Central Chiangmai Airport

Central Chiangmai Airport is a major shopping, dining, and entertainment centre near Chiang Mai International Airport. Previously known as CentralPlaza Chiangmai Airport, the complex offers a convenient place to shop for fashion, groceries, and Northern Thai products, or to enjoy a meal before or after a flight.

The centre includes Robinson Department Store, a supermarket, a multi-screen Major Cineplex, restaurants, cafes, a food court and numerous retail businesses. Its Northern Village handicraft zone is particularly useful for travellers looking for locally made gifts and souvenirs.

Entry is free, and its location between the airport and Chiang Mai’s Old City makes the centre an easy addition to a travel day.

Shopping at Central Chiangmai Airport

Central Chiangmai Airport offers a wide range of Thai and international retail businesses. Shoppers can browse fashion, footwear, cosmetics, electronics, mobile phones, sporting goods, accessories, household products and everyday services.

Robinson Department Store is one of the main retail anchors, offering clothing, beauty products, luggage and homewares across several departments. A supermarket provides groceries, packaged food, drinks and travel essentials.

The tenant mix changes periodically, so visitors seeking a particular brand should consult the centre’s current online directory before travelling.

Northern Village and Chiang Mai Souvenirs

Northern Village sets Central Chiang Mai Airport apart from many conventional shopping centres. The zone brings together products associated with Chiang Mai and northern Thailand, making it a practical stop for last-minute souvenir shopping.

Items may include textiles, clothing, carved wood, decorative pieces, ceramics, jewellery, packaged food and locally produced handicrafts. Quality, prices, and opening hours vary between stalls and businesses.

Visitors interested in local products can compare several sellers in one air-conditioned location. However, those wanting a broader traditional market experience may still prefer destinations such as the Night Bazaar, Warorot Market or the weekend walking streets.

Restaurants, Cafes and Food Court

The shopping centre offers a wide choice of food, from quick snacks and inexpensive Thai meals to sit-down restaurants. Options generally include Thai, Japanese, Korean and international dishes, along with bakeries, dessert shops, coffee outlets and familiar fast-food brands.

The food court is useful for visitors wanting an affordable meal with several choices in one area. Payment arrangements vary by business, and some food courts in Thailand use a prepaid card that is refunded when returned.

Restaurants and cafes may operate on slightly different schedules from the main centre. Diners arriving close to closing time should confirm the kitchen’s last-order time.

Major Cineplex and Entertainment

Major Cineplex operates a multi-screen cinema at Central Chiangmai Airport. Films include Thai and international releases, although the language and subtitle arrangements differ between sessions.

Visitors wanting an English-language screening should check the listing carefully. A movie marked “EN/TH” generally has English dialogue with Thai subtitles, while dubbed versions may be listed separately.

Session times and ticket prices depend on the film, screen, day and seating category. Major Cineplex offers current programmes and bookings.

The centre also contains event spaces and Chiangmai Hall, a multipurpose venue used for exhibitions, fairs, performances and community activities. Event access and admission conditions vary.

Shopping Before or After a Flight

Despite its name, Central Chiangmai Airport is not inside the airport terminal. It is a separate shopping centre located nearby on Mahidol Road.

The short distance makes it convenient for travellers with time before check-in, but passengers should still allow for traffic, luggage handling and airport security. Walking from the airport is possible in terms of distance, although busy roads, heat and limited pedestrian convenience can make a taxi or app-based ride the more practical option.

Travellers with several hours between hotel checkout and a flight can use the centre for a meal, shopping or a movie. The centre lists a luggage-deposit service; ask customer service about availability, fees, bag limits and collection times before building your travel day around it.

Opening Hours

Central Chiangmai Airport is open from 11am to 9pm Monday to Friday. It opens earlier on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, operating from 10am to 9pm.

Robinson Department Store, the supermarket, the cinema, restaurants, and individual shops may have different hours. Cinema sessions can continue beyond the general retail schedule.

