Cheapest round-trip
Search your dates
Return fares for Surat Thani to Chiang Mai are pulled from the airlines and our partners when you search. Pick your dates to see return flights and prices.
Search round tripsDomestic route URT to CNX
Surat Thani to Chiang Mai: islands to the north nonstop
Thai AirAsia flies from Surat Thani to Chiang Mai in about 1 hour 50 minutes, the low-cost way north from Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.
Fares
Fares are pulled from the airlines and our partners when you search. Search your dates
Nonstop, Thai AirAsiaEconomy
URT
Surat Thani
CNX
Chiang Mai
- Distance
- 1,071 km
Return
Search fares
Looking for Surat Thani to Chiang Mai air tickets and not sure what to pay? Thai AirAsia 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
Surat Thani to Chiang Mai flight guide
Flying from Surat Thani to Chiang Mai
In short
For travellers coming off Koh Samui, Koh Phangan or Koh Tao, Surat Thani (URT) is the budget airport, and Thai AirAsia's nonstop to Chiang Mai (CNX) is the way to swap the Gulf for the northern hills in one flight. It covers about 1,071 km in roughly 1 hour 50 minutes.
Thai AirAsia is the only airline on the route, and it flew it far less often in the quiet months of 2026 than in high season. Pick the flight first, then plan your boat around it.
Boat-and-coach tickets from the islands to Phunphin
The airport is in Phunphin, about 21 km west of Surat Thani town. From the islands, the ferry companies sell combined boat-and-coach tickets; ask yours which airport connection it offers. The sea is the weak link. From about October to December crossings can be delayed or cancelled, and a missed boat means a missed flight, so many travellers spend the night before in Surat Thani town, about 30 minutes from the airport by taxi.
The terminal is a single building with check-in on the ground floor and a restaurant, coffee shop and snack kiosks on the first floor. There are ATMs but no bank exchange counter and no left luggage, and the building closes overnight. Surat Thani railway station is also in Phunphin, about 12 to 15 km from town.
Into town in 10 to 20 minutes from Chiang Mai airport
Chiang Mai's airport is about 3 km from the Old City moat. The flat-fare taxi counter in arrivals, Grab and Bolt outside Exit 2, and the daytime RTC route 24 bus all get you into town in 10 to 20 minutes. If you want to explore before check-in time, the AIRPORTELs left-luggage counter on the ground floor is open from 06:00 to midnight. See the Chiang Mai International Airport guide for the details.
Bringing beach and diving kit north
Thai AirAsia's basic fare is cabin baggage only. Add a checked bag online if you are bringing beach and diving kit north.
Season in the north
November to February is cool and dry in Chiang Mai, a real change after the islands. February to April brings heat and smoke from seasonal fires, and the rains run from about June to October.
Surat Thani airport's air force roots and 3,000 m runway
Surat Thani International Airport began operations on 15 April 1981 on a Royal Thai Air Force base, taking over from Donnok Airport near the city. The Department of Airports runs the civil side. Its runway, extended in 1993, is 3,000 m long.
In 2025 the airport handled 1,516,470 passengers, up about 0.8 percent, though still well below the 2,247,344 recorded in 2017. Plans for a 1.7 billion baht expansion would take terminal capacity to 3.6 million a year. Twenty-five years ago the airport was far quieter, with 180,621 passengers in 2001.
Thai AirAsia is the only airline linking Surat Thani with Chiang Mai. The other routes from here go to Bangkok, plus EZY Airlines to Hua Hin.
Chiang Mai airport and Thai AirAsia's base there
Chiang Mai International Airport belongs to the Royal Thai Air Force and is operated by Airports of Thailand. It has handled flights 24 hours a day since April 2014 and saw 9,517,206 passengers in 2025. Thai AirAsia, which treats it as an operating base, flies Airbus A320s and A321neos; the A320-200 seats 180 and the A321neo 236. The airline began service in February 2004 and is part-owned by Malaysia's AirAsia group.
