Could this be the most elegant airport in Asia right now?

It’s Peter again, Chief Travel Officer of BolehMiles, back with an overdue trip report from my New Year’s Day 1 Jan 2026 trip.

This was my mini status run to qualify for Qatar Privilege Gold via the Accor Qatar status match, now in its 4th and final year. If you are Accor Platinum or Diamond, you only need one Qatar operated flight to qualify. The easiest option in the region is the SGN-KTI route, a quick and nearby Qatar 5th freedom flight to secure the status. We covered this in detail on the BolehMiles Telegram channel if you want to read more.

For this post, I will focus on my experience at the new Techo International Airport, also known as KTI in Phnom Penh, which has been getting a lot of attention from the media and influencers lately. I wanted to share my perspective as a mileschaser in the region, as well as some practical tips, beyond the influencers “OMG this is so nice” woo-woo.

I will also cover my experience at Plaza Premium First, so stay with me until the end.

First Impressions of the airport

The best way I can describe Techo International Airport is the “quiet awe” I felt the first time I stepped into an Apple Store. If a regular electronics shop is Harvey Norman, then Techo is the Apple Store version of an airport. An airport doesn’t need to be this refined, yet it is.

It’s quite the opposite of Changi Jewel, which hits you with the “loud awe”, i.e waterfall, garden vibes, and massive mall energy. Techo is quiet, zen, all about the clean architecture and peaceful atmosphere. It feels more like walking into a well-designed Japanese temple than a regular airport.

Arrival

I arrived from SGN, fully aware that ASEAN passport holders can use the auto-gate as long as the e-arrival card is completed, a process I expect will become standard across major airports in the region.

What puzzled me was that the officer disallowed me from using the auto gates and pointed me to the normal customs counter instead, possibly because there were many Western travelers ahead of me.

“Malaysia bro..Can I use the auto-gate? ” – I asked the officer. He was confused, hesitated for quite a while, but finally allowed me through.

Architecture

As soon as I reached the baggage claim area, the thing that immediately hit me about the airport was the ceilings – really high, with grooves that let natural light pour in, filtered through the glass roof panels.

The pillars look like tree trunks growing out of the ground. Instead of the rigid square/round shapes you see in many airports, they curve as they rise, like a tree spreading out toward the top.

Layout

What I liked about the airport is how the main terminal (central hub) is separated from the departure/arrival gates. When I was in the main building, I almost forget that I was at an airport because the gates were out of sight.

Notice how the gate area is designed in a clean C-shaped arc, giving the airport a more compact footprint. The designer image above shows 2 arcs, likely an earlier vision of the airport, but the version that was eventually built now has only 1 arc.

Golden Buddha

The main attraction of the airport is the majestic 9 metre Golden Buddha statue, always surrounded by a steady stream of people praying and taking photos.

Departure Hall

Malaysia Airlines check-in is located at Row D, which is a good spot right next to the golden Buddha statue. You won’t miss it.

MH flights to and from KTI cost 6,700 Enrich Points on Saver Economy, which is a pretty decent for a short getaway only 2 hours from KUL.

There are currently 22 carriers flying into and out of KTI. For now, the network is dominated by Asian and Middle Eastern airlines, serving ~38 cities at the time of writing.

No.	Airline	Destinations
1	Air Cambodia	BKK, DAD, DEL, FOC, CAN, HAN, SGN, HKG, KKZ, NNG, CXR, PQC, SZX, REP, CGO
2	Air China	PEK
3	AirAsia Cambodia	HAN, SGN, KUL, REP
4	Asiana Airlines	ICN
5	Bangkok Airways	BKK
6	Cambodia Airways	BKK, CSX, TFU, CKG, CAN, HAK, HKG, KKZ, KUL, MFM, PEN, SYX, SZX, REP, SIN, VTE
7	Cathay Pacific	HKG
8	China Airlines	TPE
9	China Eastern Airlines	KMG, PVG, WUH
10	China Southern Airlines	CAN
11	Emirates	DXB, SIN
12	Etihad Airways	AUH
13	EVA Air	TPE
14	Indonesia AirAsia	CGK
15	Korean Air	ICN
16	Malaysia Airlines	KUL
17	Myanmar Airways International	RGN
18	PAL Express	MNL
19	Qatar Airways	DOH, SGN
20	Shenzhen Airlines	SZX
21	Singapore Airlines	SIN
22	Sky Angkor Airlines	BKK, CSX, TFU, MFM, JJN, ICN, PVG

There are no Japanese, US, or European airlines operating scheduled flights here yet. But, with the Middle Eastern airlines, could KTI become an interesting positioning option for mileschasers in Asia looking for redemption sweet spots to Europe and the USA?

