Chiang Rai Airport: new AirAsia hub offers international service

Thai AirAsia is launching four new routes from Chiang Rai in northern Thailand at the end of Jan-2019 and the beginning of Feb-2019. Chiang Rai will become Thai AirAsia's seventh hub after Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, U-Tapao/Pattaya and Hat Yai.

Thai AirAsia is adding three international routes - to Kuala Lumpur, Macau and Singapore - as well as a new domestic service linking Chiang Rai with Phuket. Chiang Rai Airport has a small but fast growing international operation that until now has been limited to mainland China and Hong Kong.

The international market accounted for less than 10% of the nearly 3 million passengers handled by Chiang Rai in 2018. Chiang Rai's traffic has more than quadrupled since 2010, driven mainly by domestic expansion. AirAsia is already the market leader and will widen the gap compared to competitors as it launches the four new routes.