Manchester Airport and Norse Atlantic Airways have announced that flights between the UK’s global gateway in the North and Bangkok will run four times a week from December.
The seasonal service launched in November 2025 and has proven popular, with more than 10,000 passengers taking advantage of a direct link between the North’s global hub airport and one of the world’s most popular tourism hotspots.
Once-weekly flights ran between last November and March, spanning Bangkok’s winter dry season – the most popular time of year to visit.
And such was the level of demand, Norse Atlantic Airways has announced that the service will be increasing to a four-times-weekly schedule for this winter, with the first flight operating on 5 December 2026 and the final flight of the season on 18 April 2027.
Flights outbound from Manchester will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. All flights will use Norse Atlantic Airways’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Tickets are now on sale.
Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said:
“Manchester Airport is proud to connect the North to the world with a route network unrivalled by any UK airport outside London. It’s great to see Norse’s Bangkok route not only returning this winter – but returning with quadruple the number of weekly flights. It means passengers heading to Thailand will have more choice than ever.
“Bangkok is one of the world’s most-visited cities, so we knew this route would be popular – but this expansion of Norse’s service really demonstrates the demand for long-haul travel from the UK’s global gateway in the North. I’m looking forward to flights resuming later this year.”
Eivind Roald, Chief Executive Officer at Norse Atlantic Airways, said:
“We are delighted to see such a strong response to our Manchester–Bangkok service. Since launching last year, the route has proven highly popular with travellers across the North of England, and increasing to four weekly flights is a direct reflection of that demand.
“At Norse, we remain focused on deploying capacity where customers want to travel most, and Thailand continues to be one of the strongest performing destinations in our network. We would like to thank Manchester Airport for its continued partnership, and our customers for choosing Norse. Their support gives us the confidence to continue investing in the region and expanding the travel options available from Manchester.”
Bangkok’s popularity is driven by its rich culture, nightlife and good value for money – as well as being a good starting or end point for trips around Thailand or South East Asia, due to its airport’s excellent route network. Thailand’s spectacular coastline has wowed global audiences in Hollywood movies like The Beach, while towns in northern Thailand like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are a hit with backpackers seeking out their elaborate Buddhist temples, incredible street food, and surrounding lush jungles.
Passengers flying to Bangkok with Norse Atlantic Airways this winter will get to experience Manchester Airport’s stunning new Terminal 2 in its entirety, with a £1.3bn, decade-long transformation due to reach completion this summer. The terminal blends state-of-the-art equipment with award-winning architecture and a huge selection of shops, pubs and restaurants for a world-class passenger experience.
