Cheapest round-trip
Search your dates
Return fares for Pattaya to Phuket are pulled from the airlines and our partners when you search. Pick your dates to see return flights and prices.
Search round tripsDomestic route UTP to HKT
Pattaya to Phuket flights from U-Tapao
From U-Tapao, south of Pattaya, Bangkok Airways flies nonstop to Phuket in about 1 hour 35 minutes, so you avoid the trip up to Bangkok's airports.
Fares
Fares are pulled from the airlines and our partners when you search. Search your dates
Nonstop, Bangkok AirwaysEconomy
UTP
Pattaya
HKT
Phuket
- Distance
- 587 km
Return
Search fares
Looking for Pattaya 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
Pattaya to Phuket flight guide
Flying from Pattaya to Phuket
In short
Pattaya's own airport is U-Tapao (UTP), and from there Bangkok Airways flies nonstop to Phuket (HKT), the only airline that does. It is about 587 km and roughly 1 hour 35 minutes in the air. The flight spares you the two-hour road trip to Suvarnabhumi and the queues that come with it.
Road, minibus or taxi from Pattaya to U-Tapao
The airport lies off Sukhumvit Road (Highway 3) between Sattahip and Ban Chang, about 40 km from central Pattaya. There is no rail link, so it is a road trip of 40 minutes to an hour. The scheduled minibus collects from Pattaya hotels a few times a day but must be booked at least a day ahead; a taxi, a hotel car or a pre-booked driver is more flexible. From Rayong and Ban Chang the drive is shorter.
U-Tapao is calm compared with Bangkok's airports, with flights bunched between late morning and early evening. Two hours before departure is plenty, and Bangkok Airways closes domestic check-in 40 minutes before the flight. Domestic departures are on the first floor of Terminal 2, after security. Services thin out between flights, so it is not a place to wait overnight. The navy runs the airfield, and photographing military areas is not allowed.
Checked bags and the winter 2026/27 timetable
Bangkok Airways' standard economy fares include a checked bag. The route ran through mid-2026, and we have not yet seen the airline's full winter 2026/27 timetable, so check your dates in the search before committing to hotels in Phuket.
Beach distances from Phuket airport
Flights from U-Tapao come into the Domestic Terminal at Phuket International Airport. The airport is at the northern end of the island, so every beach is a fair drive: Patong about 38 km, Kata about 48 km and Phuket Town about 32 km. Use the official meter taxi stand outside, a limousine counter by the arrivals exit, or the flat-fare Smart Bus along the west coast. If you land late and want a short ride, Nai Yang and Mai Khao beaches are only minutes from the terminal.
November to April is the dry season on Phuket's Andaman coast. The south-west monsoon from May to October brings rain and rough seas, so check the season before planning boat trips to Phi Phi or Phang Nga Bay.
A former bomber base
U-Tapao opened on 2 June 1966, built by the United States as a B-52 base for the Vietnam War. The Royal Thai Navy runs it today as a dual civil and military airport, and the navy's First Air Wing is based there. The passenger terminal you use, Terminal 2, officially opened in February 2019, and King Power holds a ten-year duty-free contract awarded in late 2018.
The runway is 3,505 m long. Traffic between October 2023 and September 2024 was 370,210 passengers, of whom 227,506 flew internationally and 142,704 domestically.
During the November 2008 protests that shut Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, U-Tapao briefly became a substitute gateway for the capital. A high-speed rail link connecting it with both Bangkok airports is under construction.
Airline and arrival airport
Bangkok Airways, founded as Sahakol Air in 1968 and renamed in 1989, flies from U-Tapao to Phuket and Koh Samui. It operates Airbus A319s, A320s and ATR 72-600s. Phuket International Airport, run by Airports of Thailand, handled 17,474,051 passengers in 2025; domestic arrivals use Terminal 3.
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.
Pattaya to Phuket flights at a glance
Bangkok Airways flies nonstop from U-Tapao (UTP), Pattaya's airport, to Phuket (HKT). The 587 km flight takes about 1 hour 35 minutes.
| Flight time | 1h 35m nonstop |
|---|---|
| Best time to go | November to April |
| Distance | 587 km |
Search Pattaya to Phuket flights
Pick your dates to see the flights, times and fares available on this route.
Flights and fares for your dates
Search the dates you want to fly to see the flights and fares available.
Search flights
Trending flights
More flight routes on bookingMentor, grouped by departure country.
