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Search round tripsDomestic route CNX to UTH
Chiang Mai to Udon Thani flights: north to Isan in an hour
Both airlines fly nonstop from Chiang Mai to Udon Thani in about an hour, a 433 km hop that saves most of a day on the road.
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Nonstop, both low-cost airlinesEconomy
CNX
Chiang Mai
UTH
Udon Thani
- Distance
- 433 km
Return
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Looking for Chiang Mai to Udon Thani air tickets and not sure what to pay? Two airlines fly this route, and fares change with demand, so the same seat can cost noticeably more close to a holiday weekend. Put your dates in the search above to compare today's fares and book with bookingMentor.
Everything you should know
Chiang Mai to Udon Thani flight guide
Flying from Chiang Mai to Udon Thani
In short
Both low-cost airlines fly nonstop from Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) to Udon Thani International Airport (UTH). The straight-line distance is about 433 km and the flight takes about an hour, so you can leave the north after breakfast and be in Isan for lunch.
It is one of the few routes from Chiang Mai into the North-East that does not need a change in Bangkok. Both airlines check in at the domestic end of the single terminal at Chiang Mai airport, which lies only 4 km from the city centre. Get cash on the ground floor before you go upstairs: there are no ATMs or exchange booths after security.
Bags on a low-cost route
Basic fares on Nok Air and Thai AirAsia normally cover a seat and a cabin bag. Checked luggage is sold as an extra, and adding it when you book usually costs less than paying at the counter. Thai AirAsia weighs cabin bags at check-in, so pack to the limit printed on your booking rather than guessing.
Minibuses into Udon and vans to Nong Khai
UTH sits on the south-western edge of the city, 3 to 4 km from the centre. Domestic passengers walk straight to the belts. The shared minibus counter for addresses in town is to the right as you leave arrivals, and the counter for Nong Khai and the Friendship Bridge is straight ahead. If you are bound for Vientiane, that van is the simplest way to the border, about an hour north. Grab works in Udon, while taxi drivers tend to quote a flat price, so agree it before the bags go in. The airport works roughly from 06:00 to 22:00, which only matters if an evening departure runs late. The Udon Thani airport guide has the details of each counter and the lounge.
Cool months and the Horticultural Expo in Udon
November to February is the comfortable stretch in both cities: dry, with cool mornings. This season Udon also hosts the International Horticultural Expo, from 1 November 2026 to 14 March 2027, so weekend seats may sell faster than usual. From February to April, smoke from crop and forest fires across the north can bring haze to Chiang Mai and occasionally hold departures, so leave some slack if you have something booked at the other end.
Udon Thani's airport and its past
Udon Thani International Airport opened in 1932 and is owned by the Royal Thai Air Force, with the Department of Airports running civil flights. During the Vietnam War it was Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, a front-line United States Air Force base and the Asian headquarters of Air America. The air force's Wing 23 still flies Alpha Jets from it.
The runway is 3,048 m long. In 2025 the airport handled 2,012,155 passengers, up about 7 percent, and 475 tonnes of freight. A decade earlier, in 2015, it had already passed 2.2 million passengers, up from 1.33 million in 2013.
Nok Air and Thai AirAsia on the route
Nok Air flies Udon Thani to Don Mueang and Chiang Mai with Boeing 737-800s carrying 189 passengers, each with the airline's painted bird's beak on the nose. It started flying in July 2004 and has bases at Don Mueang, Chiang Mai and Phuket. Thai AirAsia links Udon Thani with both Bangkok airports, Chiang Mai and Phuket using Airbus A320-family jets; it began in February 2004 and lists Chiang Mai among its operating bases.
Chiang Mai International Airport handled 9.52 million passengers in 2025 and has been open around the clock since April 2014, run by Airports of Thailand.
Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk
Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change
We check practical details such as entry rules, seasons and costs against official government and tourism sources.
Chiang Mai to Udon Thani flights at a glance
Both airlines fly nonstop from Chiang Mai (CNX) to Udon Thani (UTH). The flight covers about 433 km and takes about an hour.
| Flight time | 1h 00m nonstop |
|---|---|
| Best time to go | November to February |
| Distance | 433 km |
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Airlines flying Chiang Mai to Udon Thani
Both airlines fly from the domestic side of Chiang Mai's single terminal. They are low-cost carriers, so the base fare buys a seat and a cabin bag.
