Phuket International Airport
Phuket International Airport (HKT) is Thailand's second-busiest international airport by passenger throughput, located in northern Phuket province. Operated by Airports of Thailand (SET:AOT) under the same concession framework as Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, and Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai. Major hub for European, Russian, Chinese, and Indian inbound tourism. Subject to capacity-expansion debate (Andaman International Airport proposal) given peak-season congestion.
Profile overview
Phuket International Airport (HKT) is Thailand's second-busiest international airport by passenger throughput, located in northern Phuket province. Operated by Airports of Thailand (SET:AOT) under the same concession framework as Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, and Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai. Major hub for European, Russian, Chinese, and Indian inbound tourism. Subject to capacity-expansion debate (Andaman International Airport proposal) given peak-season congestion.
Airport segments and operations
Passenger traffic
~16M passengers annually (FY2024)
Phuket handled approximately 16 million passengers in FY2024 (AOT FY ended Sep 2024), recovering toward pre-COVID peak of 19M (FY2019). International routes account for ~70% of passenger mix, with European, Chinese, and Indian source markets dominant.
Airlines
International route network
Phuket serves direct routes from London, Frankfurt, Moscow, Helsinki, Mumbai, Delhi, Beijing, Shanghai, and across ASEAN. Thai AirAsia, Thai Airways, and Bangkok Airways anchor domestic connections. Charter traffic from Russia and Eastern Europe is material.
Cargo
Air cargo and seafood export
Phuket handles live seafood, tropical fruit, and perishable exports. Air cargo volumes are modest versus Suvarnabhumi but the airport serves as a regional export hub for southern Thai agricultural produce.
Expansion debate
Andaman International Airport proposal
The proposed new Andaman International Airport (Phang Nga province, 25km north of Phuket) would serve as an overflow facility. BOT concession model under discussion; capex estimated at $2.9–130B.
AOT airport network — passenger comparison (FY2024)
Airports of Thailand (SET:AOT) six-airport network by passenger throughput.
Suvarnabhumi
IATA
BKK
FY2024 pax (M)
~65
Primary role
International hub
Don Mueang
IATA
DMK
FY2024 pax (M)
~40
Primary role
LCC hub, domestic
Phuket
IATA
HKT
FY2024 pax (M)
~16
Primary role
Leisure international
Chiang Mai
IATA
CNX
FY2024 pax (M)
~8
Primary role
Domestic, regional
Hat Yai
IATA
HDY
FY2024 pax (M)
~3
Primary role
Domestic, Malaysia
Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai
IATA
CEI
FY2024 pax (M)
~2
Primary role
Domestic, GMS
| Airport | IATA | FY2024 pax (M) | Primary role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suvarnabhumi | BKK | ~65 | International hub |
| Don Mueang | DMK | ~40 | LCC hub, domestic |
| Phuket | HKT | ~16 | Leisure international |
| Chiang Mai | CNX | ~8 | Domestic, regional |
| Hat Yai | HDY | ~3 | Domestic, Malaysia |
| Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai | CEI | ~2 | Domestic, GMS |
Watchpoints 2025–2026
Chinese tourist recovery
China direct-flight restoration
Chinese inbound was 40%+ of Phuket international traffic pre-COVID. Recovery to 60–70% of 2019 levels expected by end-2025; full restoration depends on airline slot allocation and bilateral air-service agreements.
Capacity crunch
Peak-season congestion
Phuket is running at near-full capacity during November–March peak season. Until the Andaman Airport is built, AOT must manage demand via slot controls and terminal-renovation throughput improvements.
Russian tourism
Russian leisure-charter resilience
Russian travellers are the largest European source market for Phuket despite Ukraine war sanctions. Charter routes from Moscow, St. Petersburg continue through Gulf carrier connections; sanction risk persists.
Where this profile is featured
Reports that reference this entity in their operator concentration or analysis.
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