5 Top Tips for SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT Bangkok

Some great tips around Bangkok airport.

Did you find a cheap flight to Bangkok on AirlineDirect? Then you can use these hints and ideas about Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. This is usually where the international flights arrive. National flights also arrive at Don Muang airport in the northwest of Bangkok. This is the older one of the two. Meanwhile almost all so-called cheap airlines land in Don Muang. My guess is that Thai Airways, the government airline, wants to get some advantages. Who wants to travel for an onward flight within Thailand across the city to another airport? But Bangkok Airways also flies to Suvarnabhumi. Tickets are a little more expensive but you get a better service and a little more legroom.


Tip No. 1: What do I do if I have to wait for a longer period of time?

My answer is shopping, eating, relaxing. And my tip for relaxing at Bangkok airport is a massage. On the 3rd floor on the very right side (if you stand in front of the airport building, west side) you will find wonderfully relaxing foot massages. Just the right thing after a long shopping day before taking the flight back home.

New is the small massage service at the bottom of the airport next to the entrance to the Airport- Link. For little money you can treat yourself to something good. One hour traditional Thai massage costs 440,- Baht, one hour oil massage 600,- Baht and a foot massage 400,- Baht.

Shopping is best done in the duty free area. In addition to typical alcoholic drinks and perfumes, there are also brand-name articles and typical Thai products.


Tip No. 2: Hungry! Where can I get something to eat at Bangkok Airport?

Nobody will starve to death in Thailand! And certainly not at the biggest airport of the country. Apart from some good restaurants there are a few small family marts and 7/11 shops on the 3rd floor. There is also Burger King which seems to have a strong attraction for many travelers. There you know what you get. The Japanese restaurant next door could be exotic.

And then there’s the Food Stall on the ground floor on the right (west) for the low-budget travelers. Here you can get typical Thai dishes like Pad Thai, Khao Pad, noodle soup etc. at a relatively low price. You pay with vouchers, which are sold at the entrance on the left and can be returned there.

However, you can’t expect much in terms of atmosphere, tranquility and coziness for that price. When the dining room is filled with Chinese travel groups, it gets loud. There are two small extensions on the right side, where it is a bit quieter.


Tip No. 3: How long does it take to get from the check-in to your plane?

1 hour plus the time at the counter. Yes, the distances at Bangkok airport are long. There is enough opportunity to admire the steel construction of the roof in Suvarnabhumi, which by the way was made by a German company.

First there is the immigration (immigration authority), which checks your visa to ensure that you have not overstayed (here you should have already filled out the exit form in your passport) and then there is the security check, where you might be held up when you have not packed everything properly. After that come Duty Free Shops and long aisles partly with treadmills.

The waiting time at check-in can be shortened if you have entered your data online within the last 24 hours. The queue at a special counter is usually much shorter.


Tip No. 4: Where can I leave my luggage if I don’t want to take care of it all the time at the airport?

On the 2nd floor there is a new designed luggage storage. Now the company bellugg has made it more beautiful, but the prices are still the same. Here you can also store your bike. The price depends on the size of the pieces of luggage and the number of days and is between 100 and 150 Baht per piece of luggage and day (see photo). By the way, this is a great possibility if you want to make a short trip to the city centre during a longer stopover.


Tip No. 5: How long do I need to get to the city centre?

At certain times there is a traffic chaos in downtown Bangkok. Therefore it can take more than an hour by taxi to get to the Grand Palace. If you want to use your time for speed shopping in the famous department stores of the Sukhumvit, the Airport-Link is faster. In the basement of the airport, trains run every 15 minutes for 90 Baht into the city centre. From Makasan or the terminal station you can continue by Skytrain (elevated train), taxi or motorbike taxi (only for the brave).

Expect at least one hour for the one-way trip. And don’t forget to be back at the airport in time for the check-in and the long way to your plane. Information about taxis at the airport.


Bonus Tip: If you need to stay overnight

If you want to sleep at Bangkok Airport, you have the choice between high-quality and expensive hotels (such as the Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport) or one of the many overnight accommodations in the nearby area. Usually the long way to the city is not worth it for those who have to stay overnight because of a connecting flight. The Great Residence Hotel in Lat Krabang is ideal. Affordable, only 10 minutes from the airport and a wide choice of restaurants, food stalls and beer bars around the corner – including 7/11. There is also a free shuttle service to the airport. And the start of the Skylane is only over the bridge.

The closest hotel is the Novotel, which can be reached directly from the airport via an entrance in the basement.

Recently a friend had to spend a few hours at night at the airport because of a mistake in her booking. For such cases the Boxotel is ideal. Those who can only sleep while lying down and urgently need a few hours of sleep can get a comfortable bed in a tiny room for as little as 650 Baht (for 2 hours). In the basement in the transition to the Novotel next to the station of the Airport-Link.

I like Bangkok airport – the Suvarnabhumi to be exact – a lot. The roof construction, the paintings and the garden are beautiful to look at. I especially like the orchid arrangements. There is much to discover. Have fun there!


That might be interesting for you, too:
More Tips Around Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
My 7 best tips for Don Muang airport in Bangkok
How to get 8 GB mobile Internet per month for only 198 Baht
Near the airport: 2 Hotels compared (for less than 1000,- Baht including transfer)

Scroll to Top