Thailand to Give Away 200,000 Free Domestic Flight Tickets to Foreign Tourists

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports has unveiled plans to offer 200,000 free domestic flight tickets to foreign visitors in an effort to boost nationwide tourism over the next three months.

The campaign, themed “Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights,” is scheduled to run from September to November, according to the Bangkok Post.

Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said the initiative is designed to encourage travelers to explore destinations beyond Thailand’s major cities.

Each participating tourist will receive a government subsidy of 1,750 baht (S$69) for a one-way ticket or 3,500 baht (S$138) for a round-trip domestic ticket.

The ministry has proposed a 700 million baht (S$27.7 million) budget for the program, pending cabinet approval, and expects it could generate as much as 8.8 billion baht (S$347 million) in tourism revenue.

How the Free Flights Work

Foreign travelers holding an international flight ticket will be eligible to claim one round-trip domestic flight with up to 20kg of checked luggage at no additional cost.

The offer will be available on six Thai carriers: Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, and Thai Vietjet.

The free tickets can be redeemed when booking international flights directly with these airlines or through select online travel agents.

Sorawong emphasized that the promotion is an “exclusive campaign” for foreign visitors who have not yet booked their flights.

Tourism Outlook

Thailand welcomed 20.8 million foreign visitors as of August 17, marking a 7% year-on-year decline. Chinese tourists remain the country’s largest inbound market, contributing 2.9 million arrivals so far this year.

The new initiative mirrors similar efforts seen abroad. Earlier this year, Japan launched a campaign offering complimentary domestic flights to encourage travelers to explore more regional destinations.