Infrared thermography is a new NDT technology with outstanding advantages such as non-contact, large detection area and intuitive detection results, and it has been widely used in NDT and evaluation of metal, non-metal, fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and thermal barrier coatings. In this paper, the basic principle of infrared thermography technology and the composition of detection system are briefly introduced, especially the characteristics and advantages and disadvantages of optical, ultrasonic, and electromagnetic thermal excitation forms are compared. Then, according to the development history of thermal excitation forms, the research status and progress of optical excitation infrared thermography technology in the non-destructive testing and evaluation of FRP composites and thermal barrier coatings are introduced in detail, focusing on the hot and difficult problems in the non-destructive testing of FRP composites/thermal barrier coatings. Finally, the future development trend of infrared thermographic NDT technology for FRP composites/thermal barrier coatings is summarized and prospected.