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Phuket International Airport Guide (HKT)

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International and domestic terminals, the ฿100 Smart Bus, taxi fares to Patong, lounges and where to wait out a late connection. Ask a question
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In short

Phuket's airport is at the island's northern tip, so every beach is a drive: Patong is about 38 km and 50 to 60 minutes away. The ฿100 Smart Bus runs to stops down to Rawai. Flights use the International, Domestic and charter Terminal X. Allow 2 hours, or 3 for international flights in high season; it is open 24 hours with free Wi-Fi.

By the bookingMentor Travel Desk · Updated · How we research

Phuket handles more international traffic than any Thai airport outside Bangkok, so the essentials are all here. This section covers the lounges, WiFi, charging, left luggage, food and what an overnight wait actually looks like.

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

Phuket International Airport (HKT) sits at Mai Khao in Thalang district, on the island's north-west coast, about 32 km north of Phuket Town and roughly 38 km by road from Patong. It is run by Airports of Thailand (AOT) and is the country's second-busiest airport after Suvarnabhumi, handling around 17.5 million passengers in 2025, more than 60 per cent of them on international flights.

Passengers use two linked buildings: the International Terminal, opened after a 5.14 billion baht expansion that raised capacity to 20 million passengers a year, and the older Domestic Terminal next door. A covered walkway joins them in about five minutes. A separate Terminal X handles charter flights at peak times.

Domestic routes are flown by Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Thai Vietjet and Nok Air, mostly to Bangkok's two airports and Chiang Mai. Internationally the airport is unusually well connected for a resort island: Emirates and Etihad fly from the Gulf, Turkish Airlines from Istanbul, and there are frequent flights to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Seoul and a long list of Chinese and Indian cities, plus seasonal European and Russian services in the cooler months.

Facilities cover the basics well. The terminal stays open around the clock, there are Coral and Bangkok Airways lounges on both sides, and free WiFi is offered in 60-minute sessions. Queues at check-in and immigration can be long between November and April, so give yourself more time than the size of the place suggests.

17.5 million passengers on one runway

In 2025 HKT handled 17,474,051 passengers, up 1.5 per cent: 10,837,291 international and 6,636,760 domestic, over 106,585 aircraft movements. The 2016 expansion gave the new international terminal room for 12.5 million passengers a year and lifted the whole airport from 6.5 million to 20 million.

All of that traffic uses a single 3,000 m runway, and aircraft landing on it from the west can be watched from Mai Khao beach.

The shelved Phang Nga airport plan

Not soon. A new airport in Phang Nga was proposed to serve Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi, with a first phase originally expected by 2025, but the plan was put on hold in 2022. For now Phuket's growth depends on the existing site.

Terminal X, which opened in February 2014, handles charter flights at the busiest times. If you are on a charter package, check your booking for the terminal before you travel to the airport.

Landside and airside

Landside is the public area before security: check-in halls, the arrivals hall with its taxi and bus counters, and the food outlets on the mezzanine. Airside is beyond security, and on international departures beyond passport control, where the gates and lounges are. Once through emigration you cannot return landside.

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Good to know

  • IATA / ICAOHKT / VTSP
  • Terminals in useInternational · Domestic · Terminal X (charters)
  • Open24 hours
  • To city centre~32 km
  • Fastest to the cityCar hire with driver
  • Free WiFiYes
  • Lounges7
  • Left luggage฿100 – ฿160 a day
About this guide

How we research this airport guide

This guide is written and maintained by the bookingMentor Travel Desk. We check terminal, transport and lounge details against Airports of Thailand, operator and airline sources, and update the page before each high season, when Phuket's schedules and bus timetables change most.

Last updated . Fares for taxis, buses and lounges are typical ranges and can change without notice. 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 ThailandTourism Authority of Thailand news on Phuket public busesPhuket Smart Bus published fares

See all 5 sources
  1. Airports of Thailand (AOT) Phuket Airport website
  2. Tourism Authority of Thailand news on Phuket public buses
  3. Phuket Smart Bus published fares
  4. Airline timetables
  5. Independent lounge and travel guides

Flight board

Departures and arrivals listed on bookingMentor for Phuket International Airport.

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

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 or seasonal passenger services at Phuket. Winter timetables from late October add many European and Russian flights.

Domestic carriers

7 airlines

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International carriers

64 airlines

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Airport lounges

Phuket has six lounges across its two terminals. Most Coral lounges accept Priority Pass and sell walk-in or online passes for three hours; the Bangkok Airways lounges are in the Domestic Terminal only.

