Flying Thailand’s new Hua Hin to Pattaya route with EZY Airlines

Travelling between Hua Hin and Pattaya has traditionally meant a long journey by road, but a new Thai airline is offering a much faster alternative – a flight straight across the Gulf of Thailand.

EZY Airlines has launched passenger flights between Hua Hin Airport and U-Tapao Airport, the closest major airport to Pattaya, using a small Cessna Grand Caravan.

I tried the service on only its second day of regular passenger operations to find out whether the considerable time saving justifies the relatively expensive ticket price.

The scheduled journey takes around 40 minutes from gate to gate, with less than 30 minutes actually spent in the air.

That compares with around six or seven hours by road between Hua Hin and Pattaya, depending on traffic.

There was previously an alternative in the form of a passenger ferry across the Gulf of Thailand. The service reduced the journey to around two hours, but it was discontinued, leaving road transport as the main option for travelling directly between the two resort cities.

A 4,000 baht flight

The biggest drawback to the new EZY Airlines service is the price.

A one-way ticket costs around 4,000 baht, making a return journey approximately 8,000 baht – equivalent to roughly £180 or just under US$250.

That's expensive for such a short domestic flight, but the airline appears to be targeting passengers who place a high value on their time.

Both Hua Hin and Pattaya have substantial expatriate communities and are among Thailand's most popular tourist destinations. The flight could therefore appeal to residents and visitors looking for a quick weekend trip without spending much of the day travelling by road.

My flight was also completely full, carrying 10 passengers.

Flying from tiny Hua Hin Airport

One of the biggest advantages was the simplicity of flying from Hua Hin Airport.

The terminal was extremely quiet, with virtually nobody there apart from passengers taking the EZY Airlines flight.

Check-in was quick and friendly, and I was even able to select seat 1A at the front of the aircraft.

Unlike travelling through one of Bangkok's major airports, there was very little waiting around. Security was located next to the departure gate, and passengers could move through the airport remarkably quickly.

We then boarded the Cessna Grand Caravan for the short journey across the Gulf.

With only a handful of rows, the cabin is considerably smaller than a conventional airliner. Getting to my seat at the front while carrying a backpack was a tight squeeze.

But the size of the aircraft is also part of the attraction.

Sitting in 1A placed me directly behind the pilots and made the journey feel completely different from an ordinary domestic flight aboard a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320.

The flight itself was smooth, and before long we were descending towards U-Tapao.

Is EZY Airlines worth 4,000 baht?

U-Tapao Airport is around a 30-minute drive from Pattaya, so passengers still need to factor ground transportation into their overall journey.

Even with airport transfers included, however, flying has the potential to cut the Hua Hin–Pattaya journey to around half the time required by road – and potentially closer to a third depending on traffic and where the passenger starts and finishes.

The question is whether that saving is worth 4,000 baht each way.

For budget-conscious travellers, probably not. Driving, buses and other ground transport will remain considerably cheaper.

But for somebody who values time, the proposition becomes much more attractive. It could also work well for a weekend break or for travellers continuing further into eastern or southern Thailand.

There's another reason to try it: the flight itself is fun.

Flying across the Gulf of Thailand in a tiny Cessna Grand Caravan, sitting immediately behind the pilots, is a much more memorable experience than an ordinary domestic flight.

Overall, I was impressed with EZY Airlines. The service was friendly, the airport experience was remarkably efficient and the flight delivered exactly what this route promises – a very quick way of getting from Hua Hin to the Pattaya area.

Now it remains to be seen whether enough passengers are willing to pay for that convenience to make the unusual new route a long-term success.

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