If you’ve traveled to Thailand or even considered going anytime in the last decade, you may have noticed that there were no direct flights between the USA and Thailand.

Thai Airways used to be the sole operator of direct flights, but such flights were discontinued in April 2012 in anticipation of the FAA‘s downgrading of Thailand’s air safety rating from Category 1 to Category 2. The downgraded safety rating required the USA to disallow direct flights between our countries.

However, after more than a decade, Thailand’s efforts to regain its Category 1 safety rating are starting to pay off. Thailand’s Category 1 rating was reinstated by the FAA and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

While as of today, May 24, 2025, there are no nonstop flights from any US city to Bangkok, direct flights are expected to resume shortly.

More information is available in this update from the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C.