Thailand Introduces More Expensive Airport Fees: What Does This Mean for Hungarian Travelers?

From June 20, 2026, a higher international departure passenger fee is in effect at the six most important AOT airports. The change is not a fee to be paid at a separate counter, but is built into the airfare, so Hungarian travelers will primarily feel it in the final total of newly issued international tickets to Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, or other Thai destinations.

The Thai airport operator, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT), has increased the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) for international departing passengers from 730 baht to 1,120 baht. This represents an additional 390 baht per passenger, which on its own does not overturn a long-haul vacation budget, but can become a noticeable item for families, multi-stop routes, and price-sensitive low-cost combinations. The rule does not apply to entry, but to departures from Thailand on international flights.

What Changed from June 20?

The most important practical change is that international passengers departing from the six large airports managed by AOT are now charged the new 1,120 baht fee. The list is particularly important from the perspective of Hungarian travelers, as it includes Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Don Mueang, and Phuket, which are the airports that appear in most European and Asian connecting routes to Thailand. The other affected airports are Chiang Mai, Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai, and Hat Yai.

The PSC for domestic Thai travel has not changed: the fee per passenger for domestic departures remains 130 baht. This is an important distinction for those who arrive in Bangkok and then fly further to Phuket, Chiang Mai, or Koh Samui on a separate ticket. The international return leg may become more expensive due to the new fee, but the Thai domestic leg itself is not subject to the new 1,120 baht international fee.

Not a Separate Airport Payment

The change may be misleading, as many passengers may think based on the term "airport fee" that they will have to pay separately in the terminal. According to official information, this is not the case: the PSC appears as part of the ticket price, meaning the passenger usually pays it at the time of booking with the airline or travel agency. Therefore, there is no need to look for a separate cash desk or a new checkpoint on the day of departure.

The date, however, does matter. Based on AOT and Thai tourism information, the new amount is built into tickets issued from June 20, 2026. According to official communications, previously purchased tickets are not affected by the increase. Therefore, those who booked their summer or autumn Thai trip months ago should check their own ticket conditions and tax/fee breakdown, but they should not automatically assume that a new fee will be requested from them retrospectively.

Why Is This Important for Hungarian Travelers?

From Hungary, Thailand is typically reached via one or two connecting routes, rather than direct flights. The most common directions include the Middle East, Istanbul, Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Helsinki, Warsaw, Vienna, or other European and Asian hubs. The total price of the flight ticket therefore consists of several items: base fare, airline surcharges, airport fees, taxes, baggage fees, and chosen services. The increase in the Thai PSC is another mandatory cost element in this structure, which should be taken into account when comparing fresh ticket prices.

If someone is searching for flight tickets from Budapest to Bangkok, they should look not only at the base fare when comparing prices, but also whether the final total includes all taxes and fees. The same applies if the traveler plans a trip to Phuket, Chiang Mai, or a Southeast Asian tour. On routes involving multiple cities, it is particularly easy to misread which price applies only to a partial segment and which applies to the entire route, including taxes and fees.

How Large Is the Increase?

The 390 baht increase is generally not a decisive amount compared to the price of a long-haul Budapest-Bangkok return ticket. However, for a family of four, it appears four times, and if the trip consists of separate bookings, multiple international entries and exits, or regional tours, the overall sense of cost may be stronger. It is most felt by those who combine it with very cheap regional tickets, for example, flying from Bangkok to Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, or Vietnam, and then leaving Thailand on an international flight again.

Critical Thai voices also primarily draw attention to this: a higher airport fee is less noticeable on premium long-haul tickets, but can represent a proportionally larger increase on cheaper regional or promotional tickets. As a Hungarian traveler, therefore, it is not worth deciding based only on the first impression that "the flight ticket is 20-30 thousand forints cheaper." The final total, baggage, connection risk, separate tickets, and the departure airport for the return journey should be viewed together.

Which Airports Should Be Monitored Separately?

