PHUKET, THAILAND – Phuket prepared for an exceptional high season as European airlines expanded direct services and the island’s airport completed upgrades to cope with a surge in winter traffic.
European carriers ramped up services
The TUI Group announced a major increase in its winter schedule, planning ten direct weekly flights from Europe to Phuket between 2 November 2025 and 16 April 2026. The company said it expected to carry around 61,000 passengers on those services, a marked jump from the previous year. Flights from Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Gothenburg were to be operated by TUI Fly Nordic, while routes from Manchester and London Gatwick were assigned to TUI UK. TUI also planned heavy weekend frequencies, with as many as five aircraft arrivals or departures on Saturdays and Sundays.
Airport readied for heavier traffic
Phuket International Airport moved to accelerate preparations as flight numbers rose. General Director Monchai Tanode said the airport was currently handling an average of 280 to 300 flights a day and expected that number to climb to as many as 400 daily during the peak season. The airport’s maximum capacity stood at about 600 flight movements per day.
“We expected full terminals, but are well prepared,” Monchai said, adding that runways, taxiways and parking areas had been modernised to allow the airport to process up to 25 aircraft an hour. He said additional staff and security shifts had been introduced to speed processing and improve passenger flow.
New routes broaden international connections
Several carriers added or resumed services as Phuket re-emerged as a major regional hub. Centrum Air of Uzbekistan planned to start four weekly flights from 31 October, while Air France scheduled a direct link from Paris from 28 November with six weekly flights using a Boeing 777-300ER. Major carriers from the Middle East and beyond, including Saudi Arabian Airlines, El Al and Iran Air, also retained their regular schedules, keeping Phuket connected to Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Immigration and baggage systems strengthened
To manage the expected influx, airport officials said they were working closely with the immigration authority to shorten processing times and accelerate international controls. Monchai noted that baggage systems had been upgraded and additional bus parking installed to reduce bottlenecks.
“We have introduced additional staffing and security shifts,” he said, stressing that measures were aimed at avoiding delays during peak arrival periods.
Optimism for the tourism season
Tourism officials and operators voiced optimism that Phuket had returned to the global tourism map after the upheaval of recent years. The expansion of scheduled services by European carriers and the arrival of new routes were seen as clear signs that the island was entering one of its strongest winter seasons in the past decade. From luxury travellers to families, industry sources said Phuket was once again poised to be a central hub for international leisure travel as the high season approached.