Kuwait Airways has announced a new destination: Phuket in southern Thailand. Operations begin on 27 October 2026, and booking opens on 25 August.
The announcement came from the airline itself on its official channels, and that is worth pausing on. Phuket’s name has been circulating since January on travel sites quoting each other from a destination list the carrier never issued. What is new is that this time the announcement is the company’s, with a specific date.
What was announced
- Direct flights from Kuwait to Phuket.
- Operations begin: 27 October 2026.
- Booking opens: 25 August 2026.
What has not been announced
The airline did not give the number of weekly flights, the operating days, or the aircraft type, and did not clarify whether the route is seasonal or year-round. A figure of “two flights a week” is circulating; it does not appear in the airline’s announcement, so do not build a holiday around it until the schedule appears on the booking site.
Before you book
- The visa. Kuwaiti passport holders are exempt from a Thai tourist visa. The period granted on arrival is 60 days, extendable by 30 days with Thai immigration. There is an adopted Thai decision cutting the exemption to 30 days which has not taken effect, as it awaits publication in the official gazette. Check the period in force close to your travel date.
- The digital arrival card. Thailand requires the TDAC electronic form to be completed within the three days before arrival, and it applies to everyone including those exempt from a visa. It is free on the Thai immigration website.
- The season. Late October is the end of the rainy season in Phuket and the start of the dry season, which runs to April. So the route opens with the tourist season, which means hotel prices climb from November.
What changes in practice
Getting to Phuket from Kuwait meant a stop, usually in Bangkok or at one of the Gulf hubs, with a change of aircraft, a wait and a bag transfer. A direct flight removes that link, and that is the difference a traveller with a family and children actually feels.
The full schedule and fares should appear on the airline’s site when booking opens. On a new route, booking early usually gives the best fare before the first flights fill.
Kuwait One, once a week.
The most useful stories we published this week, in your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
