Chiang Mai International Airport

Chiang Mai International Airport
ท่าอากาศยานเชียงใหม่
Summary
Airport typePublic / military
OwnerRoyal Thai Air Force
OperatorAirports of Thailand
ServesChiang Mai
LocationSuthep, Mueang Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Opened1 October 1921 (1921-10-01)
Focus city forThai Airways International
Operating base for
Elevation AMSL316 m / 1,036 ft
Coordinates18°46′00″N 098°57′45″E / 18.76667°N 98.96250°E / 18.76667; 98.96250
Websitechiangmai.airportthai.co.th
Maps
CNX/VTCC
CNX/VTCC
Location in Thailand
CNX/VTCC
Location in Southeast Asia
Interactive map of Chiang Mai International Airport
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
18/36 3,400 11,155 Asphalt
Statistics (2024)
Passengers9,082,071 10.43%
International passengers2,518,671 34.05%
Domestic passengers6,563,400 3.43%
Aircraft movements59,493 6.88%
Freight (tonnes)5,475 4.19%
Source:[1]: 1  Airports of Thailand[2]

Chiang Mai International Airport (IATA: CNX, ICAO: VTCC) is an international airport in Suthep subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Mai district, Chiang Mai province in Northern Thailand. It is a major gateway that links northern Thailand to the rest of the region and is currently the fourth-busiest airport in the country. It is managed by Airports of Thailand.

History

The airport began operations in 1934 as Suthep Airport,[3] after it developed as an airstrip in the early 1920s. Until World War Two, it was used mainly for postal delivery services, with some military use. During the war, it was used by the occupying Japanese forces, and was hence attacked by British and US air forces.[4]

The first scheduled passenger flight to Chiang Mai arrived in 1947, with the foundation of Siamese Airways. At this time and until the late 1950s the runway surface was still grass or dirt, with very few support buildings.[4]

Airports of Thailand expanded the terminal with upgrades in 2014 including expansion of the apron for larger planes, extending operating hours to 24/7 (effective April 2014), and enlarging the international arrival hall and domestic departure hall.[5] As of 2018, 31 airlines operated at CNX, serving 11 million passengers, 78,210 flights and 14,612 tonnes of cargo.[6]

As a result of the temporary closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008 due to the protests, Chiang Mai was used as an alternative stopover for China Airlines flights between Taipei and Europe and for Swiss International Air Lines' Singapore-Zurich flights. On 24 January 2011, the airport became a secondary hub for Thai AirAsia.[7] China Airlines subsequently regularised the stopover.

Facilities

The airport is at an elevation of 316 metres (1,037 ft) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 18/36 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,100 by 45 metres (10,171 ft × 148 ft).[8] There are two terminals, one for domestic passengers and the other for international flights.

Units

The following lists the units that were based at Chiang Mai Airport:

Royal Thai Air Force
  • 411 Fighter Squadron of 41st Wing RTAF
Royal Air Force

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Air Busan Seasonal: Seoul–Incheon (begins 29 April 2026)[10]
Air China Beijing–Capital
Bangkok Airways Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi,[11] Koh Samui,[12] Phuket[12]
China Airlines Taipei–Taoyuan[13]
China Southern Airlines Shenzhen
Eastar Jet Busan, Seoul–Incheon
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi
EVA Air Taipei–Taoyuan[13]
HK Express Hong Kong[14]
Jeju Air Seoul–Incheon[15]
Korean Air Seoul–Incheon[16]
Lao Airlines Luang Prabang[17]
Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur–International[18]
Myanmar Airways International Mandalay, Yangon
Nok Air Bangkok–Don Mueang,[11] Udon Thani[12]
Ruili Airlines Xishuangbanna[19]
Scoot Singapore[20]
Spring Airlines Xi'an[21]
Starlux Airlines Taipei–Taoyuan[13]
Thai AirAsia Bangkok–Don Mueang,[11] Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi,[11] Hanoi,[12] Hat Yai,[12] Hua Hin,[12] Khon Kaen,[12] Krabi,[12] Phuket,[12] Sapporo–Chitose,[12] Surat Thani,[12] Taipei–Taoyuan[12] Udon Thani
Thai Airways International Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi[11]
Thai Lion Air Bangkok–Don Mueang[11]
Thai VietJet Air Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi,[11] Osaka–Kansai
West Air Chongqing (begins 29 March 2026) [22]

