Domestic Flights With Pets in Thailand: Phuket, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui

Traveling with a dog or cat in Thailand beyond Bangkok is possible, but the options are narrower than most owners expect. Most pets enter Thailand at Bangkok, then continue to Phuket, Chiang Mai or Koh Samui by domestic flight or by road. For domestic flights with pets in Thailand, only three airlines carry dogs and cats, and none of them in the cabin.

This guide covers flying straight into a regional airport, the domestic airlines, large and snub-nosed dogs, the road and ferry options, and what to know for each destination.

Quick answers

• Direct flights to Phuket or Chiang Mai? The law allows it, and Chiang Mai sees real arrivals. Few international airlines carry pets to these airports, so most pets enter at Bangkok.
• Can my pet enter Thailand at Koh Samui? In law, yes. In practice, no international airline flies pets into Samui, so pets enter at Bangkok.
• Which domestic airlines take pets? Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways and Nok Air, as checked baggage or cargo. Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet do not carry pets.
• Can pets fly in the cabin? No. Only trained service dogs fly in the cabin on Thai Airways.
• What about big or snub-nosed dogs? The road is often the only way.

Can your pet fly straight into Phuket, Chiang Mai or Samui?

Every international airport in Thailand has its own Department of Livestock Development (DLD) quarantine station. Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Koh Samui, Hat Yai and Don Mueang are all legal entry points for pets. The import permit is issued for the exact airport where the pet lands.

In practice, few international airlines carry pets to the regional airports. Most dogs and cats arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, then fly or drive on. Chiang Mai is the main exception, with owners reporting smooth arrivals on a permit issued in advance. The entry rules are the same at every airport, as our guide to bringing a dog or cat to Thailand explains.

Before you book a direct flight to a regional airport, confirm two things in writing. First, the airline accepts pets on that exact route. Second, the station at that airport has issued your permit. The station emails are in our guide to the Thailand pet import permit.

A pet that lands in Bangkok clears quarantine and Customs there before any domestic leg. The arrival steps are in our guide to arriving in Bangkok with a pet.

Which Thai domestic airlines carry pets?

Three Thai airlines carry dogs and cats on domestic routes, as checked baggage or cargo. The table shows each airline’s own rules as published in October 2026.

The aircraft type matters as much as the airline. In the 2026/27 winter schedule, Thai Airways flies Bangkok–Chiang Mai and Bangkok–Phuket mostly with A320s, which take no pets in the hold. Check the aircraft type of your exact flight before you book. Thai Airways’ international pet rules are in our page on the Thai Airways pet policy.

Bangkok Airways also carries pets as domestic cargo on most routes, except Bangkok–Krabi and Chiang Mai–Krabi. A cargo pet needs a vet health certificate issued within 24 hours of the flight, and the cargo fee is 1,000–2,500 baht for 1–60 kg. Nok Air carries a pet travelling without its owner as domestic cargo, from 350 baht minimum plus 50 baht per kg above 7.5 kg. THAI Cargo takes bookings only through its appointed cargo agents. Each breed list is different: Bangkok Airways refuses 25 dog breeds and 5 cat breeds, and Nok Air refuses 19 dog breeds.

Nok Air does not carry pets in the cabin. The 2022 Nok Air cabin flight for pets that older articles describe was a one-off charter.

One rule catches international arrivals. Bangkok Airways does not accept a checked pet transferring from an international flight to a domestic one. The pet must clear in Bangkok first, then check in again as a new domestic booking.

Large and snub-nosed dogs inside Thailand

A large dog often has no domestic flight. Nok Air stops at 30 kg with the crate. Bangkok Airways takes up to 60 kg, but its crate limit of 100×60×75 cm is smaller than the crate a large dog needs. Thai Airways takes up to 70 kg, but only on aircraft that accept pets.

For a 50 kg dog going from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, the realistic options are Bangkok Airways cargo, if the crate fits, or the road. Check the crate size against your dog before you choose. Our IATA crate size calculator gives the minimum size from your dog’s measurements.

Snub-nosed breeds, such as pugs, French bulldogs and Persian cats, face breed bans on all three airlines. They breathe less efficiently in heat and stress. For them, the road is usually the only domestic option. The wider picture is in our guide to large and snub-nosed pets in Thailand.

Traveling by road with a dog or cat in Thailand

A car or van is the most flexible way to move a pet inside Thailand. It has no breed list and no crate limit, and the pet can stop for water and rest.

• Private car or pet transport van: the common choice for large dogs, snub-nosed breeds and several pets. Bangkok to Chiang Mai is about 700 km, a long day on the road.
• GrabPet: Grab runs a pet ride option in Bangkok and major cities. Its page lists pets under 41 cm tall, up to 2 per ride, with a larger-car option. Dogs travel on a leash or in a carrier.
• Long-distance trains: the State Railway of Thailand does not allow pets in air-conditioned carriages. A pet travels in the baggage car, away from the owner, which is a poor choice in the heat.
• Long-distance buses: booking sites list pets as not allowed on the main intercity bus lines.

Thailand’s heat is the main risk on the road. Never leave a pet in a parked car. Plan stops every two to three hours, and travel early in the day in the hot season. Our pet travel safety guide covers heat and stress on long journeys.

Do you need documents to move a pet within Thailand?

