Practical tips
- If you are flying to Chiang Mai from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport—Chiang Mai International Airport
CNX, located about 4 km (2.4 miles) southwest of the city center. After passing immigration and collecting the baggage, passengers have a variety of options to reach their final destination - whether it's a taxi waiting just outside the terminal or a shared minibus that offers a scenic ride through the city.
CNX, located about 4 km southwest of the city center, near the intersection of Mahidol and Hang Dong roads.
- Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, and Scoot, Thai Lion Air, and Thai VietJet Air.
Flights to Chiang Mai
from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Chiang Mai. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Chiang Mai, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. The best option is to fly direct from the US or Canada to Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong, and then take a shorter, connecting flight to Chiang Mai with a low-cost airline such as AirAsia, Scoot, or Thai VietJet Air.
- Chiang Mai is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Chiang Mai with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. - The best airlines to fly to Chiang Mai from the US and Canada are: EVA Air, Korean Air, and Singapore Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.
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What is the best time to book flights to Chiang Mai?
The best time to book flights to Chiang Mai is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Chiang Mai flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Airfare prices for Chiang Mai flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales.
Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays including holidays in Thailand. If you must travel during peak times, book your flight well in advance.
Avoid last minute
Avoid booking flights to Chiang Mai less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to Chiang Mai, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. This is the “Prime Booking Window.” After some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 a.m.) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand—most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Flights to Chiang Mai from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to Chiang Mai — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Austrian Airlines, Finnair, and KLM
- Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Chiang Mai include Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Austrian Airlines, Finnair, and KLM.
- Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Chiang Mai from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.
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Duty-free rules
Thailand is serious about the duty-free concession. There is a limit for bringing in certain items. Alcoholic drinks such as wine, spirits or beer cannot exceed one liter per person, and you can carry only 200 cigarettes (or 250g of tobacco). In addition to personal items, you may also carry items in reasonable quantity up to a value of 20,000 baht (~USD 550 / AUD 810).
Anything above those limits must be declared – at the Chiang Mai Airport, head to Red Lane to declare your goods.
The cheapest time to fly to Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a relatively affordable destination all year round, though travelers may find the best bargains on flights during the low (monsoon) season – which runs from July to September.
During these months Chiang Mai experiences less-pleasant weather conditions compared to the dry, hot months of November to May. Despite the less-than-ideal weather, the off-peak season promises smaller crowds and big savings: flights, hotels, tours, activities, and local food are significantly cheaper compared to the high season.
Chiang Mai, like most of Thailand, experiences its peak tourist season from November to March (or even into April and May) – it’s the time when airfares skyrocket, so remember to book your flights well in advance to avoid overpaying.
When planning your visit to Chiang Mai, try to avoid national holidays, when flight and hotel prices soar (even during the off-peak season).
Know your time zone
Thailand uses only one time zone across the country – Thailand Standard Time (THA) or Indochina Time (ICT) – which is UTC+7 (GMT+7). As a result, clocks in Chiang Mai are 7 hours ahead of London and 11 hours ahead of New York. The country shares the same time zone with Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Western Indonesia. It does not have an associated daylight saving time.
When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure time on your plane ticket is always listed based on the time zone of the departure airport. We suggest resetting your watch during the flight – it will help your brain adjust to the new time zone and to deal with jet lag.
Use the Thai Post Office to send your bag ahead
You can walk into a post office in any Thai town and send a suitcase ahead to Chiang Mai or another destination in Thailand. Just contact your next hotel or Airbnb to notify them of the upcoming package delivery. Even a large, heavy suitcase should cost you no more than 300 Bahts (less than $10).
Use Grab to get around Chiang Mai
Uber is no longer available in Thailand – it ceased business in April 2018 and has been replaced by its Asia alternative – Grab. It’s a good way for a cross-city journey: the cars are safe, secure and usually air-conditioned. Similarly to Uber, it has fixed distance-based fees, so drivers can’t overcharge you for journeys.
If you don’t have Grab Taxi yet, download it for your Chiang Mai vacation and set up your account, payment options, etc before arriving.
Use Thai budget airlines
It can be time-consuming and uncomfortable to travel on overnight buses or trains in Thailand. Opt for domestic air travel instead, as it is usually cheap, easy, and convenient.
Most flight routes around Chiang Mai are reasonably priced and short. For example, to fly from Chiang Mai to Bangkok takes only one hour and 20 minutes on a direct flight, at the cost of around 700 bahts (~20 USD / ~30 AUD / ~18 EUR).
The cheapest flights can be found on Thai budget airlines – Nok Air, Thai Air Asia, Thai Lion Air, Thai VietAir, and Thai Smile.
Long waiting times when calling the helpline?
Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for Thai AirAsia, Thai LionAir, Singapore Airlines, and others).
When it comes to Twitter there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: “@ThaiAirways”). The social media team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.
Avoid Thai public holidays
Prices skyrocket in Chiang Mai during popular Thai holidays – adjust travel dates to avoid expensive tickets. Cheap flights to Chiang Mai are non-existent during popular “red days” such as Songkran (12-15 April), Coronation Day (5 May), Vesak (26 May), Chulalongkorn Day (23 October), and New Year’s Eve (31 December).
Domestic flights from Chiang Mai
Most domestic routes in Thailand are operated by local carriers. When traveling to popular tourist destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Krabi, Phi Phi, and Surat Thani, from Chiang Mai Airport , you’ll likely fly with one of these domestic airlines: Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Thai Lion Air, Thai Vietjet Air, Thai Smile.
This is often the best transportation method, providing speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Local airlines often offer multiple daily flights to key destinations, providing flexibility in scheduling and competitive pricing. They also serve smaller regional airports, enabling access to a wider range of Thai destinations.
Flights to Chiang Mai
from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand are well-connected with popular Asian destinations, including Chiang Mai. In addition to domestic airlines – Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand – routes from Australasia to Asia are operated by large international carriers such as ANA, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.
Currently, there are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Chiang Mai. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia. - Airfare costs can vary widely depending on the route and the airline’s pricing strategy. To find the cheapest flight to Chiang Mai, compare ticket prices from various international airports in Australia – Sydney
SYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, and in New Zealand – AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, QueenstownZQN, and DunedinDUD. - For optimal savings, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a key Asian hub, then connect to Chiang Mai via a regional low-cost carrier. Among budget airlines that fly to Chiang Mai are AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, and Scoot, Thai Lion Air, and Thai VietJet Air.
For the first leg, use the budget carriers that fly out of Australian airports, leveraging sales and promotions they run frequently: AirAsia (connects with Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore), Cebu Pacific (Manila), Jetstar (Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo), Scoot (Singapore), VietJet Air (Ho Chi Minh City), Bamboo Airways (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing), and Batik Air (Jakarta, Singapore).
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Flights to Chiang Mai
from major hubs in Asia
- Many airport hubs in the Asia Pacific region have direct flights to Chiang Mai, including Beijing
PEK, HanoiHAN, Hong KongHKG, Kuala LumpurKLM, OsakaKIX, SeoulICN, ShanghaiPVG, SingaporeSIN, and TaipeiTPE. - Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Chiang Mai look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
- Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Chiang Mai will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
- Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting Thailand and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet, and VietJet Air. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.
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Flights to Chiang Mai dataset