The Coral Executive Lounge

International Terminal, Airside, 4th floor near Gate 10 · 06:00 – 00:00

Pay at the door

Access: Paid three-hour passes · Priority Pass

The Coral Executive Lounge First Class

International Terminal, Airside, 4th floor · 06:00 – 00:00

Pay at the doorShowers

Access: Paid three-hour passes only · not included in lounge membership programmes

The Coral Premium Departure Lounge

International Terminal, Airside, 3rd floor near Gate 11 · 06:00 – 01:00

Pay at the door

Access: Paid three-hour passes · Priority Pass

The Coral Executive Lounge (Sino Lounge)

Domestic Terminal, Airside, 3rd floor near Gate 8 · 06:00 – 22:00

Pay at the door

Access: Paid three-hour passes · Priority Pass

The Coral Executive Lounge (Beach Lounge)

Domestic Terminal, Airside, 2nd floor near Gate 6 · 07:00 – 21:00

Pay at the door

Access: Paid three-hour passes · Priority Pass

Bangkok Airways Blue Ribbon Club Lounge

Domestic Terminal, Airside, 2nd floor beyond Gate 4 · 05:30 – 21:30

Airline lounge

Access: Bangkok Airways Business Class · FlyerBonus Premier members · Priority Pass

Bangkok Airways Boutique Lounge

Domestic Terminal, Airside

Airline lounge

Access: Free for all Bangkok Airways passengers, including Economy

Water, showers & mobile charging

Drinking water

Thai tap water is not recommended for drinking. Bring an empty bottle through security and buy sealed water airside, or stock up at the landside convenience store where prices are lower.

Showers

There are no free public showers. The Coral Executive Lounge First Class in the International Terminal has showers for paying guests.

Mobile charging

Charging points are spread through the gate areas and are easiest to find in the newer International Terminal. A power bank is useful in the Domestic Terminal. Thailand uses types A, B, C, F and O sockets at 220 V.

Luggage storage & lockers

Left luggage is on the ground floor of the International Terminal. It does not open around the clock, so check its hours if you land late.

Left luggage rates by bag size
Bag sizePer bagPer 24 hours
Standard bag, depending on size฿100 – ฿160
Oversized itemsHigher rate at the counter

WiFi & connectivity

Free WiFi
Yes
Time limit
60 minutes per session
Registration
Accept terms on the login page
SIM cards
At arrivals

Free WiFi is provided on the AOT network: connect, accept the terms and you get 60 minutes online. For anything longer, buy a Thai SIM or eSIM. AIS and True have counters past customs, with tourist data packages from about ฿300; a passport is required.

Food & drinks

Most of the choice is landside on the International Terminal mezzanine. Airside options are fewer and dearer, and most outlets close late in the evening.

Burger King
International Terminal, landside mezzanine and airside
Burgers and fries on both sides of security
Daytime hours
Bill Bentley Pub
International Terminal, landside mezzanine and airside
Pub-style meals, beer and a place to sit before the flight
Daytime hours
Convenience store
Ground floor, landside
Water, snacks and ready meals; the overnight standby
Daytime hours

More airport information

Search for what you need: try "sim", "bag", "car", "visa" or "wheelchair".

ATMsThai bank ATMs just past customs in arrivals. Foreign cards pay a flat fee of around ฿220 – ฿250 per withdrawal.
Call centreAOT Call Center 1722 and AOT Chat for flight and service questions.
Car parkAOT car park beside the terminals for drop-offs and pick-ups.
Car rentalRental counters on the first floor of arrivals. Cars are returned at the car rental counter at the front of the terminal.
Currency exchangeBank booths in the arrivals area. Rates are poorer than in Phuket Town or Patong.
Duty free and shoppingDuty-free shops airside in the International Terminal.
Free WiFiAOT network, 60 minutes per session.
Left luggageGround floor of the International Terminal, about ฿100 – ฿160 per bag per day.
Limousine and taxi countersAOT Limousine counters by the arrivals exit and a meter taxi stand outside to the right.
LoungesFive Coral lounges and two Bangkok Airways lounges across the two terminals.
SIM cardsAIS and True counters past customs. Tourist packages from about ฿300; passport required.
Special assistanceWheelchair and mobility help; request it through your airline before you fly.
Terminal walkwayA covered walkway links the International and Domestic Terminals in about five minutes.
Terminal XA separate building used for charter flights at peak times.
VAT refundVAT refund service for tourists on international departure.
Visa on arrivalAOT visa-on-arrival counter before immigration for eligible nationalities.

Airport hours

Terminal
Open 24 hours
Check-in opens
3 hrs before (international)
Check-in closes
Set by each airline
Overnight access
Open overnight

The terminals operate around the clock, with long-haul and charter departures running late into the night. Shops, food outlets, left luggage and the airport buses keep shorter hours, so plan meals and onward transport if you land after about 21:00.

Arriving and departing, step by step

The order of things at Phuket, from aircraft door to the kerb and back again.