Flights from Bangladesh6 routes
FromTo DAC CXB DhakaCox's Bazar FromTo DAC ZYL DhakaSylhet FromTo DAC CGP DhakaChattogram FromTo DAC RJH DhakaRajshahi Available airlines2 airlines- US-Bangla Airlines
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines
FromTo ZYL DAC SylhetDhaka FromTo CGP DAC ChattogramDhaka
Flights from United Arab Emirates4 routes
FromTo DXB DAC DubaiDhaka FromTo AUH CGP Abu DhabiChattogram FromTo AUH DAC Abu DhabiDhaka FromTo AUH ZYL Abu DhabiSylhet Available airlines1 airline- Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Flights from India2 routes
FromTo CCU DAC KolkataDhaka FromTo BOM DAC MumbaiDhaka Available airlines2 airlines- Air India
- IndiGo
Flights from Japan1 route
FromTo NRT DAC TokyoDhaka Available airlines1 airline- Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Flights from Ethiopia1 route
FromTo ADD DAC Addis AbabaDhaka Available airlines1 airline- Ethiopian Airlines
Flights from Bahrain1 route
FromTo BAH DAC ManamaDhaka Available airlines1 airline- Gulf Air
Flights from Thailand1 route
Flights from Egypt0 routes
Flights from China1 route
Flights from Sri Lanka1 route
FromTo CMB DAC ColomboDhaka Available airlines2 airlines- FitsAir
- SriLankan Airlines
Airlines flying Pattaya to Phuket
Bangkok Airways is the only airline flying U-Tapao to Phuket. Its winter 2026/27 schedule was not confirmed when we checked.
Standard economy includes a checked bag. Domestic check-in at U-Tapao closes 40 minutes before departure.
Departure and arrival airports
UTP U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport
- Codes
- IATA UTP, ICAO VTBU
- Location
- Off Sukhumvit Road between Sattahip and Ban Chang, about 40 km from central Pattaya
- Terminal
- Terminal 2; domestic departures on the first floor
- Getting there
- Minibus from Pattaya hotels (book a day ahead), taxi or pre-booked car
HKT Phuket International Airport
- Codes
- IATA HKT, ICAO VTSP
- Terminal
- Domestic Terminal
- To the beaches
- Patong about 38 km, Kata about 48 km, Phuket Town about 32 km
- Transport
- Meter taxis, limousine counters, Smart Bus, Airport Bus
How to book Pattaya to Phuket for less
Three ways to make the trip smoother.
1 dayadvance booking for hotel pickup
Book the minibus a day ahead
The scheduled minibus collects from Pattaya hotels only if you book the day before. Otherwise arrange a taxi or a car with driver.
2 hoursearly enough at U-Tapao
Do not over-plan airport time
U-Tapao is rarely crowded. Two hours before departure is plenty, and there is little to do airside if you arrive much earlier.
May to OctAndaman monsoon
Check the sea before booking boat trips
Trips to Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay depend on the sea. In the monsoon months boats are often cancelled at short notice.
Where to stay in Phuket
Most visitors stay on the west coast at Patong, Karon or Kata, or in Phuket Town.
Travelers are asking
No questions yet about Pattaya to Phuket flights. Ask the community or our travel team, and the answer will show here once it is published.
Be the first to ask
Our travel team answers questions about Pattaya to Phuket flights
Reviews and questions
Contribute:
No reviews yet. Be the first to review this routeFlown Pattaya to Phuket recently? Tell other travellers how check-in, the flight and the arrival went.
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Getting there
Yes, from U-Tapao, the airport south of Pattaya. Bangkok Airways flies it nonstop; no other airline does.
About 40 km by road to central Pattaya. The airport is between Sattahip and Ban Chang, off Sukhumvit Road.
Two hours before departure is enough, as queues are rarely long. Bangkok Airways closes domestic check-in 40 minutes before the flight.
No. There are no scheduled passenger flights between U-Tapao and Bangkok, which is why the direct flight to Phuket is useful.
No. King Power duty free is in the international departure hall. Domestic passengers have a few cafés and shops on the ground floor of Terminal 2.
At the Domestic Terminal. Once through the arrivals exit you will find the taxi rank, limousine desks and airport buses together.
Patong is around 38 km from the airport: 50 to 60 minutes by car, or about 90 minutes on the Smart Bus, which stops along the west coast.
For light luggage, yes. It runs roughly hourly from the Domestic Terminal down the west coast to Rawai at one flat fare, payable in cash, Thai QR or contactless card.
Timing & weather
About 1 hour 35 minutes for roughly 587 km. Add 40 minutes to an hour for the drive from Pattaya to the airport.
Mainly during the south-west monsoon, from May to October, when red flags warn of strong currents on the west-coast beaches. Swim only where lifeguards say it is safe.
Stay & facilities
Yes. The airport minibus collects from Pattaya hotels at 09:30, 12:00 and 15:00, but you must book at least a day ahead. Times can change, so confirm when you book.
