On the evening of January 20—marking the official launch of the direct Haikou–Bangkok (Don Mueang Airport) route—flight AQ1281 took off from Haikou Meilan International Airport. Adding more travel options just in time for the upcoming Spring Festival, this is the first new international route of 2026.

With this new service, air connectivity between Hainan Free Trade Port and the ASEAN region is further strengthened and flights between Haikou and Bangkok have increased to 16 round trips per week.

Using a Boeing 737 with three flights every two weeks, the route operates Tuesday and Saturday one week and Thursday the following week.

Outbound flight AQ1281 departs Haikou at 22:30 (Beijing Time) and arrives in Bangkok at 00:05 local time the next day. Inbound flight AQ1282 departs Bangkok at 01:05 local time and arrives in Haikou at 04:30 (Beijing Time). Final schedules are subject to airline confirmation.

Don Mueang Airport is the closest airport to central Bangkok, making it easy for travelers to start their city trip right away. It also offers convenient connections to popular destinations such as Phuket and Chiang Mai. Chinese passport holders can currently enjoy visa-free entry to Thailand for up to 60 days, with a cumulative stay of no more than 90 days within any 180-day period.

To improve the passenger experience, Meilan Airport has extended international and regional flight check-in times from 150 minutes to 180 minutes before departure. In Terminal 2, counters B10 (Hainan Airlines) and A13 (other airlines) now serve as dedicated international check-in counters, open daily from 16:00 to 04:00, allowing passengers on early-morning flights to check in at any time during the night.

The airport has also upgraded its free overnight rest areas on the fourth floor of Terminal 2. Seating capacity has increased to 94 seats, including 20 charging seats, with paid amenities such as toiletries and blankets available. Additional vending machines and power bank rental services have been added to better serve late-night and early-morning travelers.

For international transfer passengers, Meilan Airport offers extra perks through its official WeChat mini program. Depending on transfer time, travelers can receive either CNY 60 or 100 dining vouchers at designated outlets, or one free night at the Meilan Airport Hotel. These benefits also apply to non-Haikou residents departing on international or regional flights.

In terms of duty-free shopping, outbound passengers can purchase departure duty-free goods after security screening. Passengers arriving from overseas and transferring to domestic flights can enjoy an 8.5% discount on regular-priced duty-free items by using an overseas boarding pass issued within the past 72 hours along with a passport or ID and registering at designated service counters.

Together, the new route and upgraded services further enhance Haikou’s role as a growing international aviation hub and make cross-border travel smoother, faster, and more comfortable.