IATA · BKKBangkok · Samut Prakan

Suvarnabhumi Airport

Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) is Thailand's busiest airport, handling 62.2 million passengers in 2024. It sits 25 km east of central Bangkok, in Samut Prakan province, and opened in 2006 as the country's main international gateway. The Airport Rail Link reaches Phaya Thai in about 30 minutes for ฿45, the fastest way into the city.

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In numbers

Suvarnabhumi Airport at a glance

Official name
Suvarnabhumi Airport
IATA / ICAO
BKK / VTBS
Operator
Airports of Thailand (AoT)
Opened
28 September 2006
To central Bangkok
25 km, 30-45 min off-peak
Passengers (2024)
62.2 million, busiest in Thailand
Elevation
2 m above sea level
Runways
4,000 m and 3,700 m, third runway 2024
Transport and services

Leaving Suvarnabhumi Airport

The airport lies east of the city, and traffic on the expressway can be heavy, so it pays to pick the transfer before you land. Compare the four main ways to reach central Bangkok.

Fastest to the city

Airport Rail Link

The ARL train runs to Makkasan for ฿35 and Phaya Thai for ฿45, beating the traffic in 26 to 30 minutes with MRT and BTS interchanges. See how it compares with a taxi.

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Taxi & transfer

Metered public taxis run about ฿400 to ฿650 to central Bangkok with the surcharge and tolls, and pre-booked private transfers start from ฿700. Pattaya from ฿1,200.

Fares and options →Most flexible

Car rental

Bangkok is Thailand's cheapest rental market, with desks on Level 2 arrivals and no-deposit economy cars from about ฿600/day in low season. Ideal for trips beyond the city.

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Flights and times

Check arrivals and departures live for one of Asia's busiest terminals. The board turns over constantly across long-haul, regional and low-cost flights.

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Live flight board

Live flights at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Follow arrivals and departures at Suvarnabhumi Airport in real time. Data is provided by Avionio and updated continuously; smaller airports show only a handful of flights, which is normal.

Open the dedicated pages: Arrivals and Departures for Suvarnabhumi Airport.

About Suvarnabhumi Airport

Suvarnabhumi Airport opened on 28 September 2006 on reclaimed marshland in Racha Thewa, Samut Prakan, replacing Don Mueang as Bangkok's main international gateway. Its name means Golden Land, and its main passenger terminal is among the largest single buildings in the world. When it opened, its 132.2 m control tower was the tallest free-standing air traffic control tower on the planet.

The airport is run by Airports of Thailand (AoT) and is by far the busiest in the country, with 62.2 million passengers in 2024. A single vast main terminal is now paired with the SAT-1 satellite concourse, which opened in September 2023 and is linked to the main building by an automated people mover.

Two primary runways, 4,000 m and 3,700 m, were joined by a third runway commissioned around 2024 to ease congestion. A free shuttle bus connects Suvarnabhumi with Don Mueang, Bangkok's second airport 35 km away, for passengers transferring between the two. Airlines operating at the airport include:

  • Thai Airways
  • Bangkok Airways
  • Thai Vietjet Air
  • Thai AirAsia
  • Thai AirAsia X
  • Emirates
  • Qatar Airways
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Lufthansa
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Cathay Pacific
  • EVA Air
  • Korean Air
  • Etihad
  • British Airways
Suvarnabhumi Airport main terminal glass and steel roof at dusk
The main terminal is among the world's largest single buildings, 25 km from the city.

How to get from Suvarnabhumi Airport to central Bangkok

Suvarnabhumi Airport is 25 km east of central Bangkok, a 30 to 45 minute drive off-peak but 60 to 90 minutes in heavy traffic. Unlike most Thai airports, it has a direct rail line, so the fastest and most predictable option is the train. Five ways connect the terminal to the city, with prices in baht ranging widely.

