Bangkok Airport: How Early Should You Arrive?

Bangkok's main airport, Suvarnabhumi International, advises passengers to arrive three hours before their flight. However, some travellers suggest arriving four hours before an international flight to allow for check-in, security, and immigration queues. If you are travelling with carry-on luggage only and have checked in online, two hours should be sufficient.

Check-in times vary by airline, with some opening check-in 4 hours before departure

If you can check in online and get electronic boarding passes, have priority on the departing airline and/or have only carry-on luggage, you can afford to arrive at the airport 2 hours before your flight. Airlines like Thai and Emirates, which have numerous flights during the day, will often leave their check-in counter open straight through, allowing you to check in even earlier. However, most airlines offer only one or two flights a day and open on average 3 hours ahead (they don't want to pay staff costs to catch the occasional early bird).

If you are travelling internationally, it is recommended that you arrive at the airport 3 hours before your flight. This will give you enough time to check in, go through security and immigration, and board your flight. For some, arriving at the airport early is a good opportunity to find things to do to pass the time.

Three hours is usually sufficient for check-in

If you can check in online and get electronic boarding passes, have priority on the departing airline and/or have only carry-on luggage, you can scale it back a bit further. If you have priority on the airline, you can target arriving at the airport two hours ahead of time.

Bangkok Airport has outlined certain peak times where a large number of departures are scheduled, so it is worth checking this before you travel. Queues for check-in, security, and immigration can be long, so it is always better to give yourself more time than less.

Airlines with numerous daily flights may open check-in earlier

Bangkok's main airport, Suvarnabhumi International, advises international passengers departing from Thailand to be at the airport, ready to check in, up to three hours before their flight. However, some travellers recommend arriving at the airport four hours before an international departure to allow for check-in, security, and immigration queues, which can be long.

If you are able to check in online and obtain electronic boarding passes, have priority on the departing airline, and/or are travelling with only carry-on luggage, you may be able to arrive at the airport slightly later. Some travellers with these advantages target arriving at the airport two hours ahead of time.

It is worth noting that the time required to check in may also depend on the airline, class of travel, and status with the airline or alliance. For example, one traveller reported being able to check in four hours ahead of time on flights with Thai, Emirates, and Lufthansa, although this may have been due to midnight departures.

You can check-in online at your hotel

It is recommended that you arrive at Bangkok's main airport, Suvarnabhumi International, three hours before your flight. However, if you can check in online, you can arrive a little later. You can check in online at your hotel, which will save you time at the airport.

If you are flying with an airline that has numerous flights during the day, such as Thai or Emirates, you may be able to check in even earlier than three hours before your flight. However, most airlines only offer one or two flights a day and open their check-in desks around three hours before departure.

If you are travelling internationally, it is always a good idea to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Queues for check-in, security, and immigration can be long, and you don't want to risk missing your flight. By checking in online at your hotel, you can avoid some of the queues and make your journey through the airport a little smoother.

When you check in online, you will usually be able to choose your seat and print your boarding pass. This means that when you arrive at the airport, you can go straight to the bag drop if you have checked luggage, or head to security if you are travelling with carry-on luggage only. Checking in online can save you time and hassle, making your airport experience a little less stressful.

Queues for check-in, security, and immigration can be long

Some airlines open their check-in desks four hours before departure, but this is not the norm. Three hours is generally considered sufficient time to check in, get through security, and board your flight. If you are able to check in online and get electronic boarding passes, have priority on the airline, and/or are only travelling with carry-on luggage, you may be able to arrive at the airport two hours before your flight.

Airlines such as Thai and Emirates, which have numerous flights throughout the day, often keep their check-in counters open continuously, allowing passengers to check in earlier. However, most airlines only offer one or two flights per day and open their check-in desks around three hours before departure.

It is always better to be safe than sorry, so if you are unsure, aim to arrive at the airport three hours before your flight to avoid any last-minute rushing or stress.

Frequently asked questions