Thailand announced plans to provide 200,000 free domestic flights to international visitors over a three-month period. According to Euronews, the initiative dubbed “Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights” will allow eligible foreign tourists to claim complimentary round-trip flights within the country when booking international travel directly through airlines or travel agencies.
The program will run from September to November 2025, pending approval by the cabinet. The government will subsidize up to 1,750 Thai baht (almost $54) for one-way tickets and 3,500 Thai baht (around $108) for round-trip flights. Each ticket includes an allowance for 20kg of checked baggage, as per reports by The Bangkok Post.
How The Thailand Free Flight Program Works
The program aims to encourage tourists to explore beyond popular destinations like Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. This will promote travel to less-visited provinces. These areas are rich in cultural heritage, unique culinary traditions, and stunning beaches. Six major airlines – Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, and Thai Vietjet – have already committed to participating in the initiative.
The Independent details how officials project that this promotion will generate approximately 8.8 billion Thai baht ($273 million) in tourism revenue from a relatively modest investment of 700 million Thai baht ($22 million). However, travelers should note that only those arriving by air will qualify; visitors entering by bus or boat are ineligible. Additionally, existing bookings made before the program’s official launch will not be eligible for the free domestic flight offer.
This free flight initiative represents Thailand’s latest effort to revitalize its tourism industry, which has served as the country’s economic backbone for decades. Before global travel disruptions, Thailand welcomed nearly 40 million foreign tourists in 2019, setting a record that has yet to be matched. While Thailand initially set an ambitious target of 39 million arrivals for 2025, the Bank of Thailand has recently revised its forecast to 33 million visitors, according to Mekong Tourism.
