Thailand’s flag carrier, Thai Airways (TG/THA), ended 2025 by adding a new aircraft to its fleet, a model it had never operated before.

The first order

In mid-2023, the airline announced its first order for brand new Airbus A321neo aircraft, expected to be delivered as of late 2025. The initial order was for five A321neo aircraft, with another five aircraft of this type to be added later.

Thai Airways plans to use these aircraft for regional flights in South and Southeast Asia, based in Bangkok, the country’s capital and its main hub of operations. With regard to other narrow-body aircraft, the airline owns Airbus A320-200s, which operated between July 2012 and December 2023 for Thai Smile, a subsidiary of the group focused on short-haul routes.

Effective January 1st, 2024, Thai Smile ceased operations, transferring all flights, aircraft, and employees to Thai Airways. At the time of publication, the 20 Airbus A320-200s configured for 156 passengers continue to operate for the airline, averaging 12 years old.

HS-TOA

In September 2025, Thai Airways’ first Airbus A321 family aircraft was spotted in Hamburg after assembly. The aircraft was given the German test registration D-AZWJ, and by early December it was already bearing the airline’s colors.

According to our database, Thai’s first Airbus A321neo made its maiden flight on December 15th, 2025, a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Hamburg to Hamburg. Later that day and on December 19th, it operated two more test flights prior to its delivery to Thailand.

Delivery flight

At 13:03 local time on December 24th, 2025, the delivery flight of Thai Airways’ first Airbus A321neo departed from Finkenwerder Airport in Hamburg. Already with Thai registration HS-TOA, it headed for Dubai World Central, the only stopover on the long journey.

After a six-hour flight, the brand-new aircraft landed in Dubai at 22:07 local time having flown over Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Persian Gulf. It covered a distance of approximately 4,920 kilometers.

On Christmas Day, December 25th, at 00:03 local time, the crew continued with the final leg of the delivery flight, Dubai–Bangkok, expecting to arrive in Thailand in the morning.

About 14 hours after taking off from Germany, the Airbus A321-251NX, registration HS-TOA, landed at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 09:02 local time. Considering both legs, the flight covered approximately 10,000 kilometers, with Dubai-Bangkok being the longest by just a few kilometers.

Upon arrival, the aircraft was presented in Bangkok with Thai Airways executives, authorities, the press, and special guests. Since then, it has been parked in Bangkok, awaiting entry into service.

Through a press release, Thai Airways confirmed the Airbus A321neo will begin regular flights on January 22nd, with the Bangkok-Singapore route. Delhi, Phuket, Hong Kong, and Vientiane will be other routes for the A321neo, also from/to the Thai capital.

Airbus A321neo routes

Bangkok – Singapore: January 22nd, 2026

Daily

• TG 413  Bangkok BKK 11:30 · 14:50 SIN Singapore
• TG 414  Singapore SIN 15:55 · 17:15 BKK Bangkok

Bangkok – Phuket: January 22nd, 2026

Daily

• TG 221  Bangkok BKK 18:30 · 20:00 HKT Phuket
• TG 222  Phuket HKT 20:40 · 22:15 BKK Bangkok

BKK – Delhi: January 22nd, 2026

Daily

• TG 331  Bangkok BKK 23:25 · 02:20+1 DEL Delhi
• TG 332  Delhi DEL 03:30 · 09:00 BKK Bangkok

Bangkok – Hong Kong: February 16th, 2026

Daily

• TG 602  Bangkok BKK 18:10 · 21:55 HKG Hong Kong
• TG 603  Hong Kong HKG 07:55 · 09:40 BKK Bangkok

Bangkok – Vientiane: February 16th, 2026

Daily

• TG 570  Bangkok BKK 11:55 · 13:05 VTE Vientiane
• TG 571  Vientiane VTE 13:55 · 15:05 BKK Bangkok

Daily

• TG 574  Bangkok BKK 18:30 · 19:45 VTE Vientiane
• TG 575  Vientiane VTE 20:30 · 21:40 BKK Bangkok

Thai’s orders for new Airbus A321neo aircraft have been expanded to 32, which it plans to incorporate by 2028.

Wide-body aircraft

As well as its 20 Airbus A320-200s and, for now, its only Airbus A321neo, the airline has a large fleet, especially of wide-body aircraft, operating long-haul routes to/from Bangkok.

Thai is the only Thai airline to have Airbus A350-900, Boeing 777-200, Boeing 777-300(ER), Boeing 787-8, and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft in its fleet. It was also the only airline in the country to operate Airbus A380 aircraft, with a total of six, which were withdrawn from service between February and March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four Airbus A380-800s (HS-TUA, HS-TUB, HS-TUC, and HS-TUD) remain parked at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, and another two at Rayong Pattaya U-Tapao International Airport, located about 100 kilometers from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Fleet

Regarding its routes, all of them are operated from/to Bangkok’s main airport, averaging 810 weekly flights, being 220 domestic and 590 international.

Routes

Cover photo: © Kawin Boonprasert – JetPhotos (Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Int’l – VTBS – Thailand)