They are pursuing an audacious plan—if they get people to travel by flying into Thailand, why not entice them to stay longer and participate more? Officials expect that this could generate 8.8 billion baht ($244 million) by the end of the campaign.
How It Works
Unfortunately, you have to be a foreign traveler to qualify for this deal. Once a traveler pays for an international flight to Thailand, they can claim one free round trip domestic ticket (a round-trip ticket that includes checked baggage up to 20 kg) and they can use it anywhere. This means they can fly to island destinations like Phuket and Koh Phi Phi or over to Chiang Mai or even take a quick trip to Northeastern Thailand’s Khon Kaen.
The Airlines and the Timeframe
Who can join? Six local carriers: Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, and Thai Vietjet. The campaign isn’t open ended. It will run from September to November 2025 and can only be claimed via the carriers or licensed online travel agencies.
Why Thailand is Making This Decision
The driving force behind this decision is Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, led by Sorawong Thienthong. Their blunt idea is this: foreign movers to Thailand are already going to the big names; Bangkok, Phuket, and to a much lesser extent Krabi and Chiang Mai. That’s certainly an interesting and inventive way of promoting lesser-known destinations while simultaneously attaching income in those locations.
With money being handed out, Thailand is encouraging visitors to explore, with a quantifiable return, of thinking more broadly than travelling to the best known destinations. This whole flight subsidy idea came at just the right time; earlier this year competing destination country Japan offered free trips to Hong Kong, Phuket, ‘North Hall’ and Cebu so competition and tourism marketing has definitely left Thailand to feel like its throwing chum in the water.
Some Background You May Have Missed
By mid-August in 2025 Thailand has had a total of 20.8 million foreign arrivals which represents an approximate 7% decrease in annual numbers. From those arrivals, China’s numbers show 2.9 million arrivals; therefore, a prospective decrease too; with only one year to go after that other population projections show that the increase might be negligible.
As what other international destinations try to take advantage of the freebie craze occurring in flights, Thailand is looking ahead and knows it is worth a shot to see if they can expand the destinations older travelers might visit.
What’s your takeaway?
We call this type of thing a win-win-win, because travelers can now experience multiple types of travel with the same ten days, airlines will fill seats, and will give coverage to all the other points of interest away from towns and not formerly having as populated vistas for visitors.
