Flights to Koh Samui from Bangkok: BKK to USM Fares (2026)

The only nonstop flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui (USM) is Bangkok Airways, leaving Suvarnabhumi (BKK) about 21 times a day and Don Mueang (DMK) about 3 times a day. The scheduled block time is about 75-95 minutes (1h05-1h25 in the air), and one-way fares run 2,300-6,600 THB (~66-189 USD) as of 1 October 2026. The cheaper alternative is a budget flight to Surat Thani (URT) for 960-3,135 THB plus a minivan and ferry for 550-850 THB, about 1,500-3,900 THB in total.

This page is for travellers flying the last leg to Samui. For bus, train and ferry from Bangkok see the full guide to getting to Koh Samui.

Key takeaways (checked 1 Oct 2026)

• Fastest: Bangkok Airways BKK to USM, about 1h05-1h25 flying, 2,300-6,600 THB (~66-189 USD) one-way.
• Cheapest with a plane: a budget flight to Surat Thani, then minivan plus ferry, 1,500-3,900 THB (~43-111 USD) in total.
• Why pricey: Bangkok Airways built and runs the airport and has had no nonstop rival from Bangkok since Thai Airways stopped in 2018.
• Peak fares: December to March and Thai public holidays push prices to the top of the range.
• Bags: 20 kg checked and 5 kg cabin in economy per most sources (some sites quote 7 kg).

What are the ways to fly from Bangkok to Koh Samui?

There are four ways to fly from Bangkok to Koh Samui: nonstop from Suvarnabhumi, nonstop from Don Mueang, or a budget flight to Surat Thani or Nakhon Si Thammarat followed by a minivan and ferry. Nonstop saves hours; the mainland routes save money.

Sources: fare ranges from OutThailand (Bangkok to Koh Samui guide, 2026), frequencies from FlightConnections and Skyscanner route pages, checked 1 Oct 2026. The nonstop fare range covers Bangkok as a whole, not each airport.

Bangkok Airways from Suvarnabhumi (BKK)

Bangkok Airways flies Suvarnabhumi to Samui about 21 times a day, roughly every hour, with 147-156 departures a week depending on the aggregator and season. Flying time is about 1 hour to 1h15, and the scheduled block is 75-95 minutes. One-way fares run 2,300-6,600 THB (~66-189 USD).

This is the airline’s trunk route, so it has the most departures and the widest choice of times, mostly on Airbus A319 and A320 jets.

1. Compare the Bangkok Airways site with a search engine such as Skyscanner or Google Flights. One Google Flights listing we saw started at 5,530 THB for a sample date, which shows how wide the spread is.
2. Pick a time that leaves slack: a missed evening flight means a night in Bangkok.
3. Check in at Suvarnabhumi at least 90 minutes before departure.
4. On arrival, use the airport taxi counter: the Koh Samui Airport guide and airport to Chaweng cover fares and the walk-out option.

Samui’s airport sits about 2 km from Chaweng and a short drive from Bophut, so transfers are quick. Fares for every option are in Samui airport transfers.

Bangkok Airways from Don Mueang (DMK)

Bangkok Airways flies Don Mueang to Samui about 3 times a day, between roughly 08:50 and 18:55, in 90-95 minutes. Skyscanner lists it as the only nonstop from DMK. Fares sit in the same 2,300-6,600 THB (~66-189 USD) band as from Suvarnabhumi.

Pick DMK only if it is where you already are, for example after a domestic or budget-airline arrival. With far fewer departures, a missed flight leaves fewer rebooking options, so Suvarnabhumi is the safer default.

Fly to Surat Thani (URT) and take the ferry

Flying to Surat Thani and crossing by ferry costs about 1,500-3,900 THB (~43-111 USD) in total and takes 3-5 hours door to door by OutThailand’s count. Add check-in and waiting and 5-6 hours is a realistic plan. The flight costs 960-3,135 THB (~27-90 USD) and takes about 1h15-1h25.

Thai AirAsia, Nok Air and Thai Vietjet fly to Surat Thani, mostly from Don Mueang. Aggregators list about 32 weekly flights for AirAsia, 21 for Vietjet and 14 for Nok Air, but airlines move between Bangkok airports, so check which one your flight uses.

From the airport, a combined minivan and ferry ticket costs 550-850 THB (~16-24 USD). Lomprayah takes about 2h15 (roughly 850 THB), Raja Ferry 2h50-4h (roughly 647 THB) and Seatran is similar (roughly 742 THB). The Surat Thani to Koh Samui guide has the ferry leg in detail.

If you would rather skip flying altogether, the budget alternative is bus or train plus ferry: see Bangkok to Koh Samui by bus and ferry.

The trade-off: a late flight can miss the last ferry, and your bag is handled twice. Buy the ferry leg after the flight is confirmed and leave a buffer of 2 hours or more.

Fly to Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST) and take the ferry

Nakhon Si Thammarat works like Surat Thani but the airport is further from the pier: about 102 km by road to Donsak plus a 1h30 crossing, roughly 3h30 from the airport to Lipa Noi on Samui. Airport-to-Samui tickets start at about 583 THB (~17 USD) per DirectFerries. Door to door from Bangkok runs 3-6 hours, according to OutThailand.

Thai Lion Air flies about 25 times a week from Don Mueang, Thai AirAsia 21 and Nok Air 14, and Thai Vietjet about 11 a week from Suvarnabhumi, per aggregator listings. We did not source NST flight fares in THB. A Khanom pier route may exist, but we could not verify current times, so treat Donsak as the checked option. The route is worth it only when an NST fare is clearly below the URT one.

