Anti-icing performance using the surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator is studied using detailed visualization and surface thermal measurements. To reveal the physical mechanism of coupled aerodynamic and thermal effects on anti-icing, three types of actuators are designed and mounted on a NACA 0012 airfoil. The coupled aerodynamic and thermal effects are confirmed in still air. The results show that the plasma actuation is effective for in-flight anti-icing, and the anti-icing performance is directly related to the design of the plasma actuators based on the coupled aerodynamic and thermal effects. When the direction of plasma induced flow is consistent with the incoming flow, the heat generated by plasma discharge is concentrated in the region of the actuator and the ability of the actuator for heat transfer downstream is relatively weak during the anti-icing. When the induced flow is opposite to the incoming flow, there is less heat accumulation in the actuator region, while the ability of heat transfer downstream becomes stronger. With the consistent and opposite direction of induced flow, the plasma actuation can ensure that 57% and 81% chord of the lower surface of the airfoil are free of the ice accumulation, respectively. Another actuator is designed to induce the air jets approximately perpendicular to the airfoil surface. This exhibits both a stronger ability of heat accumulation locally and heat transfer downstream and hence ensures that there is no ice on the entire lower surface of the airfoil.