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Thailand Announces Significant Increase to International Airport Departure Fee
Passenger service charge to rise by over fifty percent from June as part of nationwide airport infrastructure and travel service upgrades
Thai authorities have confirmed a substantial rise in the international airport departure fee that will directly affect travellers departing the kingdom this year.
From June 20, 2026, the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) for international flights at six major Airports of Thailand (AOT)-operated airports will increase from seven hundred thirty baht to one thousand one hundred twenty baht per passenger, an adjustment of more than fifty percent aimed at funding critical infrastructure expansion and improved passenger services.
The civil aviation regulator approved the fee adjustment earlier this year after a comprehensive review of airport operational costs and long-term development needs, emphasising that the PSC is a cost-recovery mechanism and not an additional tax.
The revised rate — which will be integrated into airfares and applied at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Hat Yai international airports — is intended to support capital projects including terminal expansions, advanced passenger processing systems and enhanced services across the aviation network.
Government and aviation officials have underlined Thailand’s strategic objective to modernise its airport facilities and bolster the country’s position as a leading regional aviation hub, aligning increased fees with ambitious plans to elevate service quality, safety and infrastructure capacity for domestic and international travellers.
The adjustment has stirred public debate, with observers noting potential impacts on travel costs and competitiveness, while supporters frame the change as consistent with international benchmarks for major aviation hubs where passenger charges are higher and reinvested into service improvements.
As Thailand’s visitor numbers continue to grow in 2026, authorities maintain that the additional revenue will help ensure that airport facilities keep pace with rising demand and deliver stronger service outcomes for travellers.
From June 20, 2026, the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) for international flights at six major Airports of Thailand (AOT)-operated airports will increase from seven hundred thirty baht to one thousand one hundred twenty baht per passenger, an adjustment of more than fifty percent aimed at funding critical infrastructure expansion and improved passenger services.
The civil aviation regulator approved the fee adjustment earlier this year after a comprehensive review of airport operational costs and long-term development needs, emphasising that the PSC is a cost-recovery mechanism and not an additional tax.
The revised rate — which will be integrated into airfares and applied at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Hat Yai international airports — is intended to support capital projects including terminal expansions, advanced passenger processing systems and enhanced services across the aviation network.
Government and aviation officials have underlined Thailand’s strategic objective to modernise its airport facilities and bolster the country’s position as a leading regional aviation hub, aligning increased fees with ambitious plans to elevate service quality, safety and infrastructure capacity for domestic and international travellers.
The adjustment has stirred public debate, with observers noting potential impacts on travel costs and competitiveness, while supporters frame the change as consistent with international benchmarks for major aviation hubs where passenger charges are higher and reinvested into service improvements.
As Thailand’s visitor numbers continue to grow in 2026, authorities maintain that the additional revenue will help ensure that airport facilities keep pace with rising demand and deliver stronger service outcomes for travellers.
