Which Bangkok airport is better depends mostly on your airline, because the choice is usually made for you. Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is the main international gateway, used by Thai Airways and nearly every long-haul carrier, and it has a direct rail link into the city. Don Mueang (DMK), the older airport in the city's north, is the base for low-cost airlines such as Nok Air and Thai Lion Air. If you can choose, Suvarnabhumi usually wins for long-haul connections and rail access; Don Mueang can be the easier arrival for the north of Bangkok and, by bus, the Old City.
One detail matters for planning: the two airports are separate, and a connection between them means a transfer across the city by road. Check which airport each flight uses before you book onward travel or a hotel.
Which airlines use Suvarnabhumi
Suvarnabhumi is where Thailand's flag carrier, Thai Airways International, flies from, along with most of the international airlines serving Bangkok. The airport's own airline directory for September 2026 lists carriers from across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Finnair, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, ANA and Korean Air.
Several regional and low-cost airlines also use Suvarnabhumi. The same directory lists Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai Vietjet Air, AirAsia X, IndiGo, Jeju Air, Jetstar and Cebu Pacific. If you are connecting from a long-haul flight to a domestic one, keeping both flights on Suvarnabhumi, where possible, avoids the cross-city transfer altogether.
Which airlines use Don Mueang
Don Mueang, Bangkok's original international airport, is now primarily a low-cost hub. Its airline list for the Summer 2026 schedule (March 29 to October 24, 2026) includes Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Bangkok Airways, plus regional carriers such as AirAsia (Malaysia), Indonesia AirAsia, Philippines AirAsia, Batik Air, Citilink, Cebu Pacific, Myanmar Airways International and flydubai.
Because Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways appear on both airports' lists, check the airport code on your booking rather than assuming from the airline name: BKK is Suvarnabhumi and DMK is Don Mueang.
Getting into the city from Suvarnabhumi
Suvarnabhumi's biggest advantage is the Airport Rail Link, whose station is on Level B1 of the main terminal. Trains run from 5:30 a.m. to midnight toward central Bangkok, where the line connects with the BTS Skytrain and MRT, avoiding the expressway traffic that can make road journeys unpredictable.
The alternatives, all listed by the airport, are:
- Metered taxis, 24 hours a day from Level 1 between Gates 4 and 7, with a queue ticket and an airport surcharge on top of the meter.
- Grab ride-hailing pickups at Level 1, Gate 4.
- AOT Limousine counters on Level 2 in the arrivals halls, for a fixed-price private car booked at the counter.
- Public buses and vans, including bus route S1 to Khao San Road and Sanam Luang for the Old City, and a van to BTS On Nut.
One thing to know before you book a hotel: Suvarnabhumi is not inside the City of Bangkok. It sits in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province, east of the city, so hotels near the airport are a long way from the sights.
Getting into the city from Don Mueang
Don Mueang is inside Bangkok, in the district of the same name, and is closer to the northern half of the city. The SRT Red Line suburban railway stops at Don Mueang station and runs to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, where you can change to the MRT Blue Line. The operator estimates the full run from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Rangsit, which passes Don Mueang, at about 23 minutes.
Airport buses are the simplest way to reach specific neighborhoods: the A1 and A2 run via BTS Chatuchak to Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal and Victory Monument, the A3 to Pratunam, Ratchaprasong and Lumphini Park, and the A4 to Democracy Monument, Khao San Road and Sanam Luang. Taxis are also available, and the airport points out that the Don Mueang Tollway avoids much of the surface traffic.
Transferring between the two airports
If your tickets use both airports, allow plenty of time. A free shuttle bus runs between Suvarnabhumi (Level 2, Gate 3) and Don Mueang (International Terminal, Level 1, Gate 6) from 5 a.m. to midnight, every 30 minutes, but only for passengers who can show an onward ticket and a passport or Thai ID. Journey times depend on traffic, so leave a generous margin, particularly if you must collect bags and check in again.
So which airport is better?
- Choose Suvarnabhumi for long-haul flights, full-service airlines, same-airport connections, and a rail link into central Bangkok.
- Choose Don Mueang for low-cost domestic and regional flights, and when you are staying in the north of the city or the Old City, where the Red Line and the A-series buses help.
Once you know where you are landing, pick a base that suits the route in; our Bangkok hotels page covers the main areas. Travelers arriving by rail often choose the Siam and Ratchaprasong area, where hotels such as Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok and Park Hyatt Bangkok are close to the BTS. Arriving at Don Mueang, the A1 and A2 buses stop at BTS Chatuchak, near Chatuchak Weekend Market, and the A4 ends at Sanam Luang, beside the Grand Palace. For what to do once you are settled, see our Bangkok attractions page.
Sources: Suvarnabhumi Airport, airline information, Suvarnabhumi Airport, ways to transport to and from the airport, Don Mueang International Airport, airline information, Don Mueang International Airport, how to get to the airport, Don Mueang International Airport, arrival procedure, SRT Electrified Train, Red Line. Checked September 26, 2026.
Don Mueang is inside Bangkok, in the north of the city, while Suvarnabhumi is east of the city in Samut Prakan province. Which trip is quicker depends on where you are staying and on traffic; Suvarnabhumi has the Airport Rail Link, and Don Mueang has the SRT Red Line and the A1 to A4 buses.
Thai Airways International is listed at Suvarnabhumi. It does not appear on Don Mueang's Summer 2026 airline list.
Both. Thai AirAsia appears on the airline lists of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, so check the airport code, BKK or DMK, on your booking.
Trains run from 5:30 a.m. to midnight from the station on Level B1 of the main terminal, according to the airport.
The airport lists a starting fare of 35 or 40 baht plus the meter, and an airport surcharge of 50 baht paid directly to the driver. Baggage fees may also apply.
The airport lists 30 baht for the whole route on the A1 and A2, and 50 baht on the A3 and A4.
Yes, from 5 a.m. to midnight, every 30 minutes, but only for passengers with an onward flight ticket and a passport or Thai ID card. The general public cannot use it.
