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Search round tripsDomestic route USM to CNX
Koh Samui to Chiang Mai flights
Fly from Koh Samui straight to Chiang Mai with Bangkok Airways in about 1 hour 50 minutes, with no ferry and no change in Bangkok.
Fares
Fares are pulled from the airlines and our partners when you search. Search your dates
Nonstop, Bangkok AirwaysEconomy
USM
Koh Samui
CNX
Chiang Mai
- Distance
- 1,032 km
Return
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Looking for Koh Samui to Chiang Mai air tickets and not sure what to pay? Bangkok Airways flies 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
Koh Samui to Chiang Mai flight guide
Flying from Koh Samui to Chiang Mai
In short
No ferry, no change in Bangkok: Bangkok Airways flies nonstop from Koh Samui (USM) to Chiang Mai (CNX), about 1,032 km, in roughly 1 hour 50 minutes. It is the only airline on the route, and it leaves from the island's own airport, a few minutes from Chaweng and Bophut.
The cheaper alternative is a boat and coach to Surat Thani on the mainland and a Thai AirAsia flight from there, which adds several hours and the risk of a rough crossing. For most people, the direct flight is worth the higher fare.
Taxis and transfers to Samui airport, which closes overnight
Samui International Airport sits in Bo Phut on the north-east corner of the island. It works to the flight schedule and closes overnight. There is no rail link or scheduled airport bus, so use a taxi, a hotel transfer or a pre-booked car, and agree any taxi fare before you set off, because meters are rarely used. Songthaews run round the ring road in daytime but are not practical with large cases, and fares rise after about 18:00.
Check-in is in a shared building, followed by Samui Park Avenue, a short open-air shopping street, before security. Every Bangkok Airways passenger can use a free courtesy corner with snacks and drinks, and there are Blue Ribbon lounges in both departure areas. When several Bangkok departures leave in the same hour the queues get long, so online check-in is worth doing. Boarding is usually by open-sided tram or on foot across the apron.
RTC routes 24 and 24R, Grab and flat-fare taxis at CNX
CNX is about 3 km from the Old City moat. Flat-fare taxis are sold at the counter in arrivals, Grab and Bolt pick up outside Exit 2, and RTC bus route 24 runs in daytime, with route 24R heading towards Suan Dok and Nimman. More on lounges, left luggage and transport is in the Chiang Mai airport guide.
Checked bag included in standard economy
Standard economy on Bangkok Airways normally includes a checked bag. Check your fare type before you pack.
Fire smoke, rains and the cool season up north
Chiang Mai's cool, dry months run from November to February. From February to April, smoke from seasonal fires can make the air very poor and occasionally delays flights, and the rains last from about June to October. The cool season up north overlaps with Samui's wettest weeks in November and December, a good reason to swap the beach for the hills at that time of year.
How Samui's airport came about
Samui International Airport is privately owned. Bangkok Airways built it, starting work in 1982, and opened it in April 1989; the airline still runs it. Bangkok Airways also owns the airports at Sukhothai and Trat.
The single runway is 2,100 m long. Domestic and international flights have separate open-air terminals about 50 m apart, and only shops, toilets, the ticket office and lounges are enclosed. Besides Thai cities, Bangkok Airways flies from Samui to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and Scoot flies in from Singapore. The airport handled 1,208,882 passengers in 2019.
Bangkok Airways, from Sahakol Air to 23 aircraft
Bangkok Airways began as Sahakol Air in 1968 and took its current name in 1989. It bases its operation at Suvarnabhumi and Samui and in August 2025 flew 23 aircraft: Airbus A319s, Airbus A320s and ATR 72-600 turboprops. From Samui its domestic network covers both Bangkok airports, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket and U-Tapao.
Chiang Mai airport traffic and opening hours
Your arrival airport handled 9,517,206 passengers in 2025 and has stayed open 24 hours since April 2014. Airports of Thailand runs it on land owned by the Royal Thai Air Force.
