AOT reports 2.6 million passengers during Songkran, up 4.3% YoY, reaffirms commitment to service improvement

Dr Kerati Kijmanawat, President of Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT), revealed the air traffic statistics for the Songkran Festival this year (April 11–17) across the six airports operated by AOT — Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Don Mueang (DMK), Chiang Mai (CNX), Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai (CEI), Phuket (HKT), and Hat Yai (HDY).

During said period, a total of 2.6 million passengers used AOT’s airports, marking a 4.3% increase compared to the same period last year. Of these, 1.6 million were international travelers (up 3.1%), and 1 million were domestic travelers (up 6.2%). A total of 16,064 flights were recorded (up 7.6%), including 8,752 international flights (up 5.4%) and 7,312 domestic flights (up 10.3%).

Key airport figures:

• Suvarnabhumi (BKK): 1.3 million passengers (+3.6%), 7,345 flights (+6.6%)
• Don Mueang (DMK): 664,470 passengers (+5%), 4,523 flights (+6.2%)
• Chiang Mai (CNX): 169,690 passengers (+6.1%), 1,277 flights (+12.5%)
• Chiang Rai (CEI): 40,340 passengers (+3.5%), 274 flights (+7%)
• Phuket (HKT): 360,120 passengers (+4.1%), 2,173 flights (+8.2%)
• Hat Yai (HDY): 67,590 passengers (+10%), 472 flights (+22%)

Kerati highlighted AOT’s efficient passenger service management during the Songkran holiday, noting improvements in both arrival and departure processes. This success was driven by the deployment of advanced technologies such as the CUSS (Common Use Self-Service) check-in kiosks and CUBD (Common Use Bag Drop), which reduce check-in time from an average of 20 minutes to under 1 minute, the biometric identification systems, which cut identity verification times from 3 minutes to 1 minute, and the Automated Border Control (ABC) gates, which decrease passport control wait times from 15 minutes to under 2 minutes.

These improvements significantly enhanced AOT’s overall service performance, surpassing internal targets for processing times, namely international arrivals (target 40 minutes), international departures (target 55 minutes), domestic arrivals (target 35 minutes), and domestic departures (target 40 minutes).

In addition to technology, AOT is committed to enhancing the airport experience. Passenger terminal areas are being upgraded to include more relaxing waiting areas, recreational zones, and cultural events such as Thai art performances and music, both local and international.
At Suvarnabhumi Airport, efforts are underway to elevate service standards and secure a spot among the top 20 airports globally within five years. As of 2025, the airport has climbed to 39th in the world, up from 58th last year — a 19-place jump.

Kerati reaffirmed AOT’s goal to continuously improve airport infrastructure and capacity, positioning Thailand as a regional aviation hub, and supporting the country’s economic, social, and tourism development for sustainable long-term growth.