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Mae Fah Luang – Chiang Rai International Airport Guide (CEI)

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One small terminal north of Chiang Rai town: taxis and apps into the centre, the Coral lounge, car hire and the Singapore flight. Ask a question
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In short

Chiang Rai's single-terminal airport sits about 8 km from town, 15 to 25 minutes by car. The airport bus stopped in August 2024, so the choice is a counter taxi at roughly ฿200 to ฿400, a ride-hailing app or a pre-booked car. Free Wi-Fi covers the terminal.

By the bookingMentor Travel Desk · Updated · How we research

CEI is small enough to cross in a few minutes. This section covers what is inside: the lounge, cafés, cash, WiFi and what to do with a long wait.

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

Mae Fah Luang – Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI) lies about 8 km north of Chiang Rai town, just off the main road to Mae Chan and Mae Sai. It opened on 5 August 1992, is named after Princess Srinagarindra, the mother of King Bhumibol, and has been run by Airports of Thailand (AOT) since 1998. It is the main airport for Thailand's far north, including the White Temple, the Golden Triangle and the border towns of Mae Sai and Chiang Saen.

Everything happens in a single, compact terminal. Most flights go to Bangkok: Thai Airways and Thai Vietjet fly to Suvarnabhumi, while Thai AirAsia, Nok Air and Thai Lion Air serve Don Mueang, with Thai Vietjet also flying to Phuket. Since 1 January 2026 Scoot has flown direct to Singapore, giving CEI its first regular international route in years, so immigration and customs are once again part of the routine here.

Facilities are those of a provincial airport: a handful of cafés and souvenir shops, bank exchange booths and ATMs, car rental desks, a post office and one pay-in lounge. The building is easy to navigate and queues are short except around the main Bangkok departures and Thai holidays. The airport bus into town stopped running in August 2024, so the practical choices on arrival are the taxi counter, a ride-hailing app or a pre-booked car.

2025 passengers, the runway and expansion plans

CEI handled 1,981,088 passengers in 2025, up 3.6 per cent, almost all of them domestic: just 7,161 travelled on international flights, a figure that the Singapore route started in January 2026 should raise. There were 12,868 aircraft movements and 871 tonnes of freight. The airport first passed a million passengers a year in 2013. Before the pandemic it had international routes to Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and several Chinese cities, all suspended during COVID-19.

The single runway is 3,000 m long. On 30 July 2022 a Nok Air Boeing 737-800 ran off the runway on landing; nobody was hurt, but the airport was closed for about six days. AOT has approved a parallel taxiway, a maintenance and repair centre for aircraft and better entrance and exit roads, partly to attract more foreign airlines.

Landside and airside

Landside is the check-in and arrivals hall on the ground floor, with the taxi counter, car rental desks and most shops. Airside is the departure area after security, where the gates and the Coral lounge are.

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Good to know

  • IATA / ICAOCEI / VTCT
  • Terminals in useMain terminal
  • To city centre~8 km
  • Fastest to the cityCar hire with driver
  • Free WiFiYes
  • Lounges1
  • CurrencyThai baht (฿ THB)
  • SIM cardsShops in the terminal and in town
About this guide

How we research this airport guide

This guide is written and maintained by the bookingMentor Travel Desk. We check transport, facilities and routes at CEI against AOT and airline sources, and update the page when something changes, most recently for the end of the airport bus and the launch of the Singapore route.

Last updated . Taxi, ride-hailing and parking prices are typical figures and can change. 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 PublicationScoot and Tourism Authority of Thailand announcements

See all 4 sources
  1. Airports of Thailand (AOT) Chiang Rai airport website
  2. Thai Aeronautical Information Publication (CAAT)
  3. Scoot and Tourism Authority of Thailand announcements
  4. Airline websites and schedules

Flight board

Departures and arrivals listed on bookingMentor for Mae Fah Luang – Chiang Rai International Airport.

No departures from CEI are listed yet Search the airlines' fares for your dates instead. Search flights from CEI

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 CEI.