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.
Surat Thani to Chiang Mai flights at a glance
Thai AirAsia flies nonstop from Surat Thani (URT) to Chiang Mai (CNX). The flight covers about 1,071 km in around 1 hour 50 minutes.
| Flight time | 1h 50m nonstop |
|---|---|
| Best time to go | November to February |
| Distance | 1,071 km |
Search Surat Thani to Chiang Mai 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 Surat Thani to Chiang Mai
Thai AirAsia is the only airline on the route; its schedule is busier in high season.
Basic fares include cabin baggage only. If you are coming off an island, choose a flight that leaves room for a late or cancelled boat.
Departure and arrival airports
URT Surat Thani International Airport
- Codes
- IATA URT, ICAO VTSB
- Location
- Phunphin, about 21 km west of Surat Thani town
- Terminal
- One building; check-in on the ground floor, food on the first floor. ATMs, no exchange counter, no left luggage
- Getting there
- Combined boat and coach tickets from the islands, or about 30 minutes by taxi from town
CNX Chiang Mai International Airport
- Codes
- IATA CNX, ICAO VTCC
- Location
- About 4 km south-west of the centre, 3 km from the Old City moat
- Into the city
- Flat-fare taxi counter in arrivals, Grab and Bolt from the marked area outside Exit 2, RTC bus 24 to the Old City and Nimman in daytime
- Hours
- Open 24 hours; most shops keep roughly 06:00 to midnight
How to book Surat Thani to Chiang Mai for less
The boat is what makes or breaks this trip.
Oct–Decrough-sea months
Sleep on the mainland in the monsoon
Crossings can be cancelled at short notice. A night in Surat Thani town before the flight removes the risk.
0exchange counters at URT
Bring cash for the terminal
There are ATMs but no bank exchange counter. Change money before you leave the islands.
21 kmairport to town
No left luggage at Surat Thani
There is nowhere to store bags at the airport, so do not plan to wander town between ferry and flight with a big case unless your hotel will keep it.
Flight, train or bus to Chiang Mai
From the islands, the trip to the airport is by ferry and coach; the flight then does the long leg north.
| Mode | Journey time | Total trip time | One-way fare | Operators and timings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | about 1h 50m | Most of a day from the islands, including the boat | Search fares | Thai AirAsia |
Where to stay in Chiang Mai
Stay inside the Old City moat for temples and walking, or in Nimman for cafés and nightlife.
Travelers are asking
No questions yet about Surat Thani to Chiang Mai 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 Surat Thani to Chiang Mai flights
Reviews and questions
Contribute:
No reviews yet. Be the first to review this routeFlown Surat Thani to Chiang Mai recently? Tell other travellers how check-in, the flight and the arrival went.
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Getting there
Just one, Thai AirAsia, and it flies nonstop.
Plan on close to two hours, about 1 hour 50 minutes, for some 1,071 km between the Gulf coast and the north.
Ferry companies sell combined boat-and-coach tickets. Ask which airport connection your operator offers, and leave room for delays in the monsoon.
From October to December it is a sensible idea, because crossings can be delayed or cancelled. Surat Thani town is about 30 minutes from the airport.
About 30 minutes by taxi for the 21 km. Agree the price before setting off.
No. There is no left-luggage service, so plan around your bags if you have time to kill.
Also in Phunphin district, roughly 12 to 15 km from Surat Thani town. It is a separate trip, not linked to the terminal.
Exit 2. Turn left for the RTC bus stop; the ride-hailing pickup area is just beyond it.
We could not confirm a lounge open to passengers, so plan on the first-floor restaurant and coffee shop.
Prices & payment
Bring what you need from the islands or town. The airport has ATMs but no bank exchange counter.
Timing & weather
Yes, roughly November to February, with cool mornings and evenings. Bring a warm layer if you are coming from the islands.
