Don Mueang Airport: Size And Significance In Thailand's Aviation

Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) is one of two airports serving Bangkok, Thailand, the other being Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). Don Mueang Airport is a large and busy airport, serving around 60 flights per hour. It has two terminals, connected by a 200-metre-long elevated exterior walkway, with 124 check-in counters, 15 departure gates, and 95 parking stands for aircraft. The airport is considered one of the world's oldest, officially opening as a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base on 27 March 1914, with commercial flights beginning in 1924.

Terminals and facilities

Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) is one of the two international airports serving Bangkok, Thailand, the other being Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). It is considered one of the world's oldest international airports and one of Asia's oldest operating airports, having opened as a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base on 27 March 1914, with commercial flights commencing in 1924.

The airport is a joint-use facility, shared with the RTAF's Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base, and is the home of the RTAF 1st Air Division, consisting primarily of non-combat aircraft. It is also an important military base and a hub for domestic and international scheduled and charter services.

Don Mueang Airport consists of two main terminals: Terminal 1 for international flights and Terminal 2 for domestic flights. The terminals are connected by a unique glass exterior elevated walkway of about 200 meters, which takes around 5 minutes to walk between. Terminal 1 is the larger of the two, with Terminal 2 reportedly providing a smooth check-in and security experience. Most facilities and services are located on Levels 1 and 2 of both terminals, with Levels 3 and 4 mainly used by airport staff and some restaurants, cafes, and the Don Mueang Airport hotel.

The airport has 124 check-in counters, 15 departure gates, and 95 aircraft parking stands, serving around 60 flights per hour. Terminals 1 and 2 have a Wheelchair Counter Service point, where passengers with reduced mobility can request assistance. There is also a Priority Lane available for departing and arriving passengers of international flights in Terminal 1, allowing for faster security checks and passport control.

Both terminals offer a wide range of facilities, including lounges, restaurants, cafes, shops, and 24-hour food concessions such as Burger King, Dairy Queen, Starbucks, and Cafe Ritazza. Terminal 2 is home to the only hotel within the airport grounds, Sleep Box by Miracle, located on the 4th floor. Terminal 1 features a 24-hour spa, while both terminals offer massage services. Other services include luggage storage, mobile charging points, lockers, and nearby hotels.

History

Don Mueang International Airport (IATA: DMK, ICAO: VTBD) is one of the world's oldest international airports and one of Asia's oldest operating airports. It officially opened as a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base on 27 March 1914, although it had been in use earlier. Commercial flights began in 1924, making it one of the world's oldest commercial airports. The first commercial flight was operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

The airport is a joint-use facility, shared with the RTAF Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base, and is the home of the RTAF 1st Air Division, which consists primarily of non-combat aircraft. A RTAF golf course is located between the airport's two runways.

Before its closure in September 2006, Don Mueang was the principal airport serving Bangkok and was among the busiest airports in the world, serving as a major aviation hub in Asia. It was also an important military base, serving as a battlefield between royalists and government forces during the Siamese Revolution in 1932, and being used by the Japanese Army during World War II. During the Vietnam War, the airport served as a major command and logistics hub for the US Air Force.

Don Mueang Airport reopened on 24 March 2007, following the opening of the new Suvarnabhumi Airport and subsequent renovations. It has since become a regional commuter flight hub and the de facto low-cost airline hub, becoming the world's largest low-cost carrier airport in 2015. The airport still maintains its position as the second-busiest airport in Thailand.

Military use

Don Mueang International Airport is a joint-use facility, shared with the Royal Thai Air Force's (RTAF) Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base. It is approximately 40 kilometres north of central Bangkok and is the main operating and command base for the RTAF. The airport officially opened as an RTAF base on 27 March 1914, although it had been in use earlier. The first flights to Don Muang were made on 8 March 1914 and involved the transfer of aircraft of the RTAF.

Don Mueang is the home of the RTAF 1st Air Division, which consists primarily of non-combat aircraft. A RTAF golf course is located between the airport's two runways. The course has no separation from the runway, and golfers are held back by a red light whenever planes land or take off.

