Price by vehicle
Prices are per vehicle in Thai baht and include fuel, tolls and the airport pick-up. The number of passengers does not change the price, only the car you need does.
 | Sedanmax 3 passengers with luggage | 999 THB |
|---|---|---|
 | SUV / MPVmax 4 passengers with luggage | 1,199 THB |
 | Minibusmax 9 passengers with luggage | 1,499 THB |
 | VIP Minibusmax 8 passengers, premium cabin | 1,999 THB |
Also included in every price: a child seat, waiting time and free cancellation up to 6 hours before the pick-up.
Travelling on 24 December to 5 January? A holiday surcharge of 400 THB per car applies to those dates. Going somewhere else? Every transfer is on the price page.
From landing to your hotel
- 1Land at HKTYour flight number is in the booking, so we follow the arrival.
- 2Immigration and baggageTake the time you need. A late landing does not cancel the pick-up.
- 3Gate 2 or Gate AInternational flights: your driver waits at the Gate 2 meeting point next to Exit 2. Domestic flights: Gate A.
- 4About 25 minutes to Mai KhaoStraight to your hotel, no extra stops unless you ask.
Mai Khao: the beach next door to the airport
The airport sits at the northern end of the island, and Mai Khao is the stretch of west coast that begins right beside it. The sand runs north from the airport's edge up to Sarasin Bridge, about 11 km in one piece, which makes it the longest beach on Phuket.
Most of it lies inside Sirinat National Park, and that shapes what you find there. Local guides describe a beach with no sun-lounger rows and no clubs, only a few stalls and the resorts set back from the sand. If you want a nightlife strip within walking distance, this is the wrong coast. If you want long empty sand and an early night, it is the right one.
At the southern end, closest to the runway, planes pass low over the beach as they come in to land. People go there on purpose to watch and photograph them.
The drive is short, with no island crossing
A transfer to Patong or Kata means running the full length of the island. This one stays at the top of it. The distance is 17 km and the time is about 25 minutes, and there is no hill road to climb on the way.
The beach is long, so the exact figure depends a little on where your hotel sits along it. A resort near the airport end is a quicker run than one near the northern end by the bridge. When you book, give the hotel name and a map pin, and the driver sees the final approach before you land.
Because the trip is so short, an early morning or a late night landing changes very little. You are not committing to an hour in the car at 2 am.
Resorts and villas on a quiet coast
The accommodation here is mostly resorts and private villas, spread along the coast with gaps between them. Two places that both say "Mai Khao" in their address can be several kilometres apart. That is why the pin matters more here than it does in a compact town.
Facilities close to the beach are limited. If you want water, snacks or anything from a shop before you settle in, tell the driver when he meets you, and he can make a stop on the way. The same is easier to arrange once than to sort out later from a villa with no shop nearby.
A villa on a private lane may sit behind a gate. Put the entrance instructions or the host's phone number in your booking notes.
The sea outside high season
Mai Khao faces the open Andaman Sea. Guides note a steep drop-off and strong currents outside the high season, so the water that looked calm in photos can be hard to swim in. Follow the flags, listen to your hotel, and keep children close to the shore.
Sea turtles occasionally nest on this beach. If you walk it at night, ask your hotel what the national park asks visitors to do.
Which car for your group
The four prices are in the table above. Passengers do not change them; only the car does.
- Sedan, 999 THB: up to 3 passengers with luggage.
- SUV / MPV, 1,199 THB: up to 4 passengers with luggage.
- Minibus, 1,499 THB: up to 9 passengers with luggage, handy for two families on one flight.
- VIP Minibus, 1,999 THB: up to 8 passengers in a premium cabin.
Resort holidays tend to come with golf bags, strollers and large cases. If the bags look tight for the car, take the next size up.
Arrival day, step by step
The transfer runs 24/7. Your driver follows the flight number, so a late landing does not cancel the pick-up. After immigration and baggage he waits at Gate 2 next to Exit 2 for international flights, or at Gate A for domestic ones. If you do not want to stand in the arrivals queue, Fast Track is available at the airport on arrival.
When you book, send your flight number, the hotel name with a map pin, and the car size. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard or PayPal at the time of booking. Trips on 24 December to 5 January carry a holiday surcharge of 400 THB per car; on other dates the table price is the price.
Going the other way at the end of the stay? The Mai Khao to airport page covers when to leave for your flight.
Questions about this transfer
Is Mai Khao one of the closest places to the airport?
Yes. At 17 km and about 25 minutes it is one of the shortest transfers on the list. Pa Klok on the east side is 16 km and about 20 minutes, and Bang Tao is 18 km and about 34 minutes.
Is 999 THB the price for the whole car?
Yes. 999 THB is the fixed price of a sedan for this route, and it includes fuel, tolls, the airport pick-up, a child seat, waiting time and free cancellation up to 6 hours before pick-up. It stays the same whether one person or three sit in the car. Larger cars have their own prices in the table.
My villa is on a small lane near the beach. Will the driver find it?
Send the villa name, a map pin and a phone number for the host when you book. The driver checks the final approach before you land, and a gate or a private lane is much easier to handle when he knows about it in advance.
Is the sea at Mai Khao safe for swimming?
It depends on the season. Guides mention a steep drop-off and strong currents outside the high season. Check the flags on the day and ask your hotel before you go in.
My flight is domestic. Where does the driver wait?
At Gate A. For international flights the meeting point is Gate 2, next to Exit 2. In both cases the driver follows your flight number.