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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Chiang Mai International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai Province (Thailand)

IATA: CNX ICAO: VTCC

Longest Active Runway

11,155 ft

3,400 meters

Field Elevation

1,036 ft

316 m MSL

Runway Inventory

1 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

18.7668°, 98.9626°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

tied #321 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#530 of 7558

Top 7.3% percentile worldwide

For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.

National Standing (Thailand)

#4 of 8 in TH

#4 of 43 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+11.6%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 CNX in numbers: 11,155 ft longest runway · tied #321 of 650 published · #530 of 7,558 worldwide (top 7.3%) · #4 in Thailand.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Chiang Mai International Airport sits in a lush valley 1,036 ft above sea level, just minutes from the historic provincial center. Its 10,171 ft asphalt runway accommodates direct widebody services from East Asia and heavy domestic shuttle flights from Bangkok. Pilots navigate mountain terrain rising sharply to the west of Runway 18/36, utilizing precision RNAV procedures to safely clear northern ridgelines.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Single paved Runway 18/36 (10,171 ft / 3,100 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Founded in 1921 as Suthep Airfield. Upgraded through consecutive phases to accommodate international widebodies; currently planning a second Chiang Mai airport in San Kamphaeng to relieve terminal saturation.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Northern Thailand's premier aviation gateway, situated 86 NM north of Phrae and 95 NM southwest of Chiang Rai Mae Fah Luang (CEI).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Surrounded by mountain ranges, requiring designated standard instrument departures (SIDs) and climb gradients to ensure obstacle clearance during departures to the north.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Thailand National Civil Aviation Authority · State Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) & ICAO Annex 14 Standards

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

CNX lies at 316 m (1,036 ft), #189 of 650 published airports by elevation and 67.5 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 950 ft above the Thailand median (86 ft, 8 airports); CEI is highest at 1,280 ft, 244 ft higher than CNX.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Closest of 1 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbour within 100 NM: Mae Fah Luang - Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI), 88.2 NM, 9,843 ft. CNX has the longest runway in this radius, 1,312 ft over CEI.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 11,155 ft (3,400 m)

CNX runway: 18/36 11,155 × 148 ft asphalt (asp). National standing: #4 of 8 in Thailand; BKK leads by 1,968 ft (13,123 ft). +11.6% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
18/36	11,155 ft (3400 m / 3.400 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Mae Fah Luang - Chiang Rai International Airport (Chiang Rai)	`CEI`	88.2 NM (163.3 km)	9,843 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →