Bangkok has two international airports: Suvarnabhumi (code BKK), the large main airport east of the city, and Don Mueang (code DMK), the older airport in the north that most low-cost flights use. They are not connected by rail inside a single terminal, so if your two flights use different airports you must clear immigration, collect your bags and cross the city, which takes hours, not minutes.
The most common mistake is assuming that "Bangkok" on a booking means one place. Always look at the three-letter code on each ticket. If one flight says BKK and the next says DMK, you are making a self-transfer between airports, and no airline will wait for you if the first flight is late.
This page explains how to tell which airport you need, how to get between them and how much time to leave. For getting from each airport into the city, see our separate guides to Suvarnabhumi to central Bangkok and Don Mueang to central Bangkok.
Bangkok's two airports at a glance
- Suvarnabhumi
- Code BKK; east of the city; Airport Rail Link 05:30–24:00
- Don Mueang
- Code DMK; north of the city; SRT Red Line station and A1–A4 airport buses
- Free shuttle between them
- Every 30 minutes, 05:00–24:00; only for passengers connecting between flights, with onward ticket and passport
- Shuttle stop at BKK
- Level 2, Gate 3 (inner curb)
- Shuttle stop at DMK
- Terminal 1 (international), first floor, Gate 6
- Public bus between them
- Route 555, flat 60 baht (AOT gives conflicting hours)
Which airlines use which airport
There is no official list from Airports of Thailand (AOT) that sorts every airline by airport, so treat any table you find online with care. The broad pattern is clear, though. Long-haul and full-service airlines mostly fly into Suvarnabhumi, while the Thai low-cost carriers have their main Bangkok base at Don Mueang. Nok Air's own route list, for example, shows its Bangkok flights from Don Mueang.
The pattern is not a rule, and it changes. Thai AirAsia is the best example: Don Mueang is its main Bangkok base, with direct flights to 22 domestic and 53 international destinations according to the airline, but on 1 October 2026 it restarted flights from Suvarnabhumi to Chiang Mai, Krabi and Phuket, with six, two and five daily flights respectively. So the same airline, on the same route, can depart from either airport depending on the flight number and the month.
Read BKK or DMK on every booking, not the airline name. Booking sites often show only "Bangkok". Check the airport code on the e-ticket the day you book and again a few days before you fly, because airlines sometimes move a route from one airport to the other.
If you are flying in from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong or mainland China, you may have a choice of both airports on the same day. Our guide to flights to Thailand from Asia looks at those routes, and the guide to domestic flights in Thailand covers onward connections.
Through ticket or self-transfer: why it matters
On a single booking (one ticket number for both flights), the airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination. If you miss the second flight because the first was late, it rebooks you. Most through tickets keep you within one airport.
A self-transfer is two separate bookings that you have joined yourself, often to save money by combining a long-haul flight into Suvarnabhumi with a cheap domestic flight out of Don Mueang. The second airline has no duty to help if you miss its flight. You will usually have to buy a new ticket. That is the real risk of a two-airport connection, and it is why time is the most important thing to plan.
Because you leave the first airport, you also enter Thailand properly. That means passing immigration, so you need the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card and a valid entry permission; our page on the visa exemption explains who can enter without a visa. You also collect your checked bags and check them in again.
The free shuttle bus between the airports
AOT runs a free shuttle between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang every 30 minutes from 05:00 to midnight. At Suvarnabhumi it leaves from Level 2, Gate 3 on the inner curb; at Don Mueang from Terminal 1, the international terminal, first floor, Gate 6. The Don Mueang page that gives this boarding point dates from 2021, so ask at an information counter if the signs say otherwise.
The shuttle is not for everyone. AOT says it is only for passengers connecting between flights, who must show a ticket or proof of the onward flight and a passport, and that "members of the general public are not eligible". A hotel booking or a flight next week does not count. If you are not connecting on the same journey, use one of the alternatives below.
AOT does not publish a journey time. The route crosses Bangkok by road, so the time depends on traffic, and rush hours and heavy rain can slow it considerably.
Other ways between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang
| Option | Cost (October 2026) | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free AOT shuttle | Free | Connecting passengers with an onward ticket | Road traffic; eligibility check |
| Public taxi | Meter + 50-baht airport fee + tolls | Heavy bags, groups, late at night | Tolls are paid on top of the meter |
| Grab | Shown in the app before booking | A fixed price you see in advance | Prices rise at busy times and in rain |
| Bus 555 | Flat 60 baht | Light luggage, daytime, tight budget | AOT gives two sets of hours; slow in traffic |
| Rail (ARL, MRT, Red Line) | Several separate fares | Avoiding road traffic in rush hour | Three changes with luggage |
The public taxi from the official queue is the simplest paid option. At both airports the fare is the meter plus a 50-baht airport surcharge, and you pay expressway tolls on top, which is worth accepting on this trip because the expressway saves a lot of time. Our article on taxi or Grab in Bangkok compares the two for everyday use.
