Pattaya U Tapao Airport (UTP)
Although most visitors to Pattaya arrive at the new Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport which is situationed now southeast of the city and therefore significantly closer to Pattaya, there is a local airport. This is convenient for flying south to Phuket and Samui directly (thus saving two extra hours in travelling), or making a short visit to Angkhor Wat in Cambodia. It also serves popular charter flights from Eastern Europe.
There is a small local airstrip with limited facilities at U-Tapao – an airbase 25 minutes drive south Pattaya. The airport now has international status but was formerly a very busy airbase during the Vietnam War era and indeed played a hand in Pattaya’s rise.
Today Pattaya airport receives flights from Samui, Phuket, Siem Riep, Moscow and Incheon, as well as charter flights from several other European cities. Bangkok Air has two scheduled flights a day to Samui (10:40 and 16:40) and one to Phuket (12:40) , taking approximately one and a half hours. There is also a daily flight to and from Siep Riep (for Angkhor Wat) in Cambodia offered by PMT Air. Korean Air flies three times a week to and from Incheon. The Moscow service from Transaero is a seasonal service.
At Pattaya airport you will find a simple terminal with refreshment facilities, customs and immigration, money changers and an information desk. Taxis are always on hand to take you to Pattaya and although they usually only settle for a set fee, the amount should be no more than 300 baht (less if you bargain and the flight is empty). There is no other transport options available.