For most trips, no. Thai Airways states that no document is required for a pet on a domestic flight. Bangkok Airways asks for a vet health certificate for a cargo pet, issued within 24 hours of the flight. It also asks for a provincial livestock permit for flights to Trat.

Rabies outbreaks are the exception. When a district declares a rabies outbreak zone, nobody may move dogs or cats in or out for about 30 days without a written vet permit. In January 2026, such a zone covered 5 km around a village in Lat Krabang, near Suvarnabhumi Airport. Check local notices before you move a pet out of an affected area.

Keep the pet’s rabies certificate with you. Thai law requires owners to keep dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies and to hold the vaccination card.

Bringing a pet to Phuket

Phuket International Airport (HKT) is a legal entry point. Its quarantine desk sits in the international arrivals hall, in front of baggage belt 1. The station’s email is qshk_hkt@dld.go.th.

Few international flights bring pets straight to Phuket, so most pets come through Bangkok. From Bangkok, Bangkok Airways and Nok Air fly to Phuket. Thai Airways also flies there, but check the aircraft type first. By road, Bangkok to Phuket is about 850 km.

Phuket is hot all year, with average highs of 31–34°C. Book an early morning or night flight for the pet.

Bringing a pet to Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) has its quarantine desk in the international terminal. It is the regional airport where pets most often arrive straight from abroad. One owner who flew in from the US in 2025, with a permit issued in advance, reported a smooth check of the form, the papers and the microchip. The station’s email is qscm_cmi@dld.go.th.

From Bangkok, Bangkok Airways flies to Chiang Mai from Suvarnabhumi, and Nok Air from Don Mueang. Thai Airways flies this route mostly with A320s in the 2026/27 winter schedule, so check the aircraft type for your flight. A large dog usually goes by road.

Chiang Mai is cool from December to February. March and April are the hottest months in the region, with average highs above 35°C, so book an early morning flight for the pet.

Bringing a pet to Koh Samui

Samui Airport (USM) has its own quarantine station, but no international airline carries pets into it. A pet bound for Samui enters Thailand at Bangkok and clears there. From Bangkok, there are three ways to reach the island.

1. Bangkok Airways. It is the only airline flying to Samui. Book the pet as checked baggage on a new domestic booking, or as cargo with a 24-hour health certificate. Check the breed list and the crate limit first.
2. Car and car ferry. Drive about 650 km to Donsak pier, then take a car ferry to Samui. Owners report that pets stay inside the car on the car ferry. The ferry companies publish no pet policy, so confirm when you book.
3. Overnight ferry from Bangkok. One overnight ferry has taken pets up to 10 kg in private cabins. Owners reported that most of its sailings were cancelled from November 2026, so check before you plan around it.

Rental homes on Samui often refuse pets or ask for a higher deposit. Agree on the pet with the landlord before you book the trip.

Bringing a pet to Krabi

Krabi International Airport (KBV) is a legal entry point, handled by the Trang quarantine station. Its email is qstr_trg@dld.go.th. The station office is in Trang, about 150 km from the airport, so confirm arrangements before a direct international arrival.

Inside Thailand, Bangkok Airways does not carry cargo pets on its Krabi routes. Nok Air flies from Don Mueang to Krabi and takes checked pets up to 30 kg. Phuket is about three hours away by road, which suits a pet that cannot fly.

Leaving Thailand from a regional airport

When the pet leaves Thailand later, the export permit and health certificate come from the DLD quarantine station at the airport where the pet departs. The stations work Monday to Friday, office hours, and close on Thai public holidays. Suvarnabhumi sees pets without an appointment, but stations at other airports ask you to book a time first. If the pet flies domestic to Bangkok and then leaves on an international flight, the papers are done in Bangkok. Our page on the papers Thailand issues when a pet leaves covers the export steps, and our guide to pet export from Thailand lists the station at each departure airport.

Plan the way back early. Thailand is not rabies-free, so a later move to the UK or the EU needs about 4 months of preparation, Japan about 7 months, New Zealand 8–9 months and Australia 10–12 months. For the whole move, see our pet relocation guide for Thailand.

Traveling with a pet in Thailand: FAQ

Can my dog fly in the cabin on a domestic flight in Thailand?

No. Thai Airways takes only trained service dogs in the cabin. Bangkok Airways and Nok Air carry pets as checked baggage or cargo only.

Can my pet transfer from an international flight to Bangkok Airways?

Not as checked baggage. Bangkok Airways does not accept checked pets transferring from an international flight. The pet clears in Bangkok, then checks in on a new domestic booking.

Which Thai airlines do not carry pets?

Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet do not carry pets on their flights.

Do I need a health certificate for a domestic flight with my pet?

Thai Airways requires no document for a checked pet. Bangkok Airways asks for a vet health certificate issued within 24 hours for a cargo pet.

Can I take my dog on the ferry to Koh Samui?

Owners report that pets cross from Donsak inside their car on the car ferry. The ferry companies publish no pet policy, so confirm when you book.

Sources: Thai Airways pet travel pages; Bangkok Airways pet carriage and cargo pages; Nok Air pet service; DLD quarantine station directory (May 2026); Royal Thai Embassy, Washington; Thai Meteorological Department climate normals 1991–2020; Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558 (2015).