Arriving

From the aircraft to Patong or Phuket Town

  1. 1
    Immigration (international arrivals)

    Join the foreign passports queue. Visa-on-arrival applicants go to that counter first with a photo, onward ticket and accommodation address. Afternoon and evening arrival waves in high season can mean long waits.

  2. 2
    Baggage claim and customs

    Find your belt on the screens, collect your bags and use the green channel if you have nothing to declare.

  3. 3
    Money and SIM

    ATMs, exchange booths and the AIS and True SIM counters are just past customs. Take out only what you need for the first day; rates are better in town.

  4. 4
    Onward transport

    Ignore anyone offering rides inside the hall. The meter taxi stand is outside to the right, limousine counters are by the exit, and the Smart Bus and Airport Bus leave from outside the arrivals halls.

Departing

From the drop-off kerb to your Phuket gate

  1. 1
    Arrive early

    At least two hours before departure, and three hours for international flights between November and April.

  2. 2
    Check the right building

    International and domestic flights leave from separate terminals, five minutes apart on foot. Charter passengers may be sent to Terminal X.

  3. 3
    Check-in and bag drop

    Find your airline's row on the screens. Claim any VAT refund paperwork at customs before you check in the goods.

  4. 4
    Security and emigration

    Domestic passengers go straight through security. International passengers clear passport control first, after which there is no way back landside.

  5. 5
    Lounges and gate

    Coral lounges are on the third and fourth floors airside in the International Terminal. Be at the gate when boarding opens, as gate changes are common at busy times.

Getting to & from the airport

The airport is at the northern tip of the island, so every beach is a fair drive. Patong is about 38 km away and Kata about 48 km; Phuket Town is roughly 32 km.

Car hire with driver

Best for: Fixed price, door-to-door
Book on bookingMentor
PickupMeets you in arrivals
PriceFixed when you book
Book byTransfer, day or longer

Pre-book a car with a driver on bookingMentor before you land. The driver meets you in arrivals and the price is agreed in advance, so there is no haggling at the kerb and no detour to a travel agent on the way to your hotel.

Book car hire on bookingMentor

Taxi

Best for: Groups and late arrivals
Mid-range
To Patong฿800 – ฿1,000
Journey time50 – 60 min
Surcharge฿100 airport fee

Meter taxis wait at a stand outside the terminal: turn right as you leave and ignore offers inside the building. The meter plus the ฿100 airport fee comes to about ฿800 – ฿1,000 to Patong and ฿650 – ฿800 to Phuket Town. Ask the dispatcher for the slip with the driver number, and decline flat-fare offers, which are usually higher than the meter.

Limousine

Best for: Families with luggage
Premium
To Patong฿800 – ฿1,000
To Kata or Karon฿1,000 – ฿1,200
WhereCounters by the arrivals exit

AOT Limousine and other licensed counters sell fixed-price private cars from the arrivals area. Before paying, make clear you want no stops; some drivers call at a travel agency to sell hotels or tours.

Phuket Smart Bus

Best for: West-coast beaches on a budget
Budget
Fare฿100 flat
To PatongAbout 90 min
BoardingDomestic Terminal arrivals exit

Air-conditioned buses run roughly hourly from the airport down the west coast via Surin, Kamala, Patong, Karon and Kata to Rawai. The fare is ฿100 to any stop, payable in cash, by Thai QR, contactless Visa or Mastercard, or with a Rabbit card bought on board. Check the live timetable on the day, as last departures vary by direction.

Airport Bus to Phuket Town

Best for: Phuket Town and onward buses
Budget
Fare฿100
From airportHourly 08:15 – 20:15
Journey time1 – 1.5 hours

An air-conditioned bus leaves hourly from in front of the arrivals exit for the Phuket Town bus terminal, stopping on request along the main road. Return services leave town hourly from 09:15 to 21:15. Afternoon runs can be held up by school traffic.

Airport Bus Express to Patong

Best for: Patong without changing
Budget
From airport08:00 – 20:00
From Patong06:00 – 18:30
FarePay at the counter

AOT lists an express airport bus running direct between the terminal and Patong Beach through the day. Confirm the current fare and next departure at the bus counter in arrivals.

Public van

Best for: Solo travellers to Patong, Kata or Karon
Budget
Fare฿200 – ฿250 per person
DepartsWhen full
ServesPatong, Kata, Karon

Shared minivans drop passengers at their hotels and leave once every seat is sold. Most stop at a travel agent partway to sell tours and rooms; you are under no obligation, and giving your hotel name gets you moving again.

