from Beijing is about five and a half hours.
Abu Dhabi to Phuket Flight Schedule
Etihad’s Abu Dhabi service is the usual choice for travelers from the Gulf and for Europeans who connect in the UAE. The flight takes a little over six hours and lands in the early morning or the evening, depending on the day. Round trips from Europe via Abu Dhabi typically run 600 to 900 US dollars in winter and drop below 500 in the rainy months.
Dubai to Phuket Flight Schedule
Emirates flies Dubai to Phuket daily, often on an Airbus A380 in peak season. Flight time is about six hours. This is also the route most travelers from Africa, the Middle East and parts of Europe end up on, because the Dubai connection bank lines up well with the Phuket arrival. If you book Emirates, check the layover length: anything under 90 minutes in Dubai is tight.
Istanbul to Phuket Flight Schedule
Turkish Airlines is the only carrier flying Istanbul to Phuket nonstop. At nine and a half hours it is the longest regular route into the island. Because Istanbul connects to almost every European city, this is often the cheapest one-stop option from the UK, Germany and Scandinavia, especially when the seasonal European nonstops are not running.
When to Fly and What It Costs
Phuket has two seasons that matter for fares. High season runs from November to March, with the peak around Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. Prices on every route rise, and the popular hotels sell out weeks ahead. Low season runs from May to October. It rains most afternoons, the west coast beaches have red flags on rough days, and airfares drop by a third or more.
- Bangkok to Phuket: 900 to 1,500 THB one way if you book two or three weeks ahead. Last-minute fares in December can reach 3,000 THB.
- Singapore or Kuala Lumpur: 60 to 150 US dollars one way on budget airlines, 150 to 300 on full-service carriers.
- Gulf hubs (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha): 350 to 600 US dollars one way, cheaper as part of a round trip from Europe.
- Europe with one stop: 500 to 800 US dollars round trip in the rainy season, 800 to 1,200 in December and January.
Regional flights are cheapest about six to eight weeks out. Long-haul tickets for the winter are best bought three to four months ahead, and midweek departures are usually 10 to 20 percent cheaper than Friday and Sunday flights. If your dates are flexible, the first half of November and the last week of March give you high-season weather at shoulder-season prices.
Connecting Through Bangkok
Bangkok has two airports, and this catches people out. Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is where Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Thai Vietjet and nearly all long-haul flights operate. Don Mueang (DMK) is the base for Thai AirAsia, Nok Air and Thai Lion Air. The two are about 45 kilometers apart, and the free shuttle between them takes an hour or more in traffic. If your international flight lands at Suvarnabhumi, book your Phuket leg from the same airport unless you have at least four hours to spare. I have done the airport-to-airport shuttle once with a three-hour gap, and the traffic on the expressway took most of it.
Domestic flights leave for Phuket roughly every 20 to 30 minutes through the day, so missing one is rarely a disaster. Tickets bought as part of a single itinerary are protected if the first flight is late. Tickets bought separately are not, so leave a two-hour buffer.
From the Airport to Your Hotel
The airport sits at the northern tip of the island, about 32 kilometers from Patong and nearly 50 from Rawai and Nai Harn in the south. Traffic on the main road is slow in the evening, so allow 45 to 60 minutes to Patong and up to 90 minutes to the southern beaches.
- Phuket Smart Bus: runs from the airport down the west coast through Surin, Kamala, Patong, Karon and Kata to Rawai. Fares are 50 to 170 THB depending on distance, buses leave about once an hour, and the ride to Patong takes around 80 minutes. The cheapest option if you are not in a hurry.
- Airport bus to Phuket Town: 100 THB, roughly every hour, useful if you are staying in the old town or catching a ferry from Rassada pier.
- Shared minivan: 180 to 200 THB per person from the counters in the arrivals hall. Cheap, but you wait for the van to fill and it stops at every hotel on the way.
- Metered taxi or fixed-fare counter: around 800 THB to Patong, 1,000 to Kata or Karon, and 1,200 or more to Rawai. The official counters quote a fixed price, which avoids the meter argument.
- Grab or Bolt: usually 600 to 800 THB to Patong. Pickup is from a marked zone outside the terminal, and the app price is final.
A private transfer booked in advance costs about the same as a taxi, and the driver meets you in arrivals with your name on a sign. It is worth it if you land late at night with children or a lot of luggage. My own habit on Phuket: Smart Bus if I land in daylight with one bag, Grab after dark, and never the touts who approach you before the official counters. Our Phuket travel guide explains which beach suits which kind of trip, and the beach comparison helps you pick where to stay before you book the ride.
Baggage Allowance and Restrictions for Phuket and Thailand
Allowances are set by the airline, not the airport, but the ranges are consistent. Budget carriers such as Scoot, AirAsia and Thai Lion Air sell checked baggage separately, and adding it at the airport costs two to three times the online price.
- Carry-on: one bag up to 7 kg on most Asian airlines, with dimensions around 55 x 40 x 20 cm. Emirates, Etihad and Turkish allow 7 to 8 kg in economy, and Singapore Airlines allows 7 kg plus a small personal item.
- Checked baggage: 20 to 30 kg per person on full-service airlines. Emirates and Qatar give 25 to 35 kg in economy depending on the fare. On low-cost carriers the first 20 kg costs 300 to 700 THB one way if bought in advance.
- Liquids: containers of 100 ml or less in one transparent bag of up to 1 liter in your carry-on. Larger bottles go in checked luggage.
- Power banks: carry-on only, and Thai regulations since 2025 ban using them during the flight. Units above 160 Wh are not allowed at all.
- E-cigarettes and vapes: banned in Thailand. Possession can mean a fine of several thousand baht or worse, and customs officers at Phuket do check. Leave them at home.
- Alcohol and tobacco: 1 liter of alcohol and 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco per adult, duty free.
- Cash: amounts over 20,000 US dollars or the equivalent must be declared on arrival.
Thai customs is relaxed about ordinary holiday luggage but strict about drugs, counterfeit goods and vapes. Declare anything you are not sure about, keep receipts for expensive electronics, and you will be through the green channel in a few minutes.
