A thermal air flow meter is equipped with a flow rate detector utilizing the phenomenon that heat is carried away in proportion to flow rate. The flow rate detector comprises a support, a heat-sensitive resistor formed on the support and leads attached to both ends of the support. To make the temperature distribution uniform, the heat-sensitive resistor is formed in such a manner that the resistance per unit length of the heat-sensitive resistor at either end of the support is greater than the resistance per unit length of the heat-sensitive resistor at the center of the support. This arrangement can provide a thermal air flow meter which has a rapid response to changes in flow rate.