Bangkok to Penang is a short, easy hop across the border to Malaysia’s food capital — George Town’s street-food stalls, colonial shophouses and beaches are under two hours away by air. It is a low-cost route dominated by budget carriers, and our latest fare check found an unusually tight one: every fare in the cheapest hundred was non-stop, all of them from Don Mueang, and the whole range spanned barely 220 baht. This guide covers who actually flies it, what a return really costs in baht, and how to keep the cost down.
Route: Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi BKK / Don Mueang DMK) → Penang International (PEN)
Distance: approximately 960 km (600 miles)
Non-stop flight time: about 1h 45m – 1h 55m
Direct flights: Yes — and nothing else. Every fare in our latest check was non-stop from Don Mueang (DMK), flown by Thai Lion Air or Thai AirAsia. Batik Air Malaysia also serves the route, and Malaysia Airlines connects through Kuala Lumpur.
Fares from Bangkok to Penang (THB)
This is a budget-carrier route, so fares are low most of the year and swing mainly with Malaysian and Thai holidays. The busiest, priciest weeks are the year-end holidays, Chinese New Year (6 February 2027) and the Malaysian school breaks. The table below tracks that demand pattern; for money, use the measured figures underneath it, because the two budget airlines price this hop within a few baht of each other.
| Month | Demand |
|---|---|
| January | high |
| February | medium-high (CNY) |
| March | medium |
| April | medium (Songkran) |
| May | medium |
| June | low |
| July | low-medium |
| August | medium |
| September | low |
| October | low-medium |
| November | medium |
| December | very high |
Reference points from a live fare check on 5 August 2026 — the 100 cheapest economy returns, hand baggage only. This is the tightest market we have measured on any route: fares ran ฿5,376–฿5,596, a spread of 220 baht end to end, with a median of ฿5,405. Treat about ฿5,400 as simply the price of this hop, and anything meaningfully below it as a genuine sale rather than a normal find. We hold only eight tracked observations for Don Mueang–Penang, and they are recorded in euros rather than baht, so no long-run baht average is claimed here.
Airlines on this route
Non-stop (about 1¾ hours):
- Thai Lion Air — the carrier that actually dominates the cheap end, holding 78 of the 100 cheapest fares in our check at ฿5,376–฿5,449. Flies from Don Mueang (DMK); allow 1h 55m southbound.
- Thai AirAsia — also non-stop from Don Mueang, and slightly quicker at about 1h 45m, but it held only 22 of the cheap fares and priced a little higher (฿5,390–฿5,596).
- Batik Air Malaysia — flies the route non-stop too, with a slightly more generous baggage allowance than the ultra-budget fares. It produced no fare among the 100 cheapest on the dates we checked, so price it rather than assume.
One-stop (sometimes cheaper on sale, usually via Kuala Lumpur):
- Malaysia Airlines — connects through its Kuala Lumpur hub; a full-service option with checked bags included.
- AirAsia (via Kuala Lumpur) — frequent budget connections if the non-stop times don’t suit or the fare is lower.
Because the non-stop is so short, most travellers simply take the direct service — and the fare data agrees emphatically: not one connecting itinerary reached the cheapest hundred. A change at Kuala Lumpur adds a couple of hours and, on the dates we checked, saved nothing at all. Take it only if the timings suit you better.
When to book & how to save
- Book 3–8 weeks ahead. This is a short budget route, so fares are lowest well before departure and climb sharply in the final fortnight.
- Avoid the peaks: Thai and Malaysian year-end holidays, Chinese New Year and Songkran (mid-April) are the busiest and dearest weeks.
- Travel in the green season (June–September) for the traditionally lowest fares and thinner crowds — though we should be straight about our own data: the bookable dates we could search fell in October and January, so we cannot put a figure on the summer months.
- Check the airport: the non-stop flies from Don Mueang (DMK), not Suvarnabhumi — leave extra time if you’re transferring across Bangkok.
- Watch the bag rules: the cheapest budget fares are cabin-bag only; if you’re checking a case, add it when you book (it’s cheaper than at the airport) and compare the all-in price against Batik Air or Malaysia Airlines.
Arriving in Penang
Flights land at Penang International Airport (PEN), on the southeast corner of the island about 16 km from George Town. The cheapest way into town is the Rapid Penang bus (routes such as 401E and 102), which costs a couple of ringgit and takes around 45–60 minutes. A metered taxi or a Grab ride to George Town runs roughly ฿250–฿450 equivalent and takes 25–40 minutes depending on traffic. Buy a Malaysian SIM or eSIM at arrivals if you want Grab and maps working straight away.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Bangkok to Penang?
The non-stop takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes — Thai AirAsia at the quicker end, Thai Lion Air at the slower, and about 1h 45m on the way back. It’s a genuinely short hop: you’re barely at cruising altitude before the descent into Penang begins. Connecting itineraries through Kuala Lumpur take roughly 4 to 6 hours in total once you add the layover, and none of them reached the cheap end of our fare check.
Are there direct flights from Bangkok to Penang?
Yes, and almost nothing else — all 100 of the cheapest fares in our latest check were non-stop. Thai Lion Air flew 78 of them and Thai AirAsia the other 22, both from Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK). Batik Air Malaysia also operates the route non-stop, though it did not appear among the cheapest fares on our dates. Malaysia Airlines and the wider AirAsia network connect through Kuala Lumpur, which is worth considering only if it is better timed — it was not cheaper.
How much does it cost to fly from Bangkok to Penang?
In a live check of the 100 cheapest economy returns, fares ran ฿5,376–฿5,596 with a median of ฿5,405 — a spread of just 220 baht across the whole sample, so on these dates there was effectively one price. Our search covered October 2026 and January 2027 departures, so it does not reach the December or Chinese New Year peaks, which sit above this range.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Bangkok to Penang?
The green season (roughly June to September) is the traditional low point, but we will not put a figure on it: the bookable dates our check could reach were October 2026 and January 2027 only, and both priced at about ฿5,400. Avoid December, Chinese New Year (6 February 2027) and Songkran in mid-April, which are the busiest and most expensive weeks.
Which airlines fly from Bangkok to Penang?
Non-stop from Don Mueang: Thai Lion Air, which held 78 of the 100 cheapest fares in our check, and Thai AirAsia, which held the other 22 and flies it slightly faster. Batik Air Malaysia serves the route non-stop as well but produced no fare among the cheapest hundred. One-stop via Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia — neither appeared at the cheap end.
Which airport do I fly into in Penang?
All flights land at Penang International Airport (PEN), the island’s only commercial airport, about 16 km south of George Town. From Bangkok, the non-stop departs from Don Mueang (DMK) rather than Suvarnabhumi, so double-check which Bangkok airport your ticket uses.
How far in advance should I book Bangkok to Penang flights?
Aim for 3 to 8 weeks ahead. On a short budget route like this, the cheapest seats sell first and prices rise noticeably in the last two weeks, especially around Thai and Malaysian public holidays.
Is it cheaper to fly on weekdays?
We cannot say honestly on this route. Our sample threw up almost no midweek departures at all — two Thursdays, and no Tuesday or Wednesday — so there is nothing to compare the weekend against. What the sample does show is that price barely moves here whatever day you pick: 220 baht separated the cheapest fare from the dearest. Chase the schedule that suits you rather than the day of the week.
Fare figures from a live flightlist fare check on 5 August 2026 and from current airline schedules — always check the live fare before booking.