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi is the main entry point to Thailand for most long-haul and full-service airlines. Don Mueang is important mainly due to the regional and low-cost network, especially if someone flies further from Bangkok to other cities in Southeast Asia. Phuket is particularly important for winter and beach vacations, as many travelers arrive here directly or depart from here to go home. It may be useful for Hungarian readers to separately check the flight search options on the Bangkok BKK airport page and the Phuket HKT airport page.

Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai may come up for those planning North Thailand, temples, highland routes, gastronomic programs, or a slower, cultural journey. Hat Yai is interesting mainly due to its proximity to South Thailand and Malaysia. The fee increase does not mean these airports should be avoided, but it does mean that for routes with separate tickets, it is worth thinking through in advance how many times we depart from Thailand on an international flight and how this appears in the total cost.

What Is Behind the Fee Increase?

According to AOT's justification, the higher PSC revenues are used for airport operations, infrastructure development, technological modernization, and passenger service investments. Official communication mentions capacity expansion, modernization of passenger traffic systems, automated airport solutions, and long-term service improvement. This can be a sensitive topic especially in Bangkok and Phuket, where queues, passport control, and terminal load during peak periods affect the experience of many travelers.

The Thai debate, however, did not end with the fee coming into effect. Local experts and consumer voices are demanding to know how quickly visible, measurable improvements will be seen in exchange for the higher fee. From the travelers' perspective, this is a legitimate question: if a country asks for more money for international departures, then the quality of service, capacity, and transparent information become more important. The practical lesson for Hungarian tourists is that airport time buffers should still not be kept too tight.

How Should One Search for Tickets to Thailand Now?

For summer and winter Thai trips, it is worth looking at the entire route, not just the first search price. If Budapest is the starting point, the first step should be to check the current departure options at the Budapest airport, then compare alternatives from Budapest, Vienna, Bratislava, or Krakow. The cheapest route is sometimes not the best if the connection is too short, is built on separate tickets, or involves re-checking baggage.

In Thailand, it is especially important that the passenger knows which Bangkok airport they arrive at and from where they depart. Between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, it is not a terminal change, but an airport change within the city, which means time, money, and risk. If someone arrives in Bangkok with a separate booking and then flies further to Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, or other destinations via a low-cost carrier, at least a one-night buffer may be justified, especially in peak season or monsoon season.

What Should the Passenger Check Before Booking?

• Look at the final total price, not just the advertised base fare.
• Check whether the ticket includes taxes, airport fees, and airline surcharges.
• For separate tickets, account for new check-ins, baggage drop-offs, and possible airport changes.
• In the case of Bangkok, always check whether BKK or Don Mueang is in the route.
• If traveling with a family, calculate the impact of fees and baggage costs per person.
• Leave enough time for passport control and security processes before the return journey.

What Does All This Mean for the Thai Vacation Market?

Thailand remains one of the strongest Asian holiday and tour destinations in the Hungarian market: the combination of Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, and the islands is on many travelers' bucket lists. An additional 390 baht will not on its own deter most Hungarian tourists. The change rather indicates that for long-distance trips, more and more small cost elements are piling up: airport fees, fuel costs, baggage rules, seat selection, insurance, local transfers, and currency exchange rates.

Therefore, the right decision now is not to write off Thailand as an increasingly expensive destination, but to plan with a more precise budget. Those who book in time, search with flexible dates, compare multiple hubs, and do not skimp on connection time, can still find competitive routes. Those who decide based only on the first striking price, can easily face the situation later that the entire trip costs much more than the first line of the search result suggested.

Summary

The increase in the Thai international departure passenger fee on June 20, 2026, is not an entry restriction, not a visa change, and not a separate airport payment obligation. It is a mandatory airport fee built into the ticket price, which affects international passengers departing from the six large AOT airports. Hungarian travelers should primarily account for it in routes through Bangkok and Phuket, separate ticket combinations, and family bookings.

The best response to the change is more transparent planning: total-price-based price comparison, sufficient connection time, accurate airport check, and a conscious budget. Thailand remains an attractive destination, but the fresh fee increase serves as reminder that the real price of long-distance vacations consists of not a single ticket price, but of many small, mandatory and optional items.

Sources: official information from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, previous communications from Airports of Thailand, and the June 20, 2026 update from The Nation.