In short
- Four flights a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
- Udon Thani departs 11am, lands at U-Tapao 12.20pm; the return leaves U-Tapao 1.15pm and reaches Udon Thani 2.35pm.
- U-Tapao is the airport serving Pattaya and Rayong on the eastern seaboard.
- No fares published for the route; the airline advises asking it directly.
What to do
- 1Confirm the flight with Thai Lion Air directly before paying for hotels or onward transport.
- 2Leave room in your plans for a schedule change: both airports are small and same-day alternatives are few.
- 3Compare with Thai AirAsia's added Udon Thani flights from Don Mueang, Chiang Mai and Phuket before you choose.
- 4If you arrive from abroad, use Udon Thani's international status, granted in September, to skip a Bangkok transfer.
What has changed?
Thai Lion Air is flying between Udon Thani and U-Tapao again four days a week, according to the Bangkok Post. Flight tracking sites had listed the route at two flights a week through the middle of this year, so the airline is reversing that reduction rather than opening a new link.
- Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
- Udon Thani 11am – U-Tapao 12.20pm.
- U-Tapao 1.15pm – Udon Thani 2.35pm.
- U-Tapao is the airport used for Pattaya and Rayong.
Who is concerned?
Travellers linking the north-east with the eastern seaboard. Getting from Isan to Pattaya, or the other way round, can now be done in a single morning without routing through Bangkok. Both airports are domestic, so the flight counts as an internal service: no visa rule or entry procedure changes because of it.
Udon Thani Airport was given international status in September, the same report says, which allows foreign arrivals to land there directly instead of transiting the capital. That matters if you are combining the north-east with a beach stay on the Gulf.
Why the north-east is busier this winter
A horticultural expo opens in Udon Thani on 1 November and runs to 14 March, according to the Bangkok Post. Thai AirAsia has added flights to the city from Don Mueang, Chiang Mai and Phuket for the season, tied to the expo and to high season, with discounts of up to 30%. If you want those dates, the opening weeks and public holidays are the ones to book first; see when to go and our Isan guide for what the region involves on the ground.
Before you book
No fares for the restored Thai Lion Air service have been published. The airline advises passengers to check with it directly, because the schedule may change again.
Travelling soon? Plan around it
Build a day-by-day Thailand route that keeps flexible days where the weather and transport are uncertain.
FAQ
Questions
How long is the Udon Thani–U-Tapao flight?
About 1 hour 20 minutes in each direction, based on the published schedule.
Does another airline fly this city pair?
The report only covers Thai Lion Air on this route. Thai AirAsia's added flights link Udon Thani with Don Mueang, Chiang Mai and Phuket, not with U-Tapao.
Sources
We cross-check each story against official pages and several media, and rewrite it in our own words for travellers.