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.
Koh Samui to Chiang Mai flights at a glance
Bangkok Airways flies nonstop from Koh Samui (USM) to Chiang Mai (CNX). The flight covers about 1,032 km in around 1 hour 50 minutes.
| Flight time | 1h 50m nonstop |
|---|---|
| Best time to go | November to February |
| Distance | 1,032 km |
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Airlines flying Koh Samui to Chiang Mai
Bangkok Airways is the only airline flying Koh Samui to Chiang Mai nonstop.
Standard economy normally includes a checked bag, and every Bangkok Airways passenger can use the free courtesy corner at Samui.
Departure and arrival airports
USM Samui International Airport
- Codes
- IATA USM, ICAO VTSM
- Location
- Bo Phut, about 2 km from the northern end of Chaweng
- Before the gate
- Shared check-in building, then Samui Park Avenue and security; courtesy corner for all Bangkok Airways passengers
- Getting there
- Taxi at an agreed price, hotel transfer or pre-booked car; no airport bus
CNX Chiang Mai International Airport
- Codes
- IATA CNX, ICAO VTCC
- Location
- About 4 km south-west of the centre, 3 km from the Old City moat
- Into the city
- Flat-fare taxi counter in arrivals, Grab and Bolt from the marked area outside Exit 2, RTC bus 24 to the Old City and Nimman in daytime
- Hours
- Open 24 hours; most shops keep roughly 06:00 to midnight
How to book Koh Samui to Chiang Mai for less
Small things that save time on the way out of Samui.
1airline running the airport
Check in online
When several Bangkok Airways departures leave in the same hour, the check-in queue at Samui gets long. Online check-in avoids most of it.
2 kmairport to north Chaweng
Fix the taxi fare
Samui taxis rarely use the meter. Agree the price before you get in, and expect Lamai and the south coast to cost more.
Freesnacks and drinks
Use the courtesy corner
Every Bangkok Airways passenger can use the courtesy corner at Samui, so there is no need to buy coffee before security.
Flight, train or bus to Chiang Mai
The only real alternative is a boat and coach to Surat Thani, then a Thai AirAsia flight north, which takes several hours longer.
| Mode | Journey time | Total trip time | One-way fare | Operators and timings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | about 1h 50m | About 4 hours door to door | Search fares | Bangkok Airways |
| Ferry and coach to Surat Thani, then fly | about 3 to 4 hrs to the airport, then about 1h 50m flight | Most of a day | Bangkok Airways |
Where to stay in Chiang Mai
Base yourself in or near the Old City for temples, in Nimman for cafés, or by the Ping river for a quieter stay.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
Yes. Bangkok Airways operates it nonstop; no other airline flies between Samui and Chiang Mai.
Usually by open-sided tram from the departure area to the aircraft, or on foot across the apron. Allow extra time in heavy rain.
Getting there
Close to two hours: about 1 hour 50 minutes to cover the roughly 1,032 km north from the island.
By taxi at an agreed fare, a hotel transfer or a pre-booked car. Lamai is in a dearer taxi zone than Chaweng, and songthaews are impractical with big bags.
No. It works to the flight schedule and closes at night, so it is not a place to wait for an early departure.
Yes. Both Blue Ribbon lounges accept Priority Pass, subject to space.
Samui Park Avenue, a short open-air street between check-in and security, has cafés and souvenir shops. It is not a full shopping centre.
Take RTC bus route 24R in daytime, which runs towards Suan Dok and Nimman, or Grab or Bolt from outside Exit 2.
Yes. Domestic and international sides share one building. If your bags are not checked through, collect them and check in again at the international end.
Stay & facilities
Yes. Queues build when several Bangkok Airways flights to Bangkok leave within the same hour.
Prices & payment
Yes. There are ATMs, and a GSB counter in the arrivals hall changes money.
Timing & weather
Roughly February to April, when smoke from crop and forest fires can make the air very poor and occasionally delays flights.