ModeDestinationDurationPriceFrequency
Airport Rail LinkPhaya Thai (BTS)about 30 min฿45every 10-15 min
Metered taxiCentral Bangkok45-60 min฿400-650on demand
S1 express busKhao San Road1-1.5 hr฿60 flatroughly hourly
Private transferAny hotelfrom 45 minfrom ฿700on booking
Car rentalAll of Thailandimmediatefrom ฿600/dayLevel 2 desks

The Airport Rail Link is the smart choice for central Bangkok at ฿45, since it skips the expressway traffic entirely. For door-to-door comfort with luggage, a metered taxi or private transfer takes you straight to the hotel, while a rental car makes sense if you are heading out to Pattaya, Hua Hin or Ayutthaya.

Airport Rail Link train at the Suvarnabhumi Airport station platform
The ARL reaches Phaya Thai in about 30 minutes for ฿45.

Terminals and services

Suvarnabhumi Airport is built around one enormous main terminal, with international and domestic flights under the same roof across separate concourses. Since September 2023 the SAT-1 satellite concourse has added 28 gates, reached from the main terminal by an automated people mover, so allow extra time if your gate is in SAT-1.

Arrivals are on Level 2, where the car rental and transfer counters sit, while check-in fills Level 4 and the rail link and public taxi ranks are on the lower levels. In peak periods the terminal is very busy, so leave time for immigration on both arrival and departure.

  • Free airport WiFi throughout the terminal and SAT-1
  • Duty-free, Thai restaurants and 24-hour food courts
  • Car rental and transfer desks on Level 2 arrivals
  • ATMs, currency exchange and SIM-card counters
  • Airline lounges and reduced-mobility assistance

For a departure from Suvarnabhumi, arrive about 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one: immigration and security queues at this hub build quickly, and a gate in the SAT-1 concourse adds a people-mover ride.

Check-in hall on Level 4 of Suvarnabhumi Airport
Check-in is on Level 4; arrivals and rental desks are on Level 2.

Parking at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Short-term parking in front of the terminal is capped at ฿250 a day, and the long-term car park at the Public Transport Center is ฿140 a day. Drop-offs under 15 minutes are free.

See parking tariffs

Explore Thailand by car

Bangkok is the country's cheapest place to rent, with economy cars from about ฿600 a day. Pick one up on Level 2 arrivals and drive out to Pattaya, Hua Hin, Ayutthaya or the eastern coast at your own pace.

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Suvarnabhumi Airport: common questions

Where is Suvarnabhumi Airport?

Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) is 25 km east of central Bangkok, in Racha Thewa, Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province. GPS coordinates are 13.6925, 100.75. It is linked to the city by the Airport Rail Link, metered taxis and expressway, and by a free shuttle to Don Mueang Airport.

How do I get from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the city?

The fastest option is the Airport Rail Link, which reaches Makkasan for ฿35 and Phaya Thai for ฿45 in under 30 minutes, avoiding traffic. A metered public taxi costs about ฿400 to ฿650 including the ฿50 airport surcharge and tolls, and takes 45 to 60 minutes off-peak.

How much is a taxi from Suvarnabhumi Airport?

A metered public taxi from Suvarnabhumi Airport to central Bangkok runs about ฿300 to ฿450 on the meter, plus a mandatory ฿50 airport surcharge and expressway tolls of ฿50 to ฿110, for a realistic total of ฿400 to ฿650. Carry cash for the surcharge and tolls.

Can I rent a car at Suvarnabhumi Airport?

Yes. Rental desks on Level 2 arrivals include Avis, Hertz, Budget, Sixt, Europcar and Thai locals, and Bangkok is the cheapest place to rent in Thailand, from about ฿600 a day in low season with no-deposit options. You need an International Driving Permit to drive legally.

What is the free shuttle to Don Mueang?

Airports of Thailand runs a free shuttle bus between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, Bangkok's second airport 35 km away, for passengers connecting between the two. You need to show a same-day or onward flight ticket to board.

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