EZY Airlines Opens New U-Tapao-Hua Hin-Surat Thani Routes, Eyes Khon Kaen Hub
EZY Airlines will launch new U-Tapao-Hua Hin and U-Tapao-Surat Thani routes in October 2026, positioning Khon Kaen as its planned second hub.
EZY Airlines has announced a new business direction, repositioning itself from a general airline into a regional air travel connector. Thani Tharapak, Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director, revealed that the airline plans to launch new routes from U-Tapao to Hua Hin and Surat Thani in October 2026, before expanding its network to Phuket, Krabi and Khon Kaen in 2027, targeting high-spending, frequent travellers.
New Routes Targeting High-Value Travellers
EZY Airlines is adopting a Blue Ocean strategy, avoiding price competition with general airlines and instead targeting specific passenger segments, including medical and health service users, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) attendees, business travellers and international students - groups that travel frequently and have higher spending power than the general tourist market.
The U-Tapao-Surat Thani route will open connections to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao via speedboat services, while the U-Tapao-Hua Hin route will make it easier for travellers from Hua Hin to reach Pattaya and the eastern region, particularly during the busy event season from November to December. The airline has positioned U-Tapao as its main operating base and is also open to strategic partners to help develop routes and expand its network going forward.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 (October 2026) | Launch of U-Tapao-Hua Hin and U-Tapao-Surat Thani routes |
| Phase 2 (mid-2027) | Introduction of ATR 72-600 aircraft; expansion of U-Tapao-Phuket, U-Tapao-Krabi, U-Tapao-Phitsanulok, Phitsanulok-Mae Hong Son and U-Tapao-Khon Kaen routes |
| Main operating base | U-Tapao Airport |
| Long-term plan | Develop Khon Kaen into the airline's second hub |
| Target segments | Medical service users, MICE attendees, business travellers, international students, and skilled workers in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) area |
Khon Kaen: Targeted as the Northeast's Second Hub
Besides U-Tapao, EZY Airlines also sees Khon Kaen as its next strategic point, given its potential in logistics, trade, education, healthcare and conferences, as well as its convenient connections to southern China, Vietnam and Hong Kong. The airline aims to develop Khon Kaen into a regional medical hub, while attracting more international students, academics and researchers to the area.
On the MICE and local economy front, improved flight connections will help attract regional conferences and exhibitions to Khon Kaen, generating continued spending for hotels, restaurants and transport businesses in the area. EZY Airlines is currently in talks with partner airlines to expand its route network further, with the aim of making Khon Kaen both a gateway and a regional hub for the Northeast, not just a single destination.
This news is of interest to organisers of conferences and exhibitions looking for secondary cities to host new events, hotel professionals in Hua Hin, Surat Thani and Khon Kaen who will gain new customer segments, and travellers looking for new routes within Thailand connecting major and secondary cities later this year.