The Coral Executive Lounge (International)
International departures, airside
Pay at the door
Access: Walk-in payment, about ฿1,200 for up to 3 hours · lounge membership programmes
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Chiang Mai International Airport Guide (CNX)
One terminal, a short ride from the Old City moat: taxis, Grab, buses, lounges, luggage storage and what to expect overnight. Ask a question
In short
Chiang Mai's airport has domestic and international terminals and sits only about 3 km from the Old City moat. The taxi counter charges about ฿150 flat to most addresses, a 10 to 20 minute ride, and RTC bus route 24 runs to the Old City and Nimman by day. Allow 2 hours for domestic and nearly 3 for international flights.
By the bookingMentor Travel Desk · Updated · How we research
A short connection, an early flight after a night in the Old City or a few hours to fill before heading north: this is what the CNX terminal offers, from lounges and left luggage to where to eat after security.
Please note: Flights, hotels near the airport and car hire with driver on this page can be booked directly on bookingMentor. We list places on merit, and bookings never affect what we say about them.
What to expect
Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) sits about 4 km south-west of the city centre and roughly 3 km from the moat around the Old City, which makes it one of the closest major airports to a city centre anywhere in Thailand. The land belongs to the Royal Thai Air Force and the terminal is run by Airports of Thailand (AOT). Flying here goes back to the 1920s, when the field was known as Suthep, and in 2025 it handled about 9.5 million passengers, close to three-quarters of them domestic.
Domestic and international flights share one long building, with check-in and arrivals on the ground floor and the gates and duty free upstairs after security. Most traffic is to Bangkok: Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet fly to Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang through the day, with direct domestic links to Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Hat Yai, Surat Thani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen and Hua Hin. International routes reach Seoul, Busan, Taipei, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, several Chinese cities, Luang Prabang, Yangon and Mandalay.
Chiang Mai terminal plans, October 2026: AOT's development roadmap, reported in June 2026, includes a new international terminal on the south side of the airport, a full renovation of the existing building for domestic use and a car park for about 1,100 cars. Completion is not expected before 2034, so for now all flights continue to use the current terminal.
Facilities are modest for the passenger numbers. Expect a reasonable spread of cafés and fast food landside, a thinner choice after security, several bank exchange booths and ATMs in the arrivals hall, SIM counters, a post office and a left-luggage desk. The airfield runs 24 hours, but the terminal is busiest between early morning and late evening and gets crowded at peak times. AOT has approved a new international terminal on the south side of the site, with the current building to become domestic-only; completion is not expected before 2034.
A century of flying at Suthep
The airfield was laid out as an airstrip in the early 1920s and started operating in 1934 as Suthep Airport. Japanese forces used it in the Second World War, when it was attacked by British and American aircraft. Scheduled passenger flights began in 1947 with the founding of Siamese Airways, and the runway stayed grass or dirt until the late 1950s.
The modern airport took shape in stages. In April 2014 it moved to 24-hour operation, after an apron enlargement for bigger aircraft and larger international arrival and domestic departure halls. Thai AirAsia made Chiang Mai a secondary hub on 24 January 2011, and Thai Airways treats it as a focus city. During the closure of Suvarnabhumi in 2008, China Airlines and Swiss used Chiang Mai as an alternative stop.
9.5 million passengers and a single busy runway
In 2025 CNX handled 9,517,206 passengers, up 4.8 per cent, of whom 2,565,686 flew internationally and 6,951,520 domestically, along with 64,124 aircraft movements. That makes it the fourth-busiest airport in Thailand, though still short of its 2019 peak of 11,333,548 passengers. Everything runs on a single asphalt runway at about 316 m above sea level.
Landside and airside
Landside is the ground-floor hall where you check in and where arrivals come out, with most of the food, the banks and the SIM counters. Airside is upstairs after security, where the gates, duty free and lounges are. Domestic and international departures have separate airside areas.
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Good to know
- IATA / ICAOCNX / VTCC
- Terminals in useDomestic · International
- Open24 hours
- To city centre~4 km
- Fastest to the cityCar hire with driver
- Free WiFiYes
- Lounges5
- Left luggage฿349 a day
About this guide
How we research this airport guide
This guide is written and maintained by the bookingMentor Travel Desk. We check transport fares, terminal facilities and airline routes against AOT, operator and airline sources, and update the page when something changes, most recently for the RTC bus fares and AOT's terminal plans.