Ride-hailing

Best for: App users with data
Mid-range
AppsGrab, Bolt
BookingIn app, in advance possible
AvailabilityMost hours

Grab and Bolt both operate in Phuket and can be booked ahead. Follow the app's pickup instructions rather than accepting approaches inside the terminal, and expect prices to rise at busy times.

Inter-terminal

Best for: International to domestic transfers
Free
CostFree
BetweenInternational · Domestic
Walking timeAbout 5 min

A covered, air-conditioned walkway joins the two terminals. Arriving internationally and flying on domestically, you clear immigration and customs first, then walk across and check in again unless your bags are checked through.

Security & safety

Phuket's terminal is safe, but arriving passengers are a target for overpriced transport and travel-agent detours.

1Ignore ride offers inside the hallTouts approach new arrivals with flat fares that are usually above the meter. Walk to the official meter taxi stand outside or the licensed counters by the exit.
2Refuse the travel-agent stopSome minivans and limousines pull in at an agency halfway to Patong to sell rooms and tours. Say you already have a hotel, give its name, and insist on going straight there.
3Keep the driver-number slipThe meter taxi dispatcher can give you a slip with the driver's number. Keep it; it is the easiest way to report overcharging or a lost item.
4Mind the heat and the queuesWaiting for buses outside in the midday heat is tiring, and high-season queues at immigration can run long. Carry water and keep your passport and onward details to hand.
Pro tip: the Smart Bus boards at the Domestic Terminal, not the International one. If you arrive internationally, walk the five minutes through the covered link before you go looking for the stop.
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Sleeping at the airport

Phuket stays open overnight but has no sleep pods or transit hotel, so sleeping here means a chair or a patch of floor. For a long overnight wait a nearby hotel is the better option.

Landside sleep spots

LandsideGround-floor waiting area by the convenience store

The usual choice for overnight waits, with seating and snacks nearby. Busy and bright, and staff move people on as morning check-in starts.

LandsideThird-floor seating

Quieter and darker than the ground floor once the food outlets close, but the air conditioning is cold. Bring a layer.

Airside sleep spots

AirsideInternational gate areas

Usable between the late-night departure waves. Lights stay on and announcements continue, so earplugs help.

AirsideCoral Premium Departure Lounge

Open until 01:00, the latest of the airport's lounges. A comfortable way to cover the late evening before moving to the gates.

Rest & relaxation zones

There are no dedicated free rest or sleep zones at Phuket. Seating in both terminals has armrests, and the most comfortable places to rest are the paid lounges, which close between about 21:00 and 01:00.

Cots for sleeping

Cots are not routinely handed out. If your flight is cancelled or badly delayed, the airline arranges accommodation, so go to your carrier's desk first.

Sleep pods, day rooms & transit hotel

For an overnight wait or an early departure, the beach resorts at Nai Yang, just south of the runway, are the closest beds.

Nearest hotel
Nai Yang, a short drive
Sleep cabins & pods
No
Day rooms
No

Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Nai Yang Beach Landside

Nai Yang Beach, a short drive south of the airport

A large beach resort on Nai Yang, close enough to the airport for an early departure without a dawn drive across the island.

BeachfrontPoolAirport transfers on request

The Slate Landside

Nai Yang Beach, a short drive south of the airport

A design-led resort near Nai Yang beach, popular for a last night before flying home.

BeachfrontPoolsSpa

Dewa Phuket Resort & Villas Landside

Nai Yang Beach, a short drive from the terminal

Suites and pool villas a few minutes from the airport, useful for families arriving late.

Pool villasRestaurant

Proud Phuket Landside

Nai Yang Beach, a short drive from the terminal

A mid-sized hotel near Nai Yang beach, close to the airport road.

PoolRestaurant

Layover sightseeing

The airport is at the quiet northern end of the island. With a few spare hours, Nai Yang and Mai Khao beaches are close by; Phuket Old Town and the west-coast resorts need half a day including traffic.

Phuket

Mai Khao Beach

Mai Khao Beach runs along the north west coast of Phuket island in Thalang District, from the Sarasin Bridge in the north to the end of the runway of Phuket Int...

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Phuket

Carnival Magic Phuket

Theme Parks Entertainment Parks

Carnival Magic is a night-time theme park in Kamala, Kathu District, on the west coast of Phuket, Thailand, next to Phuket FantaSea. Opened in 2022, it combines...

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Phuket

Patong Beach

Patong Beach curves for about 3 kilometres along a bay on the west coast of Phuket, in the Kathu District of southern Thailand. The town of Patong behind it is...

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Layover planner

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Immigration, security and Phuket traffic are already factored in.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying through Phuket.
Checked against Airports of Thailand and transport operator sources, updated each season.

Getting there

About 38 km by road. A taxi takes 50 to 60 minutes in normal traffic; the Smart Bus takes around 90 minutes because it stops along the west coast.