UTPlarge airport

U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport

Rayong, Thailand

Explore Rayong city guide Navigate to this airport

Routes out

Destinations

ICAO

VTBU

Elevation

42 ft

The gateway in a glance

The Essence of U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport

UTP

Location

Rayong · 21 · Thailand

Connectivity

2 routes · 2 destinations

Position

12.680°, 101.005° · 42 ft elev.

Visa & Entry

Visa exemption (60 days, many countries), Thai eVisaOfficial

AI Travel Editor

A closer look

Living guide content for U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport — read or listen in 46+ languages.

Language

TravelerPulse profile

Thailand's Eastern Seaboard gateway serving Pattaya and Rayong.

Opened

1961

Location

Rayong, Thailand

U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport (IATA: UTP, ICAO: VTBU) is located in Rayong Province, approximately 180 kilometres southeast of Bangkok on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard. Originally built as a Royal Thai Navy air base, it has evolved into a dual-use civil-military airport serving the resort cities of Pattaya and Rayong as well as the broader Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) industrial zone. The airport handles a mix of scheduled domestic and international flights alongside military operations. It has been earmarked as a key aviation hub under Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor development plan, with major infrastructure expansion and a new passenger terminal under development to significantly increase capacity. U-Tapao is positioned as a future relief airport for the congested Bangkok metropolitan area and is expected to become a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) hub for the region, attracting investment from major aerospace companies.

Terminals

The airport currently operates one passenger terminal with relatively modest capacity, though a major new terminal is under construction as part of the EEC expansion project.

Getting to & from

Ground transport options include taxis, private transfers, and bus services connecting the airport to Pattaya, Rayong, and Bangkok.

Airlines here

Airlines operating at U-Tapao have included Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Nok Air, and various charter carriers serving regional destinations.

Notable facts

›U-Tapao was used as a major US Air Force base during the Vietnam War for B-52 bombing operations.
›The airport is jointly operated by the Royal Thai Navy and the Airports of Thailand (AOT) consortium.
›It is a central infrastructure project within Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) special economic zone.
›A planned high-speed rail link is intended to connect U-Tapao with Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in Bangkok.
›The airport's runway is one of the longest in Thailand, a legacy of its military heritage.

Official website Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.

Route map (2 destinations)

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap © CARTO

Airlines serving this airport

Bangkok Airways

Routes

UTP → HKTPG · AT7

UTP → USMPG · AT7

Aircraft operating here

Aerospatiale/Alenia ATR 722 routes

Hotels near UTP

Pick what matters for your layover or early flight, then compare on your favorite booking site.

Compare stays for your dates

Where

Check-in

Check-out

Guests

Rooms

TravelerPulse may receive compensation when you book or purchase through some of the links on this page, at no additional cost to you. Prices and availability are set by the booking provider and may change. We never share your private trip details with partners — only the destination, dates and party size you searched.

City & Place Guide

No guide exists for this place yet — Click to generate a Traveler Pulse guide.

Passport, Visa & Immigration

Flying internationally via UTP? Check entry, transit and customs requirements for Thailand from official government sources.

Thailand visa & entry information →Embassy & consulate finder →

Latest news

traveldailymedia.com· 1/12/2026

Belavia Belarusian Airlines’ Minsk-Pattaya flight takes off

Read at traveldailymedia.com

Belarus.by· 1/10/2026

Pattaya welcomes direct flight from Minsk

Read at Belarus.by

Asia Times· 6/6/2017

Military airbase set for commercial take-off in Thailand

Read at Asia Times

Airport Suppliers· 2/27/2019

inter airport South East Asia 2019 returns with a 22% growth and a record number of airport suppliers and delegates from across the region

Read at Airport Suppliers

Bangkok Post· 9/11/2024

Second runway planned for U-Tapao airport

Read at Bangkok Post

Khaosod English· 6/19/2024

Special Privileges for Direct Commercial Flights to U-Tapao Airport

Read at Khaosod English

About on Wikipedia

U-Tapao International Airport

Commercial airport serving Pattaya, Thailand

U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport, also spelled Utapao and U-Taphao, is a dual-use civil–military public international airport serving the cities of Rayong and Pattaya in Eastern Thailand in the Ban Chang district of Rayong province. It also serves as the U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy…

Read on Wikipedia

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA. May be out of date — verify important details.