| Nativename: | Thai: ท่าอากาศยานแม่ฟ้าหลวง เชียงราย |
| Image2-Width: | 310 |
| Iata: | CEI |
| Icao: | VTCT |
| Type: | Public |
| Location: | Ban Du, Mueang Chiang Rai, Chiang Rai, Thailand |
| Pushpin Label: | CEI/VTCT |
| Pushpin Map: | Thailand#Southeast Asia |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Thailand##Location in Southeast Asia |
| Mapframe: | yes |
| Mapframe-Wikidata: | yes |
| Elevation-F: | 1,280 |
| Elevation-M: | 390 |
| Coordinates: | 19.9522°N 99.8828°W |
| Metric-Elev: | yes |
| Metric-Rwy: | yes |
| R1-Number: | 03/21 |
| R1-Length-F: | 9,843 |
| R1-Length-M: | 3,000 |
| R1-Surface: | Asphalt concrete |
| Stat-Year: | 2023 |
| Stat1-Header: | Total Passengers |
| Stat1-Data: | 1,920,228 13.84% |
| Stat2-Header: | International passengers |
| Stat2-Data: | 384 262.26% |
| Stat3-Header: | Domestic passengers |
| Stat3-Data: | 1,919,844 13.83% |
| Stat4-Header: | Aircraft movements |
| Stat4-Data: | 12,485 4.74% |
| Stat5-Header: | Freight (tonnes) |
| Stat5-Data: | 875 4.89% |
| Footnotes: | Source: Airports of Thailand[1] |
Mae Fah Luang - Chiang Rai International Airport is in Ban Du subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Rai district, Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand.[2] The airport is about 8 km from the city center. Since 1998, it has been managed by the Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT). In 2013, the airport handled over 1,000,000 passengers and 7,000 passenger flights.[3] The airport had international flight facilities and served a few international routes to Macau, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming, Haikou, Hangzhou, Changsha, Xishuangbanna, Shenzhen, and Chengdu, all of which were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] [5] Since travel restrictions were imposed in China, there have been no international commercial flights connecting Chiang Rai to the global market. Thus, the airport has been seeking other possible routes to connect to such as to South Korea.[6]
In 2014, Airports of Thailand announced that they would expand Chiang Rai airport. The plans include building an additional taxiway and more shops, and possibly extending the runway. This should be completed in 2030.[7]
Chiang Rai International Airport was named "Mae Fah Luang", after Princess Srinagarindra, mother of the previous monarch, Bhumibol Adulyadej, reigning under the dynastic name of Rama IX.
Since the relaxation of COVID-19 travel restrictions, the airport is handling approximately 3,900 passengers per day. However, there are still no international flights operating to the airport. The Airports of Thailand (AOT) has approved expansion plans for the airport to attract international carriers and improve the experience for passengers using the airport's facilities. This includes improvements to the airport's entrance and exit roads, the construction of a Maintenance Repair Operation centre (MRO) for aircraft maintenance, and the construction of a parallel taxiway.[8]
The construction of the aircraft maintenance facility is set to be completed by 31 July 2023. The facility will be able to service and repair large Airbus and Boeing aircraft from China. The airport will also become a cargo transportation hub for the northern region of Thailand.
| Year | Passengers | Change from previous year | Movements | Cargo (tons) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 726,127 | – | 5,458 | 2,794 | |
| 2011 | 818,163 | 12.67% | 5,819 | 4,306 | |
| 2012 | 986,436 | 20.57% | 7,138 | 4,755 | |
| 2013 | 1,089,232 | 10.42% | 7,181 | 4,440 | |
| 2014 | 1,379,022 | 26.6% | 10,985 | 3,556 | |
| 2015 | 1,745,568 | 26.58% | 13,402 | 4,491 | |
| 2016 | 2,060,200 | 18.02% | 14,590 | 4,719 | |
| 2017 | 2,503,375 | 21.51% | 17,661 | 4,288 | |
| 2018 | 2,867,289 | 14.54% | 20,072 | 3,531 | |
| 2019 | 2,928,881 | 2.15% | 20,128 | 2,535 | |
| 2020 | 1,513,294 | 48.33% | 12,126 | 963 | |
| 2021 | 710,408 | 53.06% | 6,131 | 586 | |
| 2022 | 1,686,726 | 137.43% | 11,920 | 920 | |
| 2023 | 1,920,228 | 13.84% | 12,485 | 875 | [9] |