Statistics

PassengersYear02,000,0004,000,0006,000,0008,000,00010,000,00012,000,0002007201020132016201920222025PassengersAnnual passenger traffic

Traffic by calendar year

Comparison of passenger volume, aircraft movements and cargo volume at Chiang Mai International Airport, by year[23]
Year Passengers Change from
previous year 		Movements Cargo
(tons) 		Notes
2011 3,880,037 – 32,445 21,484
2012 4,491,331 15.75% 36,981 19,628
2013 5,463,921 21.65% 43,366 18,188
2014 6,630,624 21.35% 52,642 17,796
2015 8,365,851 26.17% 63,843 18,425
2016 9,446,320 12.92% 69,202 18,512
2017 10,230,280 8.3% 71,994 17,302
2018 10,989,869 7.42% 78,210 14,615
2019 11,333,548 3.13% 79,504 12,313
2020 4,851,475 57.19% 39,455 4,915
2021 1,762,732 63.67% 16,051 3,318
2022 5,459,481 209.72% 39,027 5,584
2023 8,224,573 50.65% 55,663 5,255
2024 9,082,071 6.88% 59,493 5,474

Busiest international routes 2019

Busiest international routes to and from Chiang Mai Airport (2019)[24]
Rank Airport Passengers handled Change %
1 Shanghai–Pudong 446,398 18.41%
2 Hong Kong 323,897 10.71%
3 Guangzhou 297,819 3.67%
4 Seoul–Incheon 251,805 64.77%
5 Kunming 232,791 15.44%
6 Taipei–Taoyuan 221,975 192.24%
7 Kuala Lumpur–International 171,918 3.84%
8 Singapore 128,657 4.99%
9 Macau 112,956 11.17%
10 Hangzhou 110,614 43.60%

Busiest domestic routes 2019

Busiest domestic routes to and from Chiang Mai Airport (2019)[24]
Rank Airport Passengers handled Change %
1 Bangkok–Don Mueang 3,565,272 0.39%
2 Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi 2,866,138 1.81%
3 Phuket 415,726 12.27%
4 Pattaya 323,547 0.40%
5 Krabi 209,382 0.31%

References

  1. ^ "2016 Traffic Report; AOT Airports Traffic Overview" (PDF). AIRPORTS OF THAILAND (AOT) PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  2. ^ "Air Transport Statistic". Airports of Thailand. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  3. ^ ประวัติความเป็นมา
  4. ^ a b The Chiang Mai International Airport, Chiang Mai a la Carte Tour
  5. ^ "AoT expands Chiang Mai airport : TTR Weekly". Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  6. ^ "Air Transport Statistic". Airports of Thailand PLC (AOT). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  7. ^ "AirAsia opens new hub in Chiang Mai". Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  8. ^ Airport information for VTCC from DAFIF (effective Oct 2006)
  9. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 34.
  10. ^ ""하계 시즌 넓어진 하늘길!"에어부산, 4개 노선 부정기편 운항" ["Summer season broadened skyway!" Air Busan operates irregular flights on four routes] (Press release). Air Busan. 29 January 2026.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Bangkok, Thailand BKK". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 109–113. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Chiang Mai, Thailand CNX". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 274–274. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  13. ^ a b c "Taipei, Chinese Taipei TPE". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 1253–1255. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  14. ^ "Hong Kong (SAR) China HKG". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 543–547. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  15. ^ "Seoul, Korea Republic Of SEL". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 1186–1190. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  16. ^ "Seoul, Korea Republic Of SEL". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 1186–1190. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  17. ^ "Luang Prabang, Laos LPQ". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 746–746. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  18. ^ "Malaysia Airlines introduces new routes to Maldives, Chiang Mai and Da Nang, tickets on sale today". MalayMail. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  19. ^ "‌开航｜10月28日起，瑞丽航空开通西双版纳=清迈航线，每周3班". Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  20. ^ "Singapore, Singapore SIN". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 1214–1219. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  21. ^ "西安直飞泰国清迈！新航线11月开通".
  22. ^ "西部航空3月29日开通 重庆直飞清迈航班".
  23. ^ "AOT traffic statistics" (PDF). 11 July 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Annual Airport 2019" (PDF). Airports of Thailand PCL. Retrieved 31 August 2020.

Bibliography

  • Jefford, C. G. (2001). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chiang Mai Airport.
  • Chiang Mai travel guide from Wikivoyage
  • "Current weather for VTCC". NOAA/NWS.
  • Accident history for CNX at Aviation Safety Network
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