Domestic carriers

5 airlines

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International carriers

1 airline

CHECK ALL

Airport lounges

One lounge serves CEI, run by The Coral and open to paying guests as well as card and membership holders.

The Coral Executive Lounge

Domestic departures, airside, 1st floor near Gates 1–2 · about 08:00 – 21:00

Pay at the door

Access: Walk-in payment · Priority Pass and other membership programmes · 3-hour limit

Water, showers & mobile charging

Drinking water

Tap water is not safe to drink. Buy sealed bottled water landside before security, where it costs less.

Showers

There are no public showers at CEI, and the Coral lounge does not advertise one.

Mobile charging

Free phone charging points are spread through the terminal. Thailand uses types A, B, C, F and O sockets at 220 V.

Luggage storage & lockers

No luggage storage details yetLeft-luggage services and rates at Chiang Rai Airport are not listed yet. Check with the airport information desk on arrival.Ask the travel team

WiFi & connectivity

Free WiFi
Yes
Time limit
About 2 hours per session
Registration
Short online form
SIM cards
Shops in the terminal and in town

AOT's free WiFi gives about two hours per session; log in again when it drops. If you arrive from Singapore without a Thai SIM, buy one before you leave the airport or at a phone shop in town, as you will want data for Grab.

Food & drinks

A few cafés and snack outlets cover the basics, including a bakery and an ice-cream counter. Choice is better landside than after security, and nothing stays open overnight.

Food and drink list coming soonRestaurants and cafés at Chiang Rai Airport are not listed yet.Ask the travel team

More airport information

Search for what you need: try "cash", "car", "post" or "pray".

ATMsSeveral ATMs in the terminal. Thai banks charge foreign cards about ฿220 per withdrawal.
Car rentalAvis, Hertz, Sixt, Thai Rent a Car and other firms on the first floor.
ChargingFree mobile charging points throughout the terminal.
Currency exchangeTwo bank exchange counters, open daytime and early evening.
Left luggageLeft-luggage service in the terminal. Ask at the information counter for current rates.
Lost propertyHandled at the terminal lobby information point.
Medical roomFirst-aid and medical treatment room; hospitals are in town.
ParkingShort-term car park for about 600 cars, from ฿10 for the first hour, maximum stay 24 hours.
Post officePost office on the first floor, open daytime hours.
Prayer roomPrayer room and a separate meditation room in the terminal.
ShopsSouvenir shops, a newsagent and a bookshop.
Taxi counterFixed-fare airport taxis booked in the arrivals hall; prices are posted.
Wheelchair assistanceLift, accessible toilets and designated parking. Ask your airline or the information counter for help.

Airport hours

The airfield is licensed 24 hours, but scheduled flights run from morning to late evening only. Shops, cafés, the lounge and the exchange counters keep daytime and evening hours, and there is little reason to be in the terminal overnight.

Arriving and departing, step by step

What happens at CEI in order, from the aircraft door to the kerb and back again.

Arriving

From the plane into Chiang Rai

  1. 1
    Immigration (Singapore flights only)

    Have your passport and Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) confirmation ready. Domestic passengers walk straight through to baggage claim.

  2. 2
    Baggage claim

    Bags come through quickly in the single hall.

  3. 3
    Customs

    International passengers use the green channel unless they have something to declare.

  4. 4
    Arrivals hall

    Use an ATM or exchange counter, then go to the taxi counter, collect a hire car on the first floor or meet your pre-booked driver. Ride-hailing pick-ups are outside the terminal.

Departing

From the kerb to your Chiang Rai gate

  1. 1
    Arrive early

    At least 2 hours before departure, more for the Singapore flight and around Thai holidays.

  2. 2
    Check-in

    Counters for all airlines are in one hall. Low-cost carriers check cabin bag weight.

  3. 3
    Security and passport control

    Domestic passengers go straight to security. Passengers to Singapore also clear outbound immigration.

  4. 4
    Gates

    The departure area is small, so gates are only a short walk. The Coral lounge is near Gates 1 and 2.

Getting to & from the airport

With the airport bus gone, getting into Chiang Rai means a taxi, an app or a pre-booked car. All take 15 to 25 minutes to the centre.