Checked bags, seat selection and meals cost extra on basic fares. Add a bag when you book; it is usually cheaper than at the airport.
Departure and arrival airports
CNX Chiang Mai International Airport
- Codes
- IATA CNX, ICAO VTCC
- Location
- About 4 km south-west of the city centre and 3 km from the Old City moat
- Getting there
- Taxi, Grab or Bolt from the Old City in 10 to 20 minutes; RTC city bus route 24 in daytime
- Before security
- ATMs and exchange booths are on the ground floor only
UTH Udon Thani International Airport
- Codes
- IATA UTH, ICAO VTUD
- Location
- South-western edge of Udon Thani, 3 to 4 km from the centre
- Into town
- Shared airport minibus to your address, Grab or a taxi, 10 to 20 minutes
- Onward
- Vans to Nong Khai and the Friendship Bridge to Laos, about 1 hour
- Hours
- Roughly 06:00 to 22:00, closed overnight
How to book Chiang Mai to Udon Thani for less
Three things that make this flight easier.
0ATMs after check-in
Draw cash before you go upstairs at CNX
Chiang Mai's banks, ATMs and exchange booths are all in the ground-floor hall. Once you have passed security there is no way to get baht, so take out what you need for the first evening in Udon.
1 hrUTH to Nong Khai by van
Buy the Nong Khai van ticket in arrivals
Vans meet most flights and run to Nong Khai hotels or the Thai side of the Friendship Bridge. Take the first one after you land and you reach the border with daylight to spare for the Lao visa queue.
14 MarHorticultural Expo closes, 2027
Check the Expo calendar before booking
The Udon Thani International Horticultural Expo runs from 1 November 2026. Hotels and weekend flights fill earlier than in a normal cool season, so book both together.
Flight, train or bus to Udon Thani
There is no direct train between Chiang Mai and Udon Thani; both lines run through Bangkok. By road the trip across the northern hills takes most of a day, so the nonstop flight is the only quick option.
| Mode | Journey time | Total trip time | One-way fare | Operators and timings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight (nonstop) | About 1 hour | About 3 hours door to door with check-in and transfers | Search fares | 2 airlines |
| Flights via Bangkok | Two flights with a change at Don Mueang | Half a day or more | Search fares | 2 airlines |
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Getting there
About an hour in the air. The two airports are roughly 433 km apart in a straight line, and the timetabled time varies a little by airline and season.
Nok Air and Thai AirAsia. Both are low-cost carriers and both fly from the domestic side of Chiang Mai International Airport.
The shared airport minibus drops each passenger at their own address and is booked at the counter to the right of the arrivals exit. Grab and taxis also take 10 to 20 minutes to the centre.
Yes. A counter straight ahead in arrivals sells seats on vans to Nong Khai and the Thai side of the Friendship Bridge, about an hour away. From the bridge a shuttle bus crosses into Laos.
The airport keeps roughly 06:00 to 22:00 hours, and counters close after the final arrival. If a delay pushes you late, book a car with a driver or arrange a hotel pick-up in advance.
Two hours is a sensible margin, more at weekends and during Thai holidays. Check-in for domestic flights is at the northern end of the ground-floor hall.
Sometimes. From about February to April, haze from fires across the north can cut visibility and delay departures. Carry a proper mask and keep an eye on your flight status.
Yes. The Coral Executive Lounge in domestic departures sells walk-in passes. Neither Nok Air nor Thai AirAsia runs its own lounge there.
Cancellations & changes
No. This is a direct route. You only need Bangkok if the nonstop dates do not suit you, in which case you would fly Chiang Mai to Don Mueang and connect there.
What's included
Not on the cheapest fares. Nok Air and Thai AirAsia include a cabin bag and sell checked bags as an extra. Add the bag during booking, when it is usually cheaper than at the airport.
Timing & weather
It is an international garden exhibition running from 1 November 2026 to 14 March 2027, with shuttle buses planned between the airport and the Expo sites. Expect busier flights and hotels on weekends.
