Phuket Airport Information

By Paula Parker

Guide to Phuket International Airport

Phuket Airport is one of Thailand's busiest airports, with millions of passengers arriving each year.

The airport is located at Mai Khao, on the Northern end of the Island, about 32 kilometres from Phuket Town and around 36 kilometres from Patong. 

Depending on the time of day and traffic, travel time from the airport to Patong can take around 50 minutes or to Phuket Town around 45 minutes.  

Phuket Airport has three terminals: Terminal 1 is for international flights, Terminal 2 is for domestic flights, and there is a smaller terminal used for charter flights.

Phuket International Airport receives around 300 flights per day; with this number of flights, the airport can get rather busy, especially during peak tourist season.

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Phuket Airport Arrivals

On arrival at the airport, you will go through immigration, baggage claim and customs before proceeding to the main arrivals lounge.

Within the main arrivals area, you will find currency exchange, ATM's and information counters.

Check the official Phuket Airport Website for a detailed map of both the International terminal and Domestic terminal.

If you are arriving in Phuket on a later flight, and you are not comfortable using the ATM's at the airport, it may pay to get some currency exchanged where you are departing from.

Getting To Your Hotel

Once outside the airport, you will be welcomed by all the local transport operators to get you to where you need to go.

These transport options include:

• Pre-arranged airport transfers 
• Airport bus
• Smart Bus
• Limousines
• Local Taxis
• Red and Yellow Metered taxis
  
• Grab

We prefer to pre-book our private transfers to and from the airport before leaving home, but you can read about other transport options from Phuket Airport. 

You may also like to read about your transport options for travelling around Phuket before arriving.

Or, if you're planning on transiting through Phuket to the Phi Phi Islands, here are a few ideas.

If the ferry timetables to Phi Phi don't match up with your flight arrival, you may prefer to stay overnight in Phuket Town for easy travel to the Islands the following day. 

For many years, we would catch the Yellow and red taxis. The red and yellow taxis are metered and will cost you around 500 baht, including a 100 baht booking fee. 

If you choose to take one of the local taxis that are not metered, beware that the drivers may sidetrack you from your original path.

If you're staying in Phuket Town, there are airport buses that are budget-friendly, or if you're travelling to the West Coast Beaches, you can catch the Smart Bus.

The Smart Bus service departs from Phuket International Airport and runs along the west coast to Rawai. The Smart Bus is a handy service, connecting the airport with major tourist areas, including Kamala, Patong, Karon and Kata Beaches. 

The fare for the Smart Bus is 100 Baht per person, no matter what the distance is.

Amenities at Phuket Airport

Phuket International Airport offers several lounges with comfortable amenities for travellers who want to relax before their long-haul flights.

To keep travellers connected while in transit, there is complimentary Wi-Fi available and charging stations.

For the kids, there is a playground on level 4. 

There is a good selection of food and drink outlets, duty-free shopping, a 7-Eleven, and a pharmacy. 

Recommended Arrival Time for Departing Flights

Due to traffic in Phuket, you should allow adequate travel time for your journey from your hotel to Phuket Airport for your departing flight.

International flights: it is recommended to check in 3 hours before your departure time
Domestic flights: it is recommended to check in 1.5 hours to 2 hours before your departure time.

Phuket Airport Departure Area

The Departure area at Phuket Airport is located on the third floor. When entering the passenger hall, you will see the check-in counters.

If you have remembered to keep your VAT receipts, you will be able to claim the VAT refund just before you head into the departure lounge.

Once in the Departure lounge, you will find the usual light refreshments, coffee shops, subway, newsagents and duty-free shops.

If you are prepared to do some research, you can find some cheap flights to Phuket with budget airlines like AirAsia to Phuket via KL.

Hotels near Phuket Airport

There are many hotels and resorts located close to Phuket Airport, including budget-friendly hotels, resorts that are well suited for families and beachside resorts that are only 5 minutes by car from the airport.

Staying close to the airport a night or two before your flight gives you more flexibility and takes the stress out of worrying about getting to the airport on time for that early morning flight.

When you're looking for a hotel or resort close to Phuket airport, check to see if they offer free airport transfers in the room rate.

During our last trip to Phuket, we enjoyed a 3-night stay at the Dewa Phuket Resort and Villas at Nai Yang Beach, before our flight back to Australia.

The Dewa is a 5-star resort which is perfectly situated a short five-minute drive from Phuket Airport.

What we loved most about the resort was the peaceful location.

The rooms were fantastic and provided everything we needed, including a super comfortable bed. The swimming pools were wonderful, and the staff were friendly and welcoming. 

Travel Information

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