During the early years of the Vietnam War (1961–1966), Don Mueang was used as a major command and logistics hub of the United States Air Force (USAF) under the command of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Thirteenth Air Force. In 1961, Detachment 10, 13th Air Force was established at Don Mueang to support USAF operations. In 1962, elements of the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron from Kadena AB, Okinawa, were deployed to Don Mueang, flying RF-101Cs. In 1964, the USAF helped the RTAF establish a transport squadron of eight C-123 Providers and a squadron of 17 UH-34s. In March 1965, there were 1,342 enlisted men stationed at Don Mueang, with their primary mission to provide support for all USAF units and detachments assigned to the base or other bases in Thailand.

In 1966, most American units and personnel were transferred from Don Mueang, although a small USAF liaison office remained at the base until 1975.

Traffic and statistics

Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) is one of two international airports serving Bangkok, Thailand, the other being Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). Don Mueang Airport is a joint-use facility shared with the Royal Thai Air Force's (RTAF) Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base. It is considered one of the world's oldest international airports and one of Asia's oldest operating airports, officially opening as an RTAF base on 27 March 1914, though it had been in use earlier. Commercial flights began in 1924, making it one of the world's oldest commercial airports.

The airport consists of two terminals: Terminal 1 for international flights and Terminal 2 for domestic flights. Terminal 1 is the larger of the two. The terminals are connected by a unique glass exterior elevated walkway of about 200 meters, which takes around 5 minutes to walk between. There are 124 check-in counters, 15 departure gates, and 95 aircraft parking stands, serving around 60 flights per hour. The airport can receive 30 million passengers annually.

Before the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2006, Don Mueang was the principal airport serving Bangkok, ranking among the busiest airports in the world and a major aviation hub in Asia. In 2004, it served the most air traffic in the country, with 80 airlines operating 160,000 flights and handling over 38 million passengers and 700,000 tons of cargo. It was the 14th busiest airport in the world and second in Asia by passenger volume. In 2006, Don Mueang Airport was closed and replaced by Suvarnabhumi Airport, before reopening in 2007 after renovations. Since then, Don Mueang has become a regional commuter flight hub and the de facto low-cost airline hub, becoming the world's largest low-cost carrier airport in 2015. It is still the second-busiest airport in the country, serving as a hub for low-cost airlines like AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, and HK Express, as well as major airlines like Bangkok Airways and China Southern Airlines.

Services

Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) is one of the two international airports serving Bangkok, Thailand, the other being Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). It is one of the world's oldest international airports and one of Asia's oldest operating airports, having officially opened as a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base on 27 March 1914, with commercial flights commencing in 1924. The airport is a joint-use facility, shared with the RTAF Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base, and is the home of the RTAF 1st Air Division, which consists primarily of non-combat aircraft.

Don Mueang Airport is a busy airport, serving around 60 flights per hour. It has 124 check-in counters, 15 departure gates, and 95 aircraft parking stands. The airport consists of two terminals: Terminal 1 for international flights and Terminal 2 for domestic flights. The terminals are connected by a unique glass exterior elevated walkway of about 200 meters, which takes approximately 5 minutes to walk between. Most facilities and services are located on Levels 1 and 2 of both terminals, while Levels 3 and 4 are primarily for airport staff, along with some restaurants, cafes, and the Don Mueang Airport hotel. Terminals 1 and 2 both have a Wheelchair Counter Service point where passengers with reduced mobility can request assistance. Additionally, a Priority Lane is available for eligible passengers in Terminal 1, offering expedited security checks and passport control.

The airport provides free WiFi to all passengers in both terminals. To connect, users need to select the SSID "@Airport Free Wi-Fi by NT" and follow the instructions on the log-in page. Free WiFi is available for 1 hour, and there is also a free charging station in Terminal 1. AIRPORTELs offer 24-hour luggage storage at Gate 9 on the first floor of Terminal 2, along with a luggage delivery service to and from the airport. Luggage wrapping services are available in both terminals.

Don Mueang Airport is accessible by several transport options. The most convenient route is via the Don Mueang Tollway, and another main entrance is the Vibhavadi Rangsit Road. Four bus routes service the airport: A1, A2, A3, and A4, connecting to various locations in Bangkok. The airport is also served by the SRT Dark Red Line and the State Railway of Thailand intercity services at Don Mueang railway station, providing connections to central Bangkok.

Frequently asked questions