Why are flights to Koh Samui so expensive?

Flights cost more than other domestic routes of similar distance because Bangkok Airways built Samui Airport (opened 1989) and has had no nonstop competitor from Bangkok since Thai Airways ended its service in 2018. Travellers and island hoteliers have long complained about the lack of competition.

Physical limits add to it. The single runway is 2,100 m, enough for A319/A320 jets, E190-E2 and ATR turboprops but not widebodies. The runway, terminals and fire station are held by the airline’s airport REIT (BAREIT) and leased back to Bangkok Airways for 25 years. Design capacity is about 16,000 passengers a day in an open-air terminal, so adding airlines and seats is hard. A terminal rebuild has been announced, but its actual start date is not confirmed.

At the far end of the price scale, helicopter and seaplane charters are an option from the same airport, at a multiple of any scheduled fare.

Sources: Wikipedia (Samui Airport), Bangkok Post (BAREIT), Nation Thailand (Thai Airways exit), accessed 1 Oct 2026.

When do Koh Samui fares peak?

Fares peak from December to March and around Thai public holidays such as Songkran in April, when the top of the 6,600 THB range is common. The September and October low season brings the cheapest seats, from about 2,300-2,500 THB. For peak dates, watch fares from 4-6 weeks ahead.

Seat numbers also change by season. For the winter 2026/27 schedule and part-year routes, read seasonal flights to Koh Samui. For how far ahead to buy, see when to book Koh Samui.

Which airlines fly to Koh Samui, and what about Thai Airways?

Bangkok Airways (code PG, see Bangkok Airways to Koh Samui) is the only airline on Bangkok to Samui. Thai Airways (TG) sells seats on some PG flights under its own code, such as TG5926, under a codeshare agreement from January 2023, but the aircraft and crew are Bangkok Airways’. Thai Airways ran its own 2 daily flights from 2008 to 2018.

Other Samui routes include Scoot from Singapore (4 daily since December 2025, about 2 hours), Bangkok Airways from Phuket, Krabi (1-2 a day, about 55-60 minutes) and Chiang Mai (daily on the summer 2026 schedule), Hong Kong (daily per aggregator listings, about 3 hours to 3h30), and some seasonal flights. Bangkok Airways suspends Singapore to Samui from 25 Oct 2026 to 28 Mar 2027. For the full list read koh samui flight routes and international flights to Koh Samui, and for Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai or Pattaya see domestic flights to Koh Samui and the Phuket and Krabi guide. A Thai Airways codeshare ticket can matter for through-check-in and miles, but you fly the same aircraft.

How much baggage can you take?

Bangkok Airways lets economy passengers take 20 kg of checked baggage and a 5 kg cabin bag on domestic flights (most sources; some sites quote 7 kg), and 40 kg in Blue Ribbon (business), as reported by baggage-policy sites. Promotional fares can change the allowance, so read the fare conditions before you pay.

On a budget airline to Surat Thani, checked baggage is usually an add-on fee, which narrows the gap with the nonstop fare. Compare the final price with bags, not the headline fare.

What about flights from Koh Samui to Bangkok?

Samui to Bangkok flights mirror the outbound schedule: about 21 a day to Suvarnabhumi and about 3 to Don Mueang, in 75-95 minutes. Expedia route pages listed Samui to Bangkok from about 148-151 USD, in line with the 2,300-6,600 THB range.

Return fares are not always cheaper as a round trip, so price one-way legs as well. Reach the small airport about 90 minutes before a domestic departure, because luggage drop-off can be the slowest step.

FAQ

Is there a direct flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui?

Yes. Bangkok Airways flies nonstop from Suvarnabhumi about 21 times a day and from Don Mueang about 3 times a day. Flying time is about 1 hour, the scheduled block is 75-95 minutes, and it is the only nonstop airline on the route as of October 2026.

How long is the flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui?

The air time is about 1h05-1h25, and the scheduled block is 75-95 minutes from Suvarnabhumi and 90-95 from Don Mueang. Add 90 minutes at the airport beforehand, plus the taxi ride on arrival, for a door-to-door estimate of around 3-4 hours.

What is the cheapest flight to Koh Samui?

The cheapest nonstop is about 2,300 THB (~66 USD) on off-peak dates. The cheapest overall is usually a budget flight to Surat Thani for 960-3,135 THB plus 550-850 THB for a minivan and ferry, about 1,500-3,900 THB (~43-111 USD) in total.

Why are flights to Koh Samui more expensive than other Thai domestic routes?

Bangkok Airways built and operates Samui Airport and has had no nonstop competitor from Bangkok since Thai Airways left in 2018. A single 2,100 m runway and a small open-air terminal also limit how many flights and aircraft types can use it.

Does Thai Airways fly to Koh Samui?

Not with its own aircraft since 2018. Thai Airways sells some Bangkok Airways flights under TG codes, for example TG5926, but Bangkok Airways operates them. Ticket rules and baggage follow the booking you buy, so check both airlines’ conditions before paying.

Is it better to fly from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang to Samui?

Suvarnabhumi has about 21 flights a day against about 3 from Don Mueang, so it offers more times and easier rebooking. Choose Don Mueang only if you are already there; fares sit in the same 2,300-6,600 THB range.