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Search round tripsDomestic route USM to HKT
Koh Samui to Phuket flights: the short way between Thailand's two seas
Fly Koh Samui to Phuket nonstop with Bangkok Airways in about 55 minutes and skip the long ferry and road trip across the peninsula.
Fares
Fares are pulled from the airlines and our partners when you search. Search your dates
Nonstop, Bangkok AirwaysEconomy
USM
Koh Samui
HKT
Phuket
- Distance
- 249 km
Return
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Looking for Koh Samui to Phuket 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 Phuket flight guide
Flying from Koh Samui to Phuket
In short
Bangkok Airways flies nonstop from Koh Samui (USM) to Phuket (HKT) in about 55 minutes, and no other airline serves the route. The islands are roughly 249 km apart, on opposite sides of the Thai peninsula, so the flight saves a full day of minivans and ferries.
Walking Samui Park Avenue before security
Leaving Samui is one of the more pleasant departures in Thailand. The airport, in Bo Phut on the island's north-east corner, is a cluster of thatched pavilions rather than a terminal block, and between check-in and security you walk along Samui Park Avenue, a small open-air shopping street. Airside, Bangkok Airways runs a free courtesy corner with snacks, soft drinks and coffee for all its passengers. Lounge entry is extra unless your ticket or card covers it.
Aim to arrive 90 minutes before the flight. Bangkok Airways closes domestic check-in 40 minutes before departure, and queues can build when several flights leave close together. The airport shuts overnight, so there is no waiting inside for an early start; stay in Bophut, Maenam or Chaweng, all a short ride away. The Samui Airport Improvement Project began in 2026 and runs to 2030, so expect some building work around the pavilions.
Why Samui fares cost more, and Surat Thani instead
Standard Bangkok Airways economy includes a checked bag. Fares are usually higher than on low-cost routes from the mainland, because one airline runs both the airport and most of its flights. If price matters more than time, Surat Thani is the cheaper airport, but reaching it from Samui means a ferry first.
Meter taxis and limousines at Phuket arrivals
Flights land at the Domestic Terminal of Phuket International Airport, on the island's north-west coast. The meter taxi stand is outside to the right, and fixed-price limousine counters are by the arrivals exit; ask for no stops on the way, as some drivers call at a travel agency. Patong is about 38 km and 50 to 60 minutes by car, Phuket Town about 32 km. The flat-fare Smart Bus runs roughly hourly down the west coast to Rawai, and an Airport Bus goes hourly to Phuket Town.
Plan around Phuket's monsoon. The west-coast beaches are calmest from November to April, and from May to October red flags often keep swimmers out of the sea even on sunny days.
An open-air airport owned by its airline
Bangkok Airways began building the airport in 1982 and opened it in April 1989; it remains privately owned and run by the airline. The design is open-air, with only the gift shop, ticket office, toilets and lounges enclosed, and the domestic and international terminals stand about 50 m apart. The runway is 2,100 m long.
Scheduled flights from Samui go to both Bangkok airports, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket and U-Tapao, plus Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore with Bangkok Airways. Scoot also flies to Singapore and Berjaya Air to Kuala Lumpur's Subang airport.
Bangkok Airways' hubs and fleet
The airline began life as Sahakol Air in 1968 and became Bangkok Airways in 1989. Its hubs are Suvarnabhumi and Samui, and it owns the airports at Sukhothai and Trat as well. In August 2025 it flew 23 aircraft: Airbus A319s, Airbus A320s and ATR 72-600 turboprops.
Phuket airport numbers for 2025
Phuket International Airport, operated by Airports of Thailand, handled 17,474,051 passengers in 2025, up from 17,215,315 in 2024. Domestic flights use Terminal 3, and the airport's single runway is 3,000 m long.
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 Phuket flights at a glance
Bangkok Airways is the only airline flying Koh Samui (USM) to Phuket (HKT) nonstop. The 249 km flight takes about 55 minutes.
| Flight time | 55m nonstop |
|---|---|
| Best time to go | November to April |
| Distance | 249 km |
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Airlines flying Koh Samui to Phuket
Bangkok Airways flies the route from its own airport on Samui to Phuket's Domestic Terminal.
Standard economy includes a checked bag. Check-in at Samui closes 40 minutes before departure.
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; domestic check-in closes 40 minutes before departure
- Before you fly
- Free courtesy corner airside for Bangkok Airways passengers
- Hours
- Closes overnight
HKT Phuket International Airport
- Codes
- IATA HKT, ICAO VTSP
- Terminal
- Domestic Terminal
- Taxis
- Meter taxi stand outside to the right; limousine counters by the exit
- Buses
- Smart Bus to the west-coast beaches, Airport Bus to Phuket Town
How to book Koh Samui to Phuket for less
Small things that save time on the way across.
ClosedSamui airport overnight
Sleep near the airport for an early flight
The terminal shuts at night, so there is nowhere to wait inside. Bophut and Maenam are only minutes away.
Freesnacks for every passenger
Use the courtesy corner
Bangkok Airways serves snacks, soft drinks and coffee airside to all its passengers, whatever the fare. There is no need to buy food before security.
38 kmPhuket Airport to Patong
Ask for no stops
Some limousine drivers stop at a travel agency to sell tours. Say at the counter that you want to go straight to your hotel.
Flight, train or bus to Phuket
Overland, you take a ferry to the mainland and cross the peninsula by road, a trip that fills most of a day.
| Mode | Journey time | Total trip time | One-way fare | Operators and timings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | About 55 minutes | About 3 hours with airport time and transfers | Search fares | Bangkok Airways |
| Ferry and minivan | Most of a day | A full travel day | Ferry to Donsak, then road to Phuket on combined tickets |
Where to stay in Phuket
Most visitors stay on the west coast at Patong, Karon or Kata, or in Phuket Town.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
Bangkok Airways, the airline that owns Samui airport. No other airline flies the route nonstop.
Getting there
About 55 minutes. By ferry and road the same trip takes most of a day.
Ninety minutes before departure is the usual advice. Bangkok Airways stops domestic check-in 40 minutes before the flight, and the open-air pavilion check-in slows when several flights leave close together.
Yes. Every Bangkok Airways passenger can use the courtesy corner in the departure area, with free snacks, soft drinks and coffee whatever the fare.
No. The airport closes overnight. Book a hotel in Bophut, Maenam or Chaweng, which are a few minutes away.
Some. Bangkok Airways started the Samui Airport Improvement Project in 2026, due to run until 2030 and take the airport from 7 to 11 boarding gates. Expect construction around the pavilions.
The official meter taxi stand is outside the terminal to the right. Ignore offers inside the building, and ask the dispatcher for the slip with the driver number.
Kata is about 48 km by road, so allow around an hour by car in normal traffic. The Smart Bus stops at Karon and Kata on its way to Rawai but takes longer.
Yes, the terminals stay open overnight, though most food outlets close late in the evening.
Prices & payment
Often, yes. Low-cost airlines fly from Surat Thani on the mainland, but you need a ferry and a bus to get there first, which adds several hours.
Timing & weather
November to April, the dry season on the Andaman coast. Samui is wettest from October to December, so moving from Samui to Phuket in November or December often means swapping rain for sun.