Last updated . Taxi, bus, shuttle, lounge and luggage prices are typical figures and change without notice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk
Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change
Checked against trusted sources:
Airports of ThailandThai Aeronautical Information PublicationRTC Chiang Mai City Bus timetables and reports
See all 5 sources
- Airports of Thailand (AOT) Chiang Mai airport website
- Thai Aeronautical Information Publication (CAAT)
- RTC Chiang Mai City Bus timetables and reports
- Airline websites and schedules
- Chiang Mai Citylife news coverage
Flight board
Departures and arrivals listed on bookingMentor for Chiang Mai International Airport.
No departures from CNX are listed yet
Search the airlines' fares for your dates instead.
Search flights from CNX
No arrivals into CNX are listed yet
Search the airlines' fares for your dates instead.
Search flights to CNX
Times are from the flights listed on bookingMentor, not a live departure feed. Always confirm with your airline before travelling.
Airlines at this airport
Carriers with scheduled passenger flights at CNX. Several international routes are seasonal, so check the schedule for your dates.
Domestic carriers
6 airlines
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Thai Airways International ThailandIATA TG ICAO THARoutes, baggage & check-in
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Bangkok Airways ThailandIATA PG ICAO BKPRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Thai Lion Air ThailandIATA SL ICAO TLMRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Thai AirAsia ThailandIATA FD ICAO AIQRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Nok Air ThailandIATA DD ICAO NOKRoutes, baggage & check-in
- Thai Vietjet ThailandIATA / ICAO codes not listed yetAirline guide coming soon
No domestic match
International carriers
20 airlines
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AirAsia MalaysiaIATA AK ICAO AXMRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Malaysia Airlines MalaysiaIATA MH ICAO MASRoutes, baggage & check-in
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China Airlines TaiwanIATA CI ICAO CALRoutes, baggage & check-in
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EVA Air TaiwanIATA BR ICAO EVARoutes, baggage & check-in
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China Southern Airlines ChinaIATA CZ ICAO CSNRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Air China ChinaIATA CA ICAO CCARoutes, baggage & check-in
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Etihad Airways United Arab EmiratesIATA EY ICAO ETDRoutes, baggage & check-in
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HK Express Hong KongIATA UO ICAO HKERoutes, baggage & check-in
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Korean Air South KoreaIATA KE ICAO KALRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Scoot SingaporeIATA TR ICAO TGWRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Air Busan South KoreaIATA BX ICAO ABLRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Eastar Jet South KoreaIATA ZE ICAO ESRRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Jeju Air South KoreaIATA 7C ICAO JJARoutes, baggage & check-in
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Starlux Airlines TaiwanIATA JX ICAO SJXRoutes, baggage & check-in
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Lao Airlines LaosIATA QV ICAO LAORoutes, baggage & check-in
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Myanmar Airways International MyanmarIATA 8M ICAO MMARoutes, baggage & check-in
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Spring Airlines ChinaIATA 9C ICAO CQHRoutes, baggage & check-in
- Ruili AirlinesIATA / ICAO codes not listed yetAirline guide coming soon
- West AirIATA / ICAO codes not listed yetAirline guide coming soon
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VietJet Air VietnamIATA VJ ICAO VJCRoutes, baggage & check-in
No international match
Airport lounges
Two Coral Executive Lounges sell walk-in access. The airline lounges are for eligible premium passengers and status holders only.
The Coral Executive Lounge (Domestic)
Domestic departures, airside
Pay at the door
Access: Walk-in payment · lounge membership programmes
Bangkok Airways Blue Ribbon Lounge
Domestic departures, airside, 2nd floor
Airline lounge
Access: Bangkok Airways Blue Ribbon (business) passengers · FlyerBonus elite members
Bangkok Airways Boutique Lounge
Domestic departures, 2nd floor
Airline lounge
Access: Bangkok Airways passengers, subject to the airline's current rules
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge
Domestic and international departures, airside
Airline lounge
Access: Thai Airways premium passengers · eligible Star Alliance status holders
Water, showers & mobile charging
Drinking water
Tap water in Thailand is not drinkable. Bring an empty bottle through security and buy sealed water, which is cheaper from the convenience shops landside than at the gates.
Showers
There are no public showers. Shower access depends on the lounge you use, so check before you buy a pass.
Mobile charging
Charging stations are in both the domestic and international departure areas, but sockets near gate seating are limited, so carry a power bank. Thailand uses types A, B, C, F and O sockets at 220 V.
