Starting March 1, 2026, Thai AirAsia, part of the AirAsia Group, will officially suspend three China-Thailand routes:
* Guangzhou–Bangkok Don Mueang,
* Shenzhen–Bangkok Don Mueang,
* Xi’an–Bangkok Don Mueang.
This route reduction marks one of the first concrete actions following the completion of AirAsia Group’s corporate restructuring.
In November 2025, AirAsia announced the conclusion of a multi-year business integration, unifying its subsidiaries across five Southeast Asian countries under the AirAsia Group umbrella. The long-haul brand “AirAsia X” was officially retired, ending the previously fragmented operational model.
Weak market demand on China-Thailand routes has been a key trigger for these adjustments.
According to flight-tracking platform DAST, China-Thailand flight numbers remained sluggish during the summer travel season, with a recovery rate of only 53.8%. In contrast, flights to Japan have already exceeded pre-pandemic levels, surpassing 100% recovery.
OAG data for summer 2025 further confirm the softening travel demand.
China remains Thailand’s largest source of international tourists. In the summer of 2019, seat capacity on mainland China-Thailand routes reached 7.4 million. By summer 2025, the number had fallen to just 4.1 million—down 1 million from 5.1 million in summer 2024 and 44% below the 2019 level. This clearly shows that shifting Chinese traveler preferences are directly pressuring the profitability of these routes.
