Bangkok Airport Guide

Bangkok is served by two international airports: Suvarnabhumi (BKK) for full-service and long-haul routes, and Don Mueang (DMK) for budget carriers within Asia. The arrival process is the same at both, but the scale and layout differ significantly. One thing to sort before you board: since May 2025, all non-Thai nationals are required to complete a digital arrival card online. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing. For the full guide to the city, see Travel to Bangkok.

Before You Land: The Digital Arrival Card

The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) replaced the paper TM6 form in May 2025. Every non-Thai national must complete it online within 72 hours of their arrival in Thailand. It is free. The only official portal is tdac.immigration.go.th.

You will need your passport details, flight number, and accommodation address. Completing it generates a QR code; save a screenshot to your phone in case you lose connectivity at the airport. Immigration officers scan the QR code at the desk. No app download needed, no fee, no agent required.

If you are travelling in a group, each person submits their own card separately.

Visas and Immigration

Most passport holders from Europe, North America, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and much of Southeast Asia enter Thailand on a visa exemption of 30 or 60 days depending on nationality. No counter, no fee; go straight to the immigration desks after landing.

Some nationalities are eligible for a visa on arrival (VOA) instead. If this applies to your passport:

• Follow signs for Visa on Arrival before the main immigration hall
• Bring one passport-size photo (4 x 6 cm) and your hotel booking confirmation
• The fee is around 2,000 THB, paid in Thai Baht cash; no other currency is accepted at the counter
• After the stamp is issued, proceed to the immigration desks

An e-VOA option lets eligible nationalities apply online before travel, producing a pre-approved document to present on arrival at the same cost as the counter VOA. Suvarnabhumi has a dedicated lane for e-VOA holders, which bypasses the standard VOA application queue.

At the immigration desks, officers take fingerprints from both index fingers and scan your documents. Suvarnabhumi has automated e-gates on the left side of the immigration hall for e-Passport holders from eligible countries.

Suvarnabhumi also operates a Fast Track immigration lane, available to business and first class passengers on eligible flights and as a paid service for other travelers. During peak arrival windows, when several long-haul flights land within the same hour, the standard queue can run long; Fast Track is worth considering if your arrival falls in the evening. Allow 20-40 minutes at the standard desks during peak periods. For current visa requirements by nationality, check with the Thai embassy or the Thai Immigration Bureau before travel.

Suvarnabhumi (BKK): From Gate to Exit

After deplaning, follow signs for immigration. If your gate is in the satellite concourse, you board a short underground automated train to reach the main terminal; the train runs continuously and takes about 3 minutes. It catches first-time arrivals off guard, especially late at night when the terminal is quieter and the signage less obvious.

After clearing immigration, carousels in the baggage hall are signed by flight number on the overhead displays. Allow 20-30 minutes from the gate to bags in hand on a busy flight. If a bag does not arrive, file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at your airline’s baggage services desk inside the hall before you exit. Keep your boarding pass and baggage claim tags until the bag is delivered.

Customs follows baggage claim. Thailand’s customs declaration is integrated into the TDAC you completed before landing. Most passengers walk through the green channel without inspection. Items that require declaration include goods above the duty-free allowance, cash exceeding the equivalent of around THB 450,000, and restricted items such as certain animal and plant products. If you are travelling with vaping devices or e-cigarettes, they are restricted under Thai customs regulations; see the Cigarettes and Vapes: Travel Rules guide for details.

Don Mueang (DMK): From Gate to Exit

International flights at Don Mueang use Terminal 1. The terminal is considerably smaller than Suvarnabhumi; the walk from the gate to immigration is shorter, and queues move faster on most routes. There is no satellite concourse; all gates connect directly to the main building.

The process is identical to BKK: TDAC QR code at the immigration desk, baggage by carousel, then customs. If you are continuing to a domestic Thai destination, exit international arrivals and re-check in at the domestic side of Terminal 1. Allow at least 2 hours between an international arrival and a domestic departure, including time to re-clear security.

SIM Cards, ATMs, and Cash

SIM cards. Counters from AIS, DTAC, and True Move H operate in the arrivals hall at both airports, positioned before you reach the public exit. All three offer tourist data packages starting from around THB 299-399 for 30 days. Staff install and activate the SIM. Test it with a browser before you walk away. For a full comparison of carriers and eSIM options, see the Thailand SIM Card guide.

ATMs. Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn, and other machines are in the arrivals halls at both airports. Foreign-issued cards are accepted on most machines, but each withdrawal carries a flat fee of around THB 220 regardless of the amount. Withdraw enough THB for your transfer and first day rather than taking multiple small amounts. When the ATM offers to convert the amount to your home currency instead of Thai Baht, decline and choose to be charged in THB. The conversion rate at the machine is less favorable than your bank’s standard rate.

Currency exchange. Licensed counters operate at both airports. Rates are convenient but lower than city-centre exchange offices. Take enough THB to cover your transport and first day; exchange more once you are in the city.

Before You Leave the Terminal

A quick check before stepping outside:

• TDAC submitted before landing: if not done, look for a kiosk in the immigration area
• SIM card active: confirm with a browser at the counter before you leave
• THB in your wallet: enough for your transfer and a meal
• Grab installed: works immediately with an international number once your SIM is live
• Transport confirmed: airport taxi voucher from the official counter, hotel shuttle met, or Grab ride queued

Free Wi-Fi is available in the arrivals halls at both airports. Connect while your SIM is being set up to message your hotel or confirm pickup details. For more Bangkok travel guides, see Bangkok Travel Tips.

At Suvarnabhumi, app-based rides (Grab and Bolt) pick up from Level 1, Gate 4 on the outer kerb. This is a separate exit from the metered taxi queue. Metered taxis at BKK include a THB 50 airport surcharge on top of the meter fare and any expressway tolls.

For getting from either airport to the city, including the Airport Rail Link from BKK, the SRT Red Line from DMK, taxi fares, and the free AOT inter-airport shuttle, see Flights to Bangkok.

Departing from Bangkok

Before heading to the airport, confirm which airport your outbound flight uses. BKK and DMK serve different carriers, and if your inbound and outbound flights are on separate bookings it is possible to arrive at one and depart from the other. The airport code on your booking confirmation is the reliable check.

At Suvarnabhumi, the satellite terminal affects departures as well as arrivals. After clearing security in the main terminal, gates in the satellite concourse require you to board the underground automated train to reach your gate. The gate number on your boarding pass indicates if you are departing from the satellite; allow an extra 10-15 minutes on top of standard security and boarding time.

Grab and Bolt drop-off at Suvarnabhumi is on Level 4, the departures level. This is a different level from the arrivals exit where pickups operate.