Car hire with driver

Best for: Fixed price, temples and the Golden Triangle
Book on bookingMentor
PickupMeets you at arrivals
Book byHour, day or longer
Good forWhite Temple, Mae Sai, Chiang Saen

Pre-book a car with a driver on bookingMentor. With no airport bus and fewer app drivers than in Chiang Mai, it is the most reliable way to leave the airport, and it suits a day spent at the temples or up at the Golden Triangle.

Book car hire on bookingMentor

Taxi

Best for: Most arrivals
Mid-range
Typical fare฿200 – ฿400
To town15 – 25 min
WhereTaxi counter, arrivals hall

Book at the airport taxi counter, where fixed fares to each area are on display. AOT notes that airport fares are slightly higher than taxis outside. Metered taxis are no cheaper in practice.

Ride-hailing

Best for: App users
Budget
Typical farefrom about ฿180
To town15 – 25 min
AppsGrab, Bolt, Maxim, InDrive

Ride-hailing apps work at CEI, but the number of cars nearby is limited, especially in the evening. Request as soon as you have your bags.

Tuk-tuk

Best for: Short hops with light bags
Budget
Typical fareabout ฿100 – ฿200
WhereRoad outside the terminal
NoteAgree the fare first

Tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis can sometimes be found on the road outside the airport, but few wait after dark. Agree the price before you get in.

Self-drive car rental

Best for: Independent touring
Mid-range
DesksFirst floor
FirmsAvis, Hertz, Sixt and others
LicenceInternational permit advised

International and Thai rental firms have desks in the terminal. Driving is on the left; roads north to Mae Sai and Chiang Saen are good.

Security & safety

CEI is a small, calm airport. The risks are mostly about transport and timing rather than crime.

1Book at the counter or through an appUse the official taxi counter, a ride-hailing app or a pre-booked car. Drivers who approach you in the hall rarely offer a better price.
2Plan transport for late arrivalsAfter the last evening flights, app drivers and tuk-tuks thin out. Pre-book a car or ask your hotel to arrange a pick-up.
3Watch the haze seasonFrom about February to April, smoke from fires across the north can cut visibility and air quality. Carry a mask and check your flight status.
4Keep cash for the first dayChange or withdraw enough before leaving the airport; taxis and tuk-tuks usually expect cash.
Pro tip: the CR Bus still appears in older guides, but it stopped in August 2024. Plan on a taxi, an app or a pre-booked car.
Contribute:
Be the first to review Chiang Rai Airport Flown through recently? Tell other travellers about the queues, lounges, food and how you got into the city.

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Sleeping at the airport

CEI is not suited to sleeping. There are no overnight flights, no rest zones and few open outlets after the evening departures.

Rest & relaxation zones

There are no rest zones, sleep pods or recliners in the public areas. The Coral Executive Lounge is the only comfortable seating, and it closes in the evening.

Cots for sleeping

Cots are not provided. If a flight is cancelled late in the day, ask your airline about a hotel in town.

Sleep pods, day rooms & transit hotel

There is no hotel inside the airport. Most visitors stay in Chiang Rai town, 15 to 25 minutes away.

Sleep cabins & pods
No
Day rooms
No

Hotels near the airport

No hotels near Chiang Rai Airport are listed yetSearch hotels for your dates in the airport's area instead.Search hotels

Layover sightseeing

Chiang Rai's best-known sights sit close to the airport road, so even a short layover can include one. Times are round-trip from the terminal.

No sights listed near Chiang Rai yetBrowse attractions on bookingMentor to plan a long layover.Browse attractions

Layover planner

Tell us how long you have and whether you can leave the secure area.

How long is your layover?

Immigration, security and Chiang Rai traffic are already factored in.

Popular car hire destinations

Explore more options to hire a car for cheap

Need help?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying through Chiang Rai.
Checked against AOT, the Thai aeronautical publication and airline schedules; updated each season.

Getting there

About 8 to 9 km north of central Chiang Rai. The drive to the clock tower and Night Bazaar area takes 15 to 25 minutes.