WASHINGTON, D.C.: Thailand has regained the highest aviation safety rating from the United States, nearly a decade after it was downgraded—a move that now opens the door for direct flights between the two countries to resume.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced this week that it had reinstated Thailand's "Category 1" air safety status, signaling that the country now meets the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The upgrade reverses a 2015 downgrade to "Category 2," which had blocked Thai carriers from launching new services to the U.S. or expanding existing ones, including code-sharing agreements with U.S. airlines. That decision was based on concerns over a lack of technical personnel and issues related to the certification of hazardous goods transport.

In a statement, the FAA confirmed that Thailand had addressed a significant safety concern identified through an ICAO audit in 2015. By 2017, the country had resolved the issue, putting it on a path toward regaining its top-tier status.

Before the downgrade, Thai Airways operated direct flights between Bangkok and both New York and Los Angeles. While those routes were suspended in late 2015, the new rating allows Thai carriers to once again consider re-entering the U.S. market.

Thailand, a major aviation and tourism hub in Southeast Asia, hosted over 35 million foreign visitors in 2024. Bangkok remains one of the region's busiest air transit points.

In 2017, Thai authorities had expressed hopes of regaining the FAA's Category 1 rating by 2018, and this week's announcement marks the culmination of years of work toward that goal.

The restored rating is expected to enhance opportunities for Thai airlines and boost air connectivity between the two countries. It could potentially bring back non-stop U.S.-Thailand routes and create new partnerships with American carriers.