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Flights · Verified 4 September 2026
Flights to Laos: Routes and Fares from the Region
Laos has three airports worth flying into: Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Pakse. Almost everything else in the region connects through Bangkok or Hanoi.
- 3 useful airports
- Bangkok 1 h 15 m
- From THB 3,007
- Bus still wins short hops
Search flights, buses and trains
Should I fly or take the bus?
Fly when the overland leg is more than about twelve hours. Bangkok to Vientiane is 1 h 15 m in the air against 20 to 24 hours by bus, and the fare gap is smaller than that difference suggests. Take the bus for short hops, for the border experience, or when flights are thin, which is most of the smaller Lao airports.
Flights into Laos
BangkokLuang Prabang
Chiang MaiLuang Prabang
HanoiVientiane
HanoiLuang Prabang
Siem ReapLuang Prabang
VientianePakse
Direct serviceHo Chi Minh CityPakse
Direct serviceFlying against the bus, honestly
| Journey | By air | Overland | Worth flying? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok to Vientiane | 1 h 15 m | 20 to 24 hrs | Yes |
| Bangkok to Luang Prabang | 1 h 50 m | no direct bus | Yes |
| Hanoi to Vientiane | 1 h 10 m | about 24 hrs | Yes |
| Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang | 1 h 10 m | about 20 hrs | Yes, but the bus is far cheaper |
| Siem Reap to Luang Prabang | about 2 hrs | 2 to 3 days | Yes, clearly |
What to know before booking
- Vientiane (VTE) and Luang Prabang (LPQ) take almost all international traffic. Pakse (PKZ) is the useful third one: Lao Airlines links it to Vientiane in about 1 h 15 m, and there is a direct hop to Ho Chi Minh City, which saves a long ride down Route 13 and across the Vietnamese border. Savannakhet has an airport but almost no scheduled traffic.
- Most regional routes are operated by Lao Airlines, Thai AirAsia, Vietnam Airlines and Bangkok Airways. Frequencies drop sharply outside the November to February high season.
- There is no visa on arrival problem at the airports: unlike several land borders, Lao visa on arrival is straightforward at Vientiane and Luang Prabang, and the Lao eVisa is reliably accepted.
- Vientiane airport is about 15 to 20 minutes from the centre by taxi. There is no direct bus link.
- If you are heading onward overland, remember the arrival airport, not the country, decides your first leg. Flying into Luang Prabang and busing south is very different from flying into Vientiane.
Common questions
Which airport should I fly into?
For the north and the classic Luang Prabang route, fly to Luang Prabang (LPQ). For the capital, the Thai border and the train south, fly to Vientiane (VTE). Those two take nearly all international flights.
Is flying much more expensive than the bus?
Less than you would expect on the long routes. Bangkok to Luang Prabang starts around THB 3,007 and there is no direct bus at all. On short hops like Vientiane to Nong Khai the bus is a fraction of the price and the plane makes no sense.
Can I get a Lao visa on arrival at the airport?
Yes, and it is more reliable than at the land borders. Both Vientiane and Luang Prabang issue visa on arrival, and unlike the Vietnam and Cambodia crossings the Lao eVisa is accepted here without trouble. See the visa guide.
Are there flights within Laos?
Yes, but thin and prone to cancellation. On the Vientiane to Luang Prabang corridor the train is faster door to door once you account for airport time, and far more reliable.
What about flying from Thailand to Cambodia?
Flights operate normally and are the sensible choice, because every Thailand to Cambodia land border is closed. Overland now means a two to three day detour through Laos.
Laos Bus Tickets
Written and maintained from Vientiane. The people behind this site have lived in Laos for two decades and cross these borders themselves. Routes and visa rules get rechecked whenever something changes, not on a fixed schedule that lets stale information sit for months.
Sources for this page
- Lao Department of Immigration: checkpoint list, opening hours and visa status
- Wikivoyage: Laos: background on overland travel and bus classes