Ubon Ratchathani Airport

For the military use of this facility, see Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base.

Ubon Ratchathani Airport (IATA: UBP, ICAO: VTUU) is in Tambon Nai Mueang, Amphoe Mueang Ubon Ratchathani, Ubon Ratchathani province in Northeastern Thailand. It currently serves as both a commercial airport and as a Royal Thai Air Force base.

Ubon Ratchathani Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุบลราชธานี
IATA: UBP ICAO: VTUU
Summary
Airport type	Public / Military
Owner	Royal Thai Air Force
Operator	Department of Airports
Serves	Ubon Ratchathani
Location	Tambon Nai Mueang, Amphoe Mueang Ubon Ratchathani, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
Opened	1921; 104 years ago (1921)
Elevation AMSL	124 m / 406 ft
Coordinates	15°15′04.60″N 104°52′12.83″E
Website	minisite.airports.go.th/ubonratchathani
Maps
UBP/VTUU Location of airport in Thailand
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 05/23 9,848 3,002 Asphalt
Statistics (2024)
Passengers 1,306,445 0.81% Aircraft movements 8,904 4.60% Freight (tonnes) 312.02 0.59%
Sources: Department of Airports

History

The airport was first opened in 1921, when the nearby Warin Chamrap district was affected by smallpox and cholera epidemic.^{[citation needed]} The authorities sent doctors and medical supplies by plane to Ubon Ratchathani.

In 1955 it became Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base for the Vietnam War; in 1975 the facility became an international civilian airport, with direct flights to Vietnam.^{[citation needed]} These flights proved unprofitable, and while the international signage is still in place, only domestic flights have operated for a number of years.^{[citation needed]}

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Nok Air	Bangkok–Don Mueang
Thai AirAsia	Bangkok–Don Mueang
Thai Airways International	Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi
Thai Lion Air	Bangkok–Don Mueang
Thai VietJet Air	Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi

Nok Air at Ubon Ratchathani Airport

Thai Lion Air B737 - 900ER at Ubon Ratchathani Airport

Statistics

Passenger movements

Year	Number of passengers	Aircraft movements
2005	387,159	2,986
2006	372,633	3,270
2007	387,586	3,369
2008	391,772	3,355
2009	393,449	2,930
2010	452,944[1]	3,903[1]
2011	614,686[2]	5,370[2]
2012	733,893[3]	5,595[3]
2013	835,648[4]	6,340[4]
2014	1,076,957	7,752
2015	1,467,256	10,951
2016	1,726,061	11,697
2017	1,791,828	12,042
2018	1,832,340	11,795
2019	1,790,734	12,017

Busiest domestic routes

Busiest domestic routes to and from Ubon Ratchathani Airport (2017)

Rank	Airport	Passengers handled
1	Bangkok–Don Mueang	1,411,945
2	Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi	259,721
3	Pattaya/Rayong (UTapao)	65,675
4	Chiang Mai	53,790

Military use

Main article: Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base

Established in the 1950s as a Royal Thai Air Force base, it was used by the United States Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force during the Vietnam War.

The airport is currently an active Royal Thai Air Force base, the home of 2nd Air Division/21st Wing Air Combat Command. The 211sq Eagles fly Northrup F-5E/F Tiger II fighter aircraft.