BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s air traffic increased again in 2025 to about 145 million passengers but remained below pre-pandemic levels.
Passenger growth still short of 2019 record
According to ACM Manat Chuaprayoon, governor of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), airports in the country handled 145.1 million passengers in 2025. Of these, 67 million were domestic travellers and 78 million were international passengers, a rise of 4.9 million or 3.54% compared with 2024. However, traffic stayed clearly below the pre-Covid record of 161.81 million passengers in 2019, when a higher share of Chinese tourists drove volumes.
New markets offset weaker demand from China
Manat said muted demand from China was partly offset by strong gains from other regions, especially Central Asia, the Middle East and traditional long-haul markets.
“Growth in new and distant markets has compensated for part of the gap created by the decline in Chinese air travellers,”
said Manat, CAAT governor. In the year-end high season, Chinese passenger numbers reached around 75% of their pre-Covid level, leaving China an important but not yet fully recovered source market.
Geopolitical conflicts weigh on global aviation
The year 2025 was marked by international conflicts and heightened geopolitical tensions for airlines worldwide, Manat noted. Airspace restrictions stemming from disputes between Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, and Russia and Ukraine added pressure on global air traffic. These factors further burdened the industry and reduced planning certainty for carriers.
India, Russia and Oceania drive Thailand’s recovery
Despite these headwinds, Thailand’s aviation sector showed resilience after passenger numbers fell from 161.81 million in 2019 to 140.6 million in 2024, then rose to 145.1 million in 2025, confirming an upward trend. Particularly dynamic development came from Oceania, especially Australia, with 1.77 million passengers, and from new direct connections to Pacific island states. India generated 5.95 million passengers, well above the 4.85 million recorded in 2019, while Russia accounted for 4.22 million passengers.
“India and Russia remain key markets for Thai aviation,”
said Manat, underlining their strategic importance.
Smaller fleet, high utilisation in domestic market
Thai airlines operated a combined fleet of 238 aircraft in 2025, significantly fewer than the 279 aircraft in 2019. Despite this reduced fleet, the carriers handled 92% of pre-Covid domestic passenger volumes. This pointed to efficiency gains and more targeted deployment of available capacity in the domestic network.
Climate and sustainability move up the agenda
For the current year, Manat announced a clear focus on environmental and climate protection, aligned with guidelines from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Compliance with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (Corsia) was to be strengthened, alongside wider use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
“Thai aviation will increase the use of sustainable aviation fuels and align more closely with international climate standards,”
said the CAAT chief.