AirAsia Ready For International Flights From Hua Hin Airport

Thai AirAsia, together with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and Ministry of Transport, held a stakeholder consultation on July 3, 2025 with over 60 tourism business operators in the Hua Hin and Cha-am areas to study the feasibility of opening international flight routes from Hua Hin Airport. The consultation yielded four key conclusions:

1. Promising international direct routes include flights from Hua Hin to Singapore, Taipei, Shanghai, and Kuala Lumpur. 2. Target tourist segments are family groups of 3-5 people and honeymooning couples. 3. Services expected to appeal to target markets include golf and water sports activities, as well as wellness and spa activities. 4. Required support measures include increased benefits and incentives for airlines and tourism operators, airport fee reductions at Hua Hin Airport, infrastructure development and enhanced connectivity within and between cities, investment in new tourism attractions in the area, and aggressive marketing promotion coordinated with the Tourism Authority of Thailand's overseas offices to raise awareness of the flight routes and Hua Hin.

AirAsia will study the information gathered to consider launching international routes in the future.

Pairatl Pornpatannangkur, President and Chief Executive Officer of Thai AirAsia, stated that following the government's policy to stimulate the economy and distribute income to the regions through upgrading transportation and tourism infrastructure—particularly promoting Hua Hin Airport to handle international flights comprehensively—AirAsia is fully prepared to support this policy. The airline organized the stakeholder consultation to gather in-depth information for evaluating new international routes.

"Currently, AirAsia operates domestic flights from Hua Hin Airport on the Hua Hin-Chiang Mai route with four flights per week, and will increase to daily service starting in October. We are very pleased to study and return to launch international routes as the first airline, aligned with the government's development plan. We are confident that Hua Hin will become a popular destination for international tourists, as it caters to both mainstream and premium markets with distinctive health and sports tourism activities," Pairatl said.

The consultation was conducted within a framework of four key topics: Right Destination (identifying promising international routes), Right Customer (identifying target tourist segments), Right Product (identifying services that appeal to target markets), and Right Support (identifying necessary cooperation). The response from local operators was positive, and they are ready to collaborate in promoting Hua Hin, Cha-am, and surrounding areas as a sustainable tourism hub in the region.