Phuket has one airport: Phuket International Airport, code HKT (ICAO VTSP). It sits at the northern tip of the island near Mai Khao, about 32 km from Phuket Town. There is no second airport on the island, so every scheduled flight to Phuket lands at HKT, whether it arrives from Bangkok or from overseas.
The confusion usually comes from two things. HKT has two separate terminals under one roof-line, and several popular "Phuket area" destinations are actually reached through different airports. Both are worth sorting out before you book, because a wrong assumption here can add hours and a few thousand baht to your arrival day.
Is there more than one airport on Phuket island?
No. HKT is the only commercial airport on Phuket. What trips people up is the terminal layout. The airport runs an International Terminal and a Domestic Terminal next to each other, linked by a covered walkway. Domestic flights from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang), Chiang Mai, or Koh Samui use the domestic building, while flights from other countries use the international one. Two terminals, one airport.
Phuket is one of Thailand's busiest airports after Bangkok, and part of why travelers expect a second field is the sheer volume of arrivals. Rather than build another airport, the operator expanded the single Mai Khao site, adding the current international terminal so both buildings share one runway. That keeps every flight, low-cost or long-haul, on the same patch of ground.
You might also see an older X-Ray or charter area mentioned online. It handles occasional charter traffic and does not change the picture: arrivals and departures for regular travelers run through the two main terminals at the same site in Mai Khao. Airports of Thailand, the state operator, lists HKT as a single international airport on its official site.
What is Phuket's airport called, and where is it?
The full name is Phuket International Airport, operated by Airports of Thailand (AoT). Booking systems and pilots use the three-letter IATA code HKT. It is in the Thalang district on the island's north coast, roughly 32 km and 45 to 60 minutes from Phuket Town in normal traffic. The closest beaches are Mai Khao, right beside the runway, and Nai Yang just to the south, so a small group of hotels sit within a short drive of arrivals.
For most visitors the airport is the start of a longer ride south to Patong, Kata, or Karon, which lie 35 to 45 km away. Those trips take 60 to 90 minutes depending on the beach and the traffic. You can see full routes and current fares on our Phuket Airport guide.
Which airport should I fly into for Krabi, Khao Lak, or Phi Phi?
This is where the "how many airports" question really matters, because three of the most-booked destinations near Phuket are not on the island at all. Landing at HKT still works for all of them, but it is not always the fastest way in.
| Destination | Own airport? | From HKT by road | Better option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khao Lak | No | ~80 km, 75–90 min | HKT is the nearest gateway |
| Krabi / Ao Nang | Yes (KBV) | ~165 km, 2.5–3 h | Fly into Krabi (KBV) if your hotel is there |
| Koh Phi Phi | No | Taxi to pier + ferry | Ferry from Phuket or Krabi |
| Koh Lanta | No | ~4 h + ferry | Krabi (KBV) is much closer |
| Koh Samui | Yes (USM) | Not by road (island) | Fly into Samui (USM) |
Khao Lak has no airport of its own, so HKT is the closest way in, about 80 km north across the Sarasin Bridge. Krabi does have its own airport (KBV); if your hotel is in Krabi town or Ao Nang, flying into KBV usually beats a long road transfer from Phuket. Koh Phi Phi is reached by boat, either from Phuket's Rassada Pier or from Krabi, so you fly to the mainland first and finish by ferry. Our route pages break down the ground legs for HKT to Khao Lak and HKT to Krabi.
Two more islands catch people out. Koh Lanta has no airport and sits closer to Krabi, so KBV plus a road-and-ferry leg beats landing at HKT. Koh Samui runs its own airport (USM) on the far side of the Gulf of Thailand, so it is a separate flight rather than a drive from Phuket. The rule holds across the whole region: the answer to "how many airports serve my trip" depends on the exact beach, not on the word Phuket in the booking.
A common mistake: booking a cheap flight labelled "Phuket" when the hotel is actually in Krabi, then paying for a three-hour car ride that can cost more than the correct flight would have. Check which airport truly serves your final stop before you lock in the fare, and match the arrival airport to the region, not to the name on the hotel listing.
Do domestic and international flights use the same airport?
Yes, at the same site but through different terminals. The international and domestic buildings stand a short covered walk apart, so a domestic-to-international connection does not need a shuttle bus. Give yourself time anyway. You collect your bags, exit, and re-check for the onward leg, and security lines at the domestic terminal tend to build around the mid-morning Bangkok departures. The walk between the two buildings itself is only a few minutes.
Arriving international passengers in 2026 also complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 72 hours before arrival, which has replaced the old paper slip. Filling it in before you fly keeps your immigration line moving; requirements are published by Thai Immigration. Domestic arrivals skip this step, one more reason the two terminals feel like separate worlds even though they belong to one airport.
Getting from HKT to your beach once you land
Because everything starts from the one airport, your real choice is budget against speed, not which terminal you used. The cheapest ride is the Phuket Smart Bus at a flat ฿100, running the west-coast route past the main beaches roughly hourly through the day; you board it on the 3rd floor near the Café Amazon. A metered taxi to Patong runs about ฿700 to ฿800 once you add the ฿100 airport surcharge, and fixed-price AOT limousines start near ฿800. For a booked door-to-door car, arrange a private transfer through GetTransfer.com, and if you plan to drive the island yourself, compare rates on GetRentacar.com.
One practical note tied to the single-airport layout: both terminals share the same arrivals complex, so ground transport sits a short walk from either building rather than a separate trip. Travelers landing on a domestic flight use the same taxi line, limousine desk, and Smart Bus route as international arrivals, so it pays to know your fare range before you reach the counter.
Our step-by-step Phuket Smart Bus guide covers stops, timing, and payment, and each beach route page lists the going car rate so you can sanity-check a quote before you agree to it.
The short answer, and how to use it
One: Phuket International Airport (HKT), two terminals, at Mai Khao in the north of the island. If your trip is really headed to Krabi, Khao Lak, Koh Lanta, or Koh Phi Phi, the "nearest airport" answer shifts, and getting it right is the difference between a smooth arrival and a long unplanned drive. Book the airport that matches the region, confirm which terminal your flight uses, and line up your ride from HKT before you land.
How many airports does Phuket have?
One. Phuket International Airport (HKT, ICAO VTSP) at Mai Khao is the island's only commercial airport. It has two terminals — International and Domestic — side by side under one roof-line and sharing a single runway, which is why people sometimes assume there are two airports.
What is the name of Phuket's international airport?
Phuket International Airport, IATA code HKT, ICAO code VTSP. It sits at the northern tip of the island near Mai Khao, about 32 km from Phuket Town, and is one of Thailand's busiest airports after Bangkok.
Which airport do I fly into for Krabi, Khao Lak or Koh Lanta?
Krabi and Koh Lanta are served by Krabi International Airport (KBV), not Phuket. Khao Lak has no airport of its own — HKT is the closest, about 80 km south of it. Koh Phi Phi has no airport either and is reached by ferry, most commonly from Phuket or Krabi. Koh Samui has its own airport (USM).
Do domestic and international flights use the same airport in Phuket?
Yes — the same airport, but different terminals. Domestic flights from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui use the Domestic Terminal; flights from other countries use the International Terminal. The two buildings are next to each other and linked by a covered walkway.
How far is Phuket airport from Phuket Town and the beaches?
Phuket Town is about 32 km from the terminal, roughly 45 minutes by car. The nearest beaches are Nai Yang at about 4 km and Mai Khao, which runs alongside the airport itself. Patong is 35 km, Kata 45 km and Rawai 48 km to the south.