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Search round tripsDomestic route USM to UTP
Koh Samui to Pattaya flights via U-Tapao
Bangkok Airways flies Koh Samui to U-Tapao, about 40 km south of Pattaya, nonstop in around 1 hour 10 minutes.
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Nonstop, Bangkok AirwaysEconomy
USM
Koh Samui
UTP
Pattaya
- Distance
- 363 km
Return
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Looking for Koh Samui to Pattaya 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 Pattaya flight guide
Flying from Koh Samui to Pattaya
In short
Pattaya has no airport of its own, so flights from Koh Samui (USM) land at U-Tapao (UTP), which serves both Pattaya and Rayong. Bangkok Airways is the only airline flying there nonstop from the island. The flight covers about 363 km across the Gulf of Thailand in roughly 1 hour 10 minutes.
Without it, the trip means a flight to Bangkok and a two-hour drive back down the eastern seaboard, or a long ferry and bus combination. Bangkok Airways operated the route through mid-2026; its 2026/27 winter timetable for U-Tapao was not confirmed when we checked, so search your dates first.
Samui's opening hours and check-in cut-off
Samui Airport closes overnight and works from the morning departures to the evening ones, so there is no early-hours wait inside. Arrive 90 minutes before the flight; Bangkok Airways closes domestic check-in 40 minutes ahead. The airline's courtesy corner in domestic departures has free snacks and drinks for all its passengers, and standard economy fares include a checked bag.
U-Tapao and the road to Pattaya
U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport sits in Ban Chang district, close to Sattahip, and is still a working naval air station. It is about 40 km by road to central Pattaya and some 34 km to Rayong town. The terminal is quiet and quick, with bank counters, ATMs and AIS and True shops on the ground floor.
Onward transport needs a little planning. The scheduled minibus to Big C South Pattaya runs only a few times a day, and the van east to Rayong and Ban Phe, the pier for Ko Samet, runs on just three days a week. The licensed taxi cooperative works around the clock and covers Pattaya, Jomtien, Rayong and even Trat for Ko Chang, but agree the fare before you get in. A pre-booked car with driver meets you in arrivals.
Pattaya is most comfortable from November to February. Samui's wettest months fall between October and December, so travellers heading north at the end of the year often leave the rain behind on the island.
A navy runway with a Vietnam War past
U-Tapao began as an American B-52 base in the Vietnam War: construction started on 15 October 1965 and the airfield opened on 2 June 1966. The Royal Thai Navy runs it today, sharing the 3,505 m runway with civil flights, and its First Air Wing is based there. Terminal 2, the passenger building, officially opened in February 2019, and King Power runs duty-free shops under a ten-year contract awarded in 2018.
Traffic is light. From October 2023 to September 2024 the airport handled 370,210 passengers on 5,788 aircraft movements. It is about 140 km south of Suvarnabhumi, and a high-speed rail line to both Bangkok airports is being built. In November 2008, when protests shut both Bangkok airports, U-Tapao briefly acted as a replacement gateway.
Bangkok Airways, Samui's airport owner
Bangkok Airways was founded as Sahakol Air in 1968 and adopted its name in 1989, when it opened Samui Airport, which it built and still runs. Its hubs are Suvarnabhumi and Samui. In August 2025 the fleet counted 23 Airbus A319, Airbus A320 and ATR 72-600 aircraft. From U-Tapao it flies to Koh Samui and Phuket.
Samui's own runway is 2,100 m long, and the island's airport also has international flights to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
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 Pattaya flights at a glance
Bangkok Airways flies nonstop from Koh Samui (USM) to U-Tapao (UTP), Pattaya's airport. The 363 km flight takes about 1 hour 10 minutes.
| Flight time | 1h 10m nonstop |
|---|---|
| Best time to go | November to February |
| Distance | 363 km |
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Airlines flying Koh Samui to Pattaya
Bangkok Airways is the only airline on the route. It flew through mid-2026; check your dates for the winter schedule.
Standard economy includes a checked bag. Samui check-in closes 40 minutes before domestic departures.
Departure and arrival airports
USM Samui International Airport
- Codes
- IATA USM, ICAO VTSM
- Location
- Bo Phut, north-east Koh Samui
- Check-in
- Arrive 90 minutes ahead; closes 40 minutes before departure
- Hours
- Closes overnight
UTP U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport
- Codes
- IATA UTP, ICAO VTBU
- Distances
- About 40 km to central Pattaya, 34 km to Rayong town
- Onward
- Minibus to Big C South Pattaya, van to Rayong and Ban Phe, 24-hour taxi cooperative
- Run by
- The Royal Thai Navy
How to book Koh Samui to Pattaya for less
Three ways to avoid surprises at U-Tapao.
Mid-2026last confirmed operation
Confirm the flight runs on your date
The winter timetable was not confirmed when we checked. Search the exact date before you book hotels in Pattaya.
24 hourstaxi cooperative hours
Agree the taxi fare first
The airport's licensed taxi cooperative covers Pattaya, Rayong and further afield at any hour. Confirm the price before you set off.
3 daysa week for the Ban Phe van
Plan Ko Samet in advance
The van to Ban Phe, the pier for Ko Samet, runs on only three days a week. On other days use a taxi or a pre-booked car.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
Yes. Bangkok Airways flies nonstop from Samui to U-Tapao, the airport about 40 km south of Pattaya.
Rayong town is about 34 km away. A shared van runs to Ban Chang, Rayong and Ban Phe on a few afternoons a week; at other times take a taxi or pre-booked car.
Getting there
About 1 hour 10 minutes for roughly 363 km. Add 40 minutes to an hour for the drive from U-Tapao to central Pattaya.
About 40 km by road, a drive of 40 minutes to an hour. Jomtien is slightly closer.
Bangkok Airways flew it through mid-2026, but its full winter 2026/27 timetable had not been confirmed when we checked. Search your date to see what is on sale.
No. The airport closes overnight. If your flight is early, stay in Bophut or Chaweng, a short ride away.
Yes. A door-to-door transfer to Ko Chang, including the ferry, is sold at a counter in Terminal 2, and the taxi cooperative goes as far as Trat.
Yes, to Big C South Pattaya, leaving outside Terminal 2 at 12:30, 14:00 and 17:00. Times can change, so confirm with the operator.
A handful of cafés in Terminal 2. Services thin out between flights, so do not count on a full meal after a late arrival.
What's included
Standard Bangkok Airways economy includes a checked bag. Check the allowance on your booking before you pack.
Timing & weather
From November the rains ease and the air is less humid, and December to February is the most comfortable stretch. The wet season returns from about May.