Bus 555 runs between the two airports for a flat 60 baht. AOT's own pages disagree on its hours (one gives 06:00–19:00, an older one 06:30–20:00), so do not plan a tight connection around it.
There is also a rail route that avoids the roads: the Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi to Makkasan, the MRT Blue Line from the next-door station to Bang Sue, then the SRT Red Line from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Don Mueang. It involves three different operators and three tickets, which is hard work with suitcases, but it can beat a taxi on a weekday evening. The Red Line fare from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Don Mueang is 33 baht for an adult. Our guide to the BTS and MRT explains how the city lines work.
How much time to leave for a self-transfer
Neither AOT nor the airlines publish a minimum time for changing airports, so this is our judgement rather than an official figure. Add up the steps: the first flight can be late; immigration queues at Suvarnabhumi can be long at peak arrival times; bags take time to reach the belt; the road trip depends on traffic; and the second airline closes check-in and bag drop well before departure. Check that deadline on your airline's own site.
On that basis, we would not book a self-transfer from an international arrival at one airport to a departure from the other with less than about five to six hours between scheduled landing and scheduled take-off, and more in the late afternoon rush or in the rainy season. For a domestic arrival with hand luggage only, you can cut that somewhat, but still leave a clear margin.
If the gap is short, an overnight stop costs less than a new ticket. A night near one of the airports, or a day in the city, turns a risky connection into an easy one. Our page on Bangkok on a long layover has ideas, and the guide to where to stay in Bangkok covers areas.
Late September 2026 showed why buffers matter. After heavy weather in Bangkok, the Tourism Authority of Thailand reported on 29 September that both airports were operating but that one airline was still delivering delayed baggage and had cancelled some flights. Travel insurance that covers missed connections on separate tickets is worth checking; see our guide to travel insurance for Thailand.
Which airport is better to fly into
If you have a free choice, the deciding factor is usually where you are going next and when you land. Suvarnabhumi has the Airport Rail Link into the city, which runs 05:30–24:00 and avoids road traffic. Don Mueang has the SRT Red Line and the A1–A4 buses to Mo Chit, Victory Monument, Lumphini Park and Sanam Luang. Both have 24-hour taxi queues. For a wider view of all of Thailand's international airports, see our guide to which Thai airport to fly into.
Frequently asked questions
Is Don Mueang the same airport as Suvarnabhumi?
No. They are two separate airports in different parts of Bangkok. Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is east of the city and Don Mueang (DMK) is in the north. Moving between them means leaving one airport and travelling across the city by road or rail.
Can anyone use the free shuttle between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang?
No. Airports of Thailand limits the free shuttle to passengers connecting between flights, who must show proof of the onward flight and a passport. Members of the public who are not connecting cannot use it and should take a taxi, Grab, bus 555 or the rail route.
Do I need to go through immigration to change airports in Bangkok?
Yes, if you arrive on an international flight. You must pass immigration, collect your checked bags and check in again at the other airport. That means completing the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card and meeting the normal entry rules for your passport.
How long does it take to get from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang?
There is no official journey time, because the trip depends on Bangkok traffic. Plan the whole transfer, including immigration, bags and check-in, rather than only the drive. We suggest at least five to six hours between flights on separate international and domestic tickets.
Does Thai AirAsia fly from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang?
Both. Don Mueang is Thai AirAsia's main Bangkok base, but from 1 October 2026 it also flies from Suvarnabhumi to Chiang Mai, Krabi and Phuket. Check the airport code on your ticket, because it depends on the flight.
Sources
- Airports of Thailand – Ways to transport to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport (checked October 2026)
- Airports of Thailand – Don Mueang shuttle bus and airport buses (checked October 2026)
- Airports of Thailand – Public taxi at Don Mueang (checked October 2026)
- Airports of Thailand – Route 555 Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang (checked October 2026)
- AirAsia Newsroom – AirAsia is back at Suvarnabhumi (checked October 2026)
- Nok Air – Routes and booking (checked October 2026)
- SRT Electrified Train – Red Line fare information (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Weather and travel conditions in Bangkok, visitor information (checked October 2026)