Thailand eyes 1.2 million US tourists with new flight boom
Luxury travel demand and new air routes fuel expected visitor surge
Thailand is preparing to welcome a surge in tourists from the US, as new flight routes and increased interest in luxury travel drive up arrival forecasts.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool announced that the country expects nearly 1.2 million visitors from the United States in 2026, an 8% jump from this year. The forecast follows the return of United Airlines to Bangkok after an 11-year break, giving tourism a much-needed lift.
“The US is a premium market. We’re seeing increased interest, especially after Thailand was featured in season three of The White Lotus.”
Last year, Thailand welcomed a record-breaking 1.03 million American tourists, generating 58.8 billion baht. That figure is projected to hit 1.1 million visitors this year, injecting over 62 billion baht into the Thai economy. According to the Tourism Ministry, American travellers typically stay for 12 days and spend an average of 4,726 baht per day.
Fueling this growth is United Airlines’ UA820 service, which links Bangkok to Los Angeles via Hong Kong using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The daily flights, which launched on October 26, mark the airline’s first Bangkok route since cancelling its Narita-Bangkok leg in 2014.
United Airlines Managing Director of Sales, Marcel Fuchs, expressed optimism about American demand for Asia-Pacific travel.
“We’re offering more routes to this region than any other US carrier,” he said, citing strong bookings for Bangkok during the upcoming holiday season.
Fuchs noted that about 70% of travellers on the Bangkok route originate in the US, with the rest boarding in Hong Kong. The route draws a mix of leisure, business, and family travellers, with high demand for premium and business-class seats on the 18 to 19-hour long-haul.
Travellers from San Francisco can also connect to Bangkok via Hong Kong, where United operates two daily flights. Its LAX and SFO hubs offer over 75 nonstop destinations each, adding flexibility for US tourists, according to Bangkok Post.
Beyond United, other airlines are also eyeing the US-Thailand corridor. Alaska Airlines is considering direct routes, while EVA Air recently added Dallas to its schedule. Meanwhile, Norse Atlantic has launched five winter routes from the UK, Sweden and Norway to Thailand.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