Hours may change during Songkran, New Year and other major holidays, so visitors travelling on a significant festival date should check the centre’s latest announcement.

Getting to Central Chiangmai Airport

Central Chiangmai Airport is approximately three kilometres southwest of Chiang Mai’s Old City and close to Chiang Mai International Airport.

Taxis, tuk-tuks, red songthaews and app-based ride services can reach the centre from most parts of Chiang Mai. Journeys from the Old City are usually 10 to 20 minutes, depending on traffic and the pickup location.

Traffic can become congested around Mahidol Road, particularly during the late-afternoon peak, weekends and major shopping events. Visitors catching a flight should allow plenty of time, rather than treating the shopping centre as part of the airport terminal.

Parking

The shopping centre provides on-site parking. Drivers should follow the centre’s directional signs, as entrances and available parking areas may change during events or particularly busy periods.

Priority parking is listed among the centre’s services. Contact customer service if you need a particular entrance or assistance reaching the retail floors.

Motorbike parking is also available. Check parking conditions, validation requirements, and any applicable charges on arrival.

Accessibility and Family Facilities

Central Chiangmai Airport is a multi-level indoor shopping centre with escalators and lifts connecting its main retail floors. Air conditioning, toilets, seating areas and food outlets make it manageable for families and visitors wanting a break from Chiang Mai’s heat.

Parents can find meals, snacks, children’s products and entertainment within the same complex. Temporary children’s activities and seasonal displays are also sometimes held in the public event areas.

The centre lists wheelchair and stroller services, baby-changing and breastfeeding rooms, and a first-aid station. Ask customer service for their locations, current availability and any conditions; visitors with mobility requirements should also confirm the most convenient entrance and parking area.

How Long to Spend at Central Chiangmai Airport

Allow one to two hours for a meal and general shopping. Visitors exploring Robinson Department Store, Northern Village and the wider retail centre could spend two to three hours.

A cinema visit or scheduled event will extend the stay considerably. The centre can also serve as a convenient indoor stop during hot weather or heavy rain.

Is Central Chiangmai Airport Worth Visiting?

Central Chiangmai Airport is worth visiting for practical shopping, dining and entertainment, particularly for travellers staying near the airport or looking for northern Thai souvenirs in an air-conditioned setting.

It is less of a sightseeing destination than Chiang Mai’s temples, markets and historic neighbourhoods. Its strength is convenience: visitors can buy travel essentials, enjoy a meal, see a film, and shop for gifts in one location.

Central Chiangmai Airport FAQs

Is Central Chiangmai Airport inside the airport terminal?
It is a separate shopping centre on Mahidol Road near the airport. Plan a road transfer back to the terminal and leave time for check-in and security rather than treating the mall as an airport concourse.

What are its opening hours?
General centre hours are 11am to 9pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 9pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Check individual business and cinema hours if you are visiting early or late.

What makes Northern Village worth browsing?
Its focus on northern Thai handicrafts and local products makes it useful for souvenir shopping in an air-conditioned setting. Compare items between sellers and check suitability for packing or transporting home.

Can you leave luggage at the mall?
A luggage-deposit service is listed among the centre’s facilities. Confirm availability, fees, permitted bags and collection times with customer service before relying on it between hotel checkout and a flight.

Is mall entry free?
General entry is free. Cinema sessions, purchases, food and separately ticketed events cost extra, while parking conditions should be checked when you arrive.

Can you see English-language films?
The cinema screens Thai and international releases, but language and subtitle arrangements vary by session. Check the actual listing before booking rather than assuming every showing of an international film uses English dialogue.

How long should you allow before a flight?
A meal and focused shopping can fit into one to two hours, but that does not include the journey to the terminal, check-in or security. Leave a generous airport buffer and avoid a movie if the timing is tight.

Is this the same as Central Chiangmai?
Central Chiangmai Airport is near the airport southwest of the Old City. Central Chiangmai, formerly Central Festival, is a different mall in Fa Ham northeast of the centre.