Luggage storage & lockers
Left luggage is run by AIRPORTELs from a counter on the ground floor near Gate 7, opposite the post office, open 06:00 to midnight. It is not a self-service locker, so you can only collect bags during those hours.
| Bag size | Per day | Hotel delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Standard bag (up to 25 kg) | ฿150 | ฿349 |
| Special item (bike box, golf bag, etc.) | ฿200 | ฿599 |
WiFi & connectivity
Free WiFi
Yes
Time limit
About 2 hours per session
Registration
Short online form
SIM cards
At arrivals
AOT's free WiFi gives roughly two hours per session; when it drops, log in again. The signal can be weak near some gates. A Thai tourist SIM from the AIS, TrueMove H or dtac counters in arrivals is cheap and saves the hassle; bring your passport for registration.
Food & drinks
Eat landside if you can. The ground-floor hall has more choice and lower prices, while airside outlets are fewer and close late in the evening.
Black Canyon Coffee
Departures, airside
Thai coffee chain with rice dishes, noodles and cakes; the most reliable sit-down choice after security
Daytime hoursStarbucks
Main hall, landside
Coffee, sandwiches and pastries before check-in
Daytime hoursLandside restaurants and cafés
Ground floor, both ends of the hall
Thai dishes, fast food and bakery counters at lower prices than after security
Daytime hoursConvenience shops
Landside and airside
Bottled water, snacks and travel essentials
Daytime hoursMore airport information
Search for what you need: try "sim", "cash", "bag", "post" or "wheelchair".
ATMsIn the main hall on the ground floor, arrivals and departures. Thai banks charge foreign cards about ฿220 per withdrawal. None upstairs after check-in.
Baby changingBaby changing facilities in the terminal toilets.
Car rentalAvis, Budget, Hertz, Sixt and Thai operators have counters on the ground floor.
ChargingCharging stations in both departure areas. Thailand uses types A, B, C, F and O at 220 V.
Currency exchangeBooths run by several Thai banks in the ground-floor hall. Rates are poorer than in the city.
Duty freeOn the second floor of the international departure area, after passport control.
Left luggageAIRPORTELs counter near Gate 7, ground floor, 06:00 to midnight, about ฿150 per bag per day.
Medical clinicFirst-aid clinic on Level 1 of the domestic side, with a 24-hour ambulance service.
ParkingShort-stay and overnight parking in front of the terminal, charged by the hour.
Post officeThai Post counter on the ground floor near the domestic arrivals area.
Prayer roomA prayer room is provided in the terminal; ask at the information desk for the nearest one.
SIM cardsAIS, TrueMove H and dtac counters in arrivals. Passport required.
Taxi counterAirport taxi desk in arrivals, flat fare about ฿150 to the city.
Tourist Assistance CenterAOT tourist help desk for complaints, lost items and general information.
VAT refundVAT refund service for tourists leaving Thailand on international flights. Get forms stamped by customs before check-in.
Visa on arrivalCounter before immigration for eligible nationalities arriving on international flights.
Wheelchair assistanceRamps, lifts and accessible toilets throughout. Request assistance through your airline before you fly.
WiFiFree AOT WiFi, about two hours per session.
Nothing matches that search. Try "sim", "wifi", "bag" or "food".
Airport hours
Terminal
Open 24 hours
Check-in opens
2–3 hrs before
Check-in closes
45–60 min before
Overnight access
Landside open; airside from first departures
The airport has operated 24 hours a day since 2014, but the departure schedule thins out late at night. Most cafés and shops keep roughly 06:00 to midnight hours, the left-luggage counter closes at midnight, and security may stay closed until the first morning flights are due.
Arriving and departing, step by step
The order of events at CNX, from the aircraft door to the city and from the kerb to your gate.
From the plane to the Old City
- 1Immigration (international arrivals)
Have your passport and TDAC confirmation ready. Visa-on-arrival applicants go to that counter first with a photo, onward ticket and accommodation details. Domestic passengers skip this step.
- 2Baggage claim
Check the screens for your belt. The hall is compact and bags usually arrive quickly.
- 3Customs
International passengers use the green channel with nothing to declare, the red channel if they do.
- 4Arrivals hall
Change a little cash or use an ATM, buy a SIM at the operator counters, then choose the taxi counter, the Grab pick-up area, the shuttle van desk or the RTC bus stop outside Exit 2.
From the kerb to your Chiang Mai gate
- 1Arrive early
At least 2 hours before domestic flights and nearer 3 hours before international ones, more at weekends and during Thai holidays.
- 2Check-in
International check-in is at the southern end of the hall and domestic at the northern end. Low-cost carriers weigh cabin bags strictly.
- 3Security and passport control
Take the escalator or lift upstairs to security. International passengers then clear outbound immigration. ATMs and exchange booths are downstairs, so get cash first.
- 4Gates and lounges
Find a lounge or café and keep an eye on the screens. Some gates are bus gates, so be there when boarding is called.
Getting to & from the airport
CNX is so close to town that the choice is mostly about price and luggage. The taxi counter and Grab get you to the Old City in 15 minutes for around ฿150; the bus and shuttle vans are cheaper but run in daytime only.
Car hire with driver
Best for: Fixed price, door-to-door, day tripsPickupMeets you at arrivals
Book byHour, day or longer
Good forDoi Suthep, Chiang Rai, Pai
Pre-book a car with a driver on bookingMentor and your driver meets you in the arrivals hall. A sensible choice for families, heavy luggage, or a day trip out to Doi Inthanon or onward to Chiang Rai.
Book car hire on bookingMentorTaxi
Best for: Most arrivalsFlat fareabout ฿150
To Old City10 – 20 min
WhereTaxi counter, arrivals
The airport taxi counter in the arrivals hall sells fixed-fare rides to most city addresses for about ฿150, with a larger car around ฿100 extra. Metered taxis are also available and add a ฿50 airport surcharge. Ignore drivers who approach you inside the hall.
Ride-hailing
Best for: App users, lowest faresTypical fareunder ฿100 – ฿150
To Old City10 – 20 min
PickupMarked area outside Exit 2
Grab and Bolt both serve the airport. Grab's airport fare is usually close to the taxi counter price; Bolt is often cheaper and also offers motorbike rides of about ฿40 for a solo traveller without luggage.
RTC route 24
Best for: Light luggage, daytime arrivalsFare฿50 from the airport
Hoursabout 07:15 – 19:10
StopExit 2, turn left
Air-conditioned RTC Chiang Mai City Bus route 24 runs two loops: 24L towards the Night Bazaar and Tha Phae Gate, 24R towards Suan Dok and Nimman. Pay in cash or by Thai QR. Suitcases larger than cabin size pay about ฿30 each. Timetables change often, so treat departure times as a guide.
Airport shuttle van
Best for: Hotel drop-offs on a budgetFare฿40 – ฿60
DepartsWhen full, 10 – 15 min wait
WhereInternational side
Shared vans drop passengers at hotels along set zones: the moat and Nimman, the Night Bazaar and Chang Khlan, or the Second Ring Road. The service has been suspended for periods in the past, so have a back-up plan.
Songthaew
Best for: Groups, flexible plansSharedabout ฿40 per person
Whole truckabout ฿200
WhereOutside the terminal gates
Chiang Mai's red shared pickups pass the airport and go anywhere in town. Agree the price before you get in. Few wait at the terminal itself, so this works best on departure from the city.
Inter-terminal
Best for: Changing between domestic and internationalCostFree
BetweenDomestic · International
Walk5 – 10 min
Both sides are in the same building. Walk along the ground-floor hall, check in again if your bags are not through-checked, and clear security on the other side.
Security & safety
CNX is a safe, well-staffed airport. The main risks are overpaying for transport and the usual petty theft in a crowded hall.
1Use the taxi counter or an appBook at the official counter or through Grab or Bolt. Freelance drivers in the hall charge well over the ฿150 flat fare.
2Get cash before going upstairsATMs and exchange booths are all on the ground floor. Once you are upstairs after check-in there is no way to get cash.
3Watch the burning-season airFrom roughly February to April, smoke from crop and forest fires can bring very poor air quality and occasional flight disruption. Carry a proper mask and check your flight status.
4Keep valuables close overnightIf you wait overnight, sit near the staffed areas by the main entrance rather than in empty corners, and keep your bag strap looped round an arm.
Pro tip: the ATMs and money changers are all downstairs. Draw cash before you go up to security, because there is nothing upstairs once you have checked in.
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Visitors are asking
It is about 3 km along busy roads with little shade. Possible with a backpack, but a ฿150 taxi or a Bolt ride is far more pleasant.
Not really. Larger bags pay an extra ฿30 each, which brings the trip close to a Bolt fare.
At the marked ride-hailing pick-up area outside Exit 2, beyond the RTC bus stop.
No. The building stays open, but outlets close and security may not open until the first morning departures.
No. There is nothing to sleep in airside; the nearest rooms are in hotels within about 1 km.
Assume cash. Have small notes ready; ATMs are in the same hall.
Yes, foreign passengers must complete the online Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before arriving.
About three hours by road. There are no direct flights between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
Occasionally. Heavy haze from February to April can cause delays, so allow slack in connections at that time of year.
