Chiang Mai Airport

IATA: CNX

ICAO: VTCC

Passengers: ~ 11 million (2019); ~ 2 million (2021)

Chiang Mai is an international airport serving Chiang Mai, the capital city of Chiang Mai Province in Thailand. It is situated just 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) southwest of downtown Chiang Mai. Moreover, the airport has an international and a domestic terminal within the same building. In addition, the airport is a major gateway to Northern Thailand and is among the top 5 busiest airports in the country. It mainly serves destinations in Southeast Asia like China, Taiwan, Singapore, Laos and Myanmar.

If visiting Chiang Mai or Northern Thailand, the following guide will present you with all the useful and necessary information about CNX.

Getting from Chiang Mai Airport to Chiang Mai

As previously mentioned, the distance between CNX and the Chiang Mai city centre (also known as Old City), where most of the hotels are, is 4 kilometres which is a 15-minute car ride. Find out all about different ways of transportation in the text below!

Bus

There are two bus lines that go to the city centre, just in different directions. While the Red bus R3 first goes to Nimman Road and then to Tha Pae Gate, the R3 Yellow bus first goes to Nimman Road to then proceeds to Tha Pae Gate. In addition, buses can be found just outside the Arrivals Hall.

The cost of the bus ticket is 20 THB and they run every half an hour from 6.30 am to 11.30 pm.

Please, NOTE that these buses have been suspended since the corona crisis, so, at the moment, you should consider other transport options.

Taxi

Taxi counters can be found in the Arrivals Hall of both terminals. Chiang Mai airport taxis have rates fixed by zone. Namely, a trip to the hotels downtown is fixed at around 150 THB. Travel time to the centre goes from 15 to 40 minutes. In addition, the taxi terminal is situated in the northern part of the terminal and some work 24/7.

Songthaew

Songthaews to the city centre is one of the more convenient and cheaper solutions. You can flag down one of these red pickup trucks outside of the airport. They cost around 100 THB or less, to around 40 THB, all depending on the number of passengers. It should take 30 minutes to reach the centre.

Tuk Tuk

In case you are travelling light, you can opt for a very popular means of transportation in Thailand, tuk-tuk, which is also available at the airport. The cost of a ride on these motorized tricycles to the airport is around 100-150 THB for two persons. They are very fast, as they take 10-20 minutes to reach the city centre.

Car rental

For those who want to explore the area on their own and not depend on taxis and public transfer, the best option is to hire a car directly at the airport. At CNX Airport, you will find several rental agencies including Avis, Budget, Hertz, Sixt and National and the local Thai Rent A Car. You can either book them on the site or online.

Transfer

Lastly, if you prefer convenient online ways of booking transport in advance, a door-to-door transfer is a great option. A professional driver will wait and welcome you at the airport when you arrive and take you directly to your accommodation in the city.

Chiang Mai Airport Airlines

There are 32 airlines offering departures and arrivals at CNX. Besides, the airport serves as a hub for Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Nok Airways and Wisdom Airways.

Moreover, the most frequent international destinations include Shanghai Pudong, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. As for the domestic destinations, the most frequent ones are Bangkok Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi, Phuket Airport and Rayong-Pattaya-U-Tapao.

Below is the list of the most important airlines offering departures and arrivals from CNX:

• Air Asia
• Bangkok Airways
• Cathay Dragon
• Jeju Air
• Kan Air
• Korean Air
• Lucky Air
• Nok Air
• Qatar Airways
• Scoot
• SilkAir
• Spring Airlines
• Thai Lion Air
• Thai AirAsia
• Thai Vietjet Air

Chiang Mai Airport Facilities

The airport offers several services and amenities for passengers on a layover or awaiting their flight. Here is the list of services offered by CNX:

• Airport lounges
• Coffee shops
• Souvenir shops
• Restaurants
• ATMs
• Currency exchange
• Lockers
• Free WiFi (for 2 hrs)
• Pharmacy

Chiang Mai Airport Accommodation

If you’re in need of a hotel close to the airport, there are many just a short distance from the airport. TL Residence is a 20-minute walk from the airport. There are also many hotels just 5 minutes by car from the airport. They include Hotel Nobel Place, Airport Resident and B2 Airport. The average price of a room is around 500 THB.

Chiang Mai FAQs