And something special for our friends in Singapore – Emirates operates a fifth freedom flight between SIN and KTI, and the cash fare can sometimes be lower than Singapore Airlines. So you can have a taste of the Emirates cabin without flying all the way to Dubai.

Of course, there is also Qatar Airways’ fifth freedom flight between KTI and SGN, which I used to secure Qatar Gold through the Accor to Qatar status match. It is nonetheless a solid option if you ever need to travel between the two cities.

Outside

The pick up and drop off area is quiet with not that many cars compared to other major airports. The surroundings feel relatively empty, almost like the airport sits in the middle of nowhere. That makes sense because KTI is built on relatively new land, far south of central Phnom Penh, about ~25 km apart.

If you want to get to the city, there is Grab (~40 mins), otherwise you can take the Airport Express Bus.

Review of Plaza Premium First KTI

Lounge Name	Plaza Premium First KTI
Location	J1, Level 3, International Departure Area
Operating Hours	Weekends (Fri,Sat,Sun) and Wed-5:30AM to 12:30AM Other days-5:30AM to 12:00AM
How to Access	1 Selected Malaysia CIMB cards (or pay USD36 discounted price per entry). 2 Maybank Platinum Charge, World Elite or Islamic Mastercard. 3 Alliance Visa Privilege. 4 Selected Business or First Class passengers. 5 Enrich Platinum members.
Facilities	🚻 Accessible washroom 🍽️ Food & Beverage 🍸 Bar 💆 Massage 👶 Baby Changing Room ♾️ Infinity Room 🚿 Shower 📶 Wi-Fi 🔌 Charging Station ✈️ Flight Information 🚬 Smoking Area 🥗 Vegetarian Options

I did not head into the city since this was a status run, so after having a look at the landside of the airport, I made my way to Plaza Premium First at KTI.

There are currently only 2 lounges at this airport, Plaza Premium First and Plaza Premium Lounge. Having a Plaza Premium First option here is actually quite appealing for Malaysians, because many of our credit cards grant free access to what is arguably a more elevated experience compared to standard contract lounges.

That said, with just 2 lounges in the entire airport, I can already see the potential for overcrowding if KTI gets busier in the future, as premium cabin passengers, frequent flyer elites, and credit card holders will all be funneled into the same limited lounge space.

Main Dining Section

I found the main dining section a bit cramped, like a restaurant trying to fit in as many tables as possible.

There is a small buffet selection that is fairly basic, but I always appreciate having a fruit and salad bar.

But the real draw of this lounge is the ala carte food, which you can order via QR code just like other PPF lounges we are familiar with. The food was above average. I ordered quite a few dishes, but my favourite was the Cambodian fish amok.

Infinity Room

Marketed as “a lounge within a lounge”, there is an Infinity Room area, similar in concept to the Infinity Room at the PPF in Hong Kong, which is only accessible for an additional fee.

At KTI, however, the Infinity Room is not physically sectioned off, and there does not appear to be any extra charge to enter this area for now.

The vibe here is completely different from the main dining area. You get to enjoy the outside view in a more spacious setting with a distinct ambience.

Massage Room

Like other Plaza Premium Firsts, there is a massage service available. A 15 minute massage is offered for free, but this appears to be limited to full paying guests or airline invite entries. The staff at the counter will check your type of access before confirming whether you are eligible.

The 15 minute foot massage was good, with just the right amount of pressure that really hit the spot.

Other F&B Options

There are more than 30 restaurants, cafes, and bars to choose from, which is a surprisingly large selection for a brand new airport, and I do hope there will be enough passenger traffic for them to sustain.

Departure Gates

I walked across the bridge into the departure strip, and only then did it really sink in that I was in an airport. I left feeling satisfied after exploring this stunning new terminal, and of course, I walked away with Qatar Gold as well.

Conclusion

I still remember visiting the old Phnom Penh International Airport, a rather uninspiring terminal that most people would not give a second glance. The Techo International Airport, which cost around USD 2 billion to build, is a huge step forward with seriously modern infrastructure.

Designed to handle about 16 million passengers in the near term, it will not match regional giants like SIN, KUL, BKK and CGK in terms of traffic anytime soon. Still, its distinctive design has turned the airport itself into a new attraction in Phnom Penh. It is definitely worth a weekend trip for those of us in Malaysia who want to check out something different.

That’s all for this trip report, it has been a long time since I last did one. Let me know on the BolehMiles Telegram if you would like to see more content like this. Until next time.