AboutPartners[email protected]
Partners
Airport

CEI Chiang Rai International Airport

Reviewed & updated by יהב עטיה · About the team

Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI) serves Chiang Rai. Below: trains and buses from the terminal, an estimated taxi fare to town and nearby cities, where you can fly from here, and hotels nearby.

IATACEI
ICAOVTCT
Non-stop3
Airlines11
TimezoneAsia/Bangkok
Elevation390 m

See on map ↗

The airport in numbers

Chiang Rai International Airport — facts & history

We pulled Chiang Rai International Airport's numbers from the open aviation datasets — 2.0M passengers in 2025, against a peak of 2.9M in 2019.

Passengers / year
2.0M
as of 2025
Peak traffic
2.9M
in 2019
Elevation
390 מ׳
above sea level
Operator
Airports of Thailand
Passengers per year, 2009–2025

Figures: Wikidata (CC0) · Wikipedia

Airport to city

Getting from Chiang Rai International Airport to Chiang Rai

Train & bus: Bangkok (BKK): Airport Rail Link to the centre (~30 min, cheap). Don Mueang (DMK): bus/train. Phuket, Krabi, Samui: minibus or metered taxi.

Taxi & apps: At BKK take a taxi from the official rank on Level 1, metered + a small airport fee. Don't take a 'fixed price' from the arrivals hall. Grab (legal) solves this.

Tipping: Round up.

Distances

From CEI to nearby cities

Estimated drive times in normal traffic, and an approximate taxi fare at the local tariff. A pre-booked transfer is usually cheaper.

DestinationDistanceDriveTaxi (est.)
Chiang Mai160 km168 min฿1675–฿2660
Choose and book

Which way suits you from Chiang Rai International Airport

Taxi

Cheapest for a short trip, one or two people.

Private transfer

Fixed price upfront, driver with a sign. For a late arrival, bags, kids or a group.

Car rental

If you're touring the region. Desks in the terminal, booking ahead beats the counter.

Train or bus is usually the cheapest — details above.

Book your airport transfer in Chiang Rai ahead, no terminal surprises.

Route network

Where you can fly from Chiang Rai International Airport

Non-stop flights to about 3 destinations, operated by 11 airlines. The busiest routes:

Airlines here: Nok Air · Thai AirAsia · Japan Airlines Domestic · KLM Royal Dutch Airlines · Malaysia Airlines · China Eastern Airlines · All Nippon Airways · Asiana Airlines · Bangkok Airways · Qantas

At the airport

Left luggage & lost and found at Chiang Rai International Airport

Most large airports offer left-luggage inside the terminal, usually by the hour or day and with a size limit. A common, cheaper alternative: in-city storage points near stations and sights — handy for an early arrival before check-in, or after check-out.

Something lost in the terminal is handled by the airport's lost-and-found office (usually near baggage claim); something left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Keep your flight details, seat number and a description of the item.

Sleep nearby

Hotels near Chiang Rai International Airport

For an early connection — a hotel by the terminal saves a taxi and a headache.

Rates in Chiang Rai shift daily. See what your night costs now.

Reviews — Chiang Rai International Airport

No reviews yet — be the first to share.

Airports nearby

Other options near Chiang Rai

Same country

Other airports in Thailand

Q&A

Answers to your questions

How do I get from Chiang Rai International Airport to the centre of Chiang Rai?
Bangkok (BKK): Airport Rail Link to the centre (~30 min, cheap). Don Mueang (DMK): bus/train. Phuket, Krabi, Samui: minibus or metered taxi.
Can I use a ride app from Chiang Rai International Airport?
At BKK take a taxi from the official rank on Level 1, metered + a small airport fee. Don't take a 'fixed price' from the arrivals hall. Grab (legal) solves this.
What's the cheapest way from Chiang Rai International Airport to Chiang Rai?
Train or bus, almost always — usually a fraction of the taxi fare. Bangkok (BKK): Airport Rail Link to the centre (~30 min, cheap). Don Mueang (DMK): bus/train. Phuket, Krabi, Samui: minibus or metered taxi.
Can I get from Chiang Rai International Airport into town without a car?
Yes. Bangkok (BKK): Airport Rail Link to the centre (~30 min, cheap). Don Mueang (DMK): bus/train. Phuket, Krabi, Samui: minibus or metered taxi. For a late arrival or a lot of bags, a pre-booked transfer is easier.
Where can I fly non-stop from Chiang Rai International Airport?
About 3 destinations, including Bangkok, Bangkok, Kunming. 11 airlines operate here.
Can I leave luggage at the airport?
Most large airports have a left-luggage service, and there are also in-city storage points near stations and sights that are usually cheaper with no size limit.
Where is Chiang Rai International Airport's lost and found?
Items found in the terminal (not on the aircraft) are handled by the airport's lost-and-found office — usually near baggage claim or the information desks, sometimes one office per terminal. Anything left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Current contact details are on Chiang Rai International Airport's official site.
How do I know which terminal my flight leaves from at Chiang Rai International Airport?
The terminal is on your boarding pass and booking confirmation, and updates on the departure boards at the entrance. Rule of thumb: each airline works from a fixed terminal, and airlines in the same alliance are usually grouped together. With a connection, check whether you change terminals and how long that takes.
Chiang Rai city guide← Thailand travel guideAll airports

About this page

Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.

Sources: Airport data: OpenFlights (ODbL) · Route network: OpenFlights routes · Getting-there notes: Around the World, checked 2026

How we work