India becomes second-largest air passenger mkt for Thailand this summer

India has become the second-largest international market for airline passengers for Thailand in the summer of 2025 (June and July), based on the number of seats, according to data released by global research agency OAG.

 

In the summer of pre-Covid 2019, India was Thailand’s sixth-largest international airlines market, but it has now raced ahead of Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia to become the second-largest, behind China.

 

The big growth from India has helped Thailand to cushion the sharp fall in international travel between China and the kingdom, and aided the country that is heavily dependent on tourism in tiding over a crisis. International travel between Thailand and China has fallen from its peak of 7.4 million seats in the summer of 2019 to just over 4.1 million seats this summer. It is also down by 20 per cent from the summer of 2024.

 

In contrast, India was the only country (apart from China) this summer that had on offer more around 2.2 million seats. All other key countries were much below this threshold. This summer, passenger seats between Thailand and India grew more than 30 per cent over the summer of 2024. 

 

However, countries like Vietnam grew slowly at 21 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) while Japan and Taiwan did so in single digits. Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea seat capacity fell this summer over last year.

 

Compared to pre-Covid 2019, Japan’s total seats are 27 per cent lower, and that of Vietnam are lower by 4 per cent this summer. In contrast India is up around 25 per cent.

 

OAG cites three reasons for the boom to Thailand by Indians. One, the kingdom’s liberal visa-free policy for Indians, which eases and reduces the cost of travel. Two, the growth of the middle class in India, who want to go abroad for a holiday nearby, and Thailand is the perfect destination. And, finally, the aggressive promotional activity as part of the 2025 Asean India Year of Tourism.

 

The push from India has helped Thailand. According to OAG, the fall in Thailand-China routes was around 1 million seats this summer from the summer of 2024. But this fall has been more than compensated by the growth in India, Japan, the UAE, and other smaller markets, which has helped Thailand see a net 0.4 million increase in seats.