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Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown through Chiang Mai Airport.
Sleeping at the airport
Chiang Mai is workable for a few hours overnight but has no dedicated rest zones. Most travellers with an early flight are better off in one of the many cheap hotels nearby.
Landside sleep spots
LandsideMain entrance benches
A handful of cushioned benches without armrests near the main entrance, the best spot for lying down. Bright lights and steady foot traffic until late.
LandsideCheck-in hall seating
Rows of seats along the hall. Quieter between the last evening departures and the first morning check-in, which begins before dawn.
Airside sleep spots
AirsideDeparture gate areas
Only reachable once security opens for the early flights. Chairs have armrests, and announcements start early.
Rest & relaxation zones
There are no free rest zones, sleep pods or recliners in the public areas at CNX. For a reclining seat you need a lounge, and the lounges are not open overnight.
Cots for sleeping
Cots are not provided. If your flight is cancelled late at night, ask your airline's desk about a hotel; with so many hotels within a few minutes of the terminal, that is usually the quickest solution.
Sleep pods, day rooms & transit hotel
There is no transit hotel at CNX, but the streets around the airport and the Old City have a large supply of rooms at every price.
Nearest hotel
Under 1 km
Sleep cabins & pods
No
Day rooms
No
Hotels near the airport
We search, you stay. Check out these great places and prices or explore all our hotel deals.
Layover sightseeing
With five hours or more and the right to enter Thailand, the Old City is close enough for a temple and a bowl of khao soi. Times below include the round trip.
Chiang Mai
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
The temple sits on the slopes of Doi Suthep, around 15 kilometres from the old city of Chiang Mai, inside Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. It is one of the most sa...
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Everything travellers ask before flying through Chiang Mai.
Checked against AOT, the Thai aeronautical publication and transport operators; updated each season.
Getting there
About 3 km to the south-west corner of the moat and about 4 km to the city centre. A taxi or Grab normally takes 10 to 20 minutes, longer in the evening rush.
The airport taxi counter in the arrivals hall charges a flat fare of about ฿150 to most addresses in the city, with a larger car costing about ฿100 more. Metered taxis are also available and add a ฿50 airport surcharge to the meter.
Yes. Both apps work here and have a marked pick-up area outside the terminal. Grab's airport fare is usually close to the taxi counter price, while Bolt is often cheaper, and Bolt also offers motorbike rides for solo travellers with little luggage.
Yes. RTC Chiang Mai City Bus route 24 runs two loops from the airport through the Old City gates, Night Bazaar, Suan Dok and Nimman. The fare from the airport was ฿50 in late 2025, larger suitcases pay an extra ฿30, and the last departure is in the early evening.
The airfield has operated around the clock since April 2014 and the terminal stays open overnight. There are few flights in the small hours, so many shops and counters close and security checkpoints may not open until the first departures are due.
AOT advises at least 2 hours before departure. For international flights or at weekends and Thai holidays, 2.5 to 3 hours is safer because the check-in and security queues can be long.
They share one building. International check-in and arrivals are at the southern end and domestic at the northern end, with separate departure areas upstairs after security.
Yes. AOT's free WiFi gives about two hours per session after a short registration, and you can reconnect when it runs out. Coverage near some gates is patchy.
Yes, several banks have exchange booths and ATMs in the main hall on the ground floor. Rates are weaker than in town and Thai ATMs charge foreign cards about ฿220 per withdrawal, so take out only what you need.
Yes. The AIRPORTELs counter on the ground floor near Gate 7 stores bags for about ฿150 per standard bag per day and is staffed from 06:00 to midnight.
The Coral Executive Lounge sells walk-in access in both the domestic and international departure areas and accepts several lounge membership programmes. Bangkok Airways passengers have their own lounges in domestic departures, and Thai Airways runs lounges for eligible premium passengers.
Several small hotels and serviced apartments lie within about 1 km of the terminal, and the Central Chiang Mai Airport shopping mall is a short drive away. With the Old City only 15 minutes off, most travellers simply stay in town.
Prices & payment
Operator counters for AIS, TrueMove H and dtac are in the arrivals area on the ground floor. Bring your passport, as registration is compulsory.
Visa & documents
Yes, CNX has a visa-on-arrival counter for eligible nationalities, and many passport holders enter Thailand visa-free. All foreign arrivals must complete the online Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before landing.
General
Not at present. There are no scheduled flights to Chiang Rai, which is about three hours away by road, and planned small-aircraft flights to Mae Hong Son were suspended in August 2026.