Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Not Verified |   Hands down one of the worst airports in Southeast Asia. Long lines for everything, poor communications to passengers, insufficient resources such as bathrooms, F&B, ABTC lines at departure. Terribly inefficient place.

✅ Trip Verified | Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport presents a tale of contrasts, with its impressive terminal for last-minute shopping standing in stark juxtaposition to the frustratingly slow immigration queues. Suvarnabhumi's shopping options are nothing short of spectacular. The airport offers a diverse range of stores, from high-end boutiques to local treasures. The expansive duty-free area is a shopper's paradise, with an extensive selection of products, making it an ideal place for last-minute souvenir hunting or indulging in luxury purchases. The terminal's architecture is both modern and aesthetically pleasing, creating a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. The design incorporates cultural elements, adding a touch of Thai elegance to the overall ambiance. The plethora of dining options, lounges, and recreational areas contribute to a positive pre-flight experience. Unfortunately, the luster of Suvarnabhumi is dimmed by the consistently slow immigration processing times. Long queues, coupled with what appears to be an understaffed immigration system, can turn what should be a seamless process into a time-consuming and frustrating affair. This aspect significantly impacts the overall airport experience, particularly for travelers with tight connections. While the shopping experience is enhanced by friendly and helpful staff, the same cannot be said for the immigration counters. The personnel, though professional, often seem overwhelmed, contributing to a lack of efficiency in processing passengers promptly. In conclusion, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport provides a unique juxtaposition of outstanding shopping experiences against the backdrop of slow immigration queues. Travelers should be prepared for potentially lengthy waits at immigration but can take solace in the world-class shopping opportunities the airport offers. Suvarnabhumi remains a destination where, with the right expectations, one can navigate the contrasts and make the most of their time at this bustling international hub. I love this airport!

✅ Trip Verified | Already a very large airport with long walking distances, I see they are opening a further satellite wing shortly with even greater distances. Despite not being that old an airport, the facilities are awful toilets shabby and poor maintenance. There is a real shortage of seat power throughout the airport, and they have installed a few communal stands where you often see 10-20 customers trying to plug in chargers. Nowhere very comfortable to sit, and the design of the building makes it feel sterile and like a railway station. To be avoided if you can.

✅ Trip Verified | The airport has failed to update its check-in row, showing Emirates under "U", instead of "S". Early check in (3 hours prior to flight departure is recommended), but check in counters were unmanned, but maybe that says more about the airline, than the airport. Security clearance was not as dire as I had read about, taking about 30 minutes, but using antiquated practices, (removal of belts and shoes), despite the full body scanner capsules, followed by a wand scan. But then it's down the escalator to the Immigration hall. 2 queues have to form for this, one forking left, one forking right. This queue takes 40 minutes, to be seen by the Immigration officer, scanning both hands' fingers, and both hands' thumbs, plus a facial photo. Thereafter, the worn out airport, almost stuck together by Elastoplast, with particular emphasis on disgustingly maintained lavatories, and populated by third rate expensive restaurants, (USD20 for 2 coffees and 2 croissants), and shops. The government policy is to attract more tourists, but without providing the facilities to make that an attractive experience, for both visitors and non-Thai residents alike. The airport is 17 years old, but unlike other similarly aged airports, maintenance, refurbishment and high quality cleaning seems to be sorely lacking.

✅ Trip Verified | A delayed late arrival flight, at midnight is met by a long snaking queue at Immigration, with a protracted protocol of finger and facial photos. The government seem well aware of the problem, but despite wanting more tourists, unwilling to provide the resources to improve the situation. AOT must surely have the knowledge of the flight arrival schedules, but do not man the Immigration kiosks to accommodate the incoming capacity. It is not exactly the warm happy welcome falsely advertised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, (TAT).

✅ Trip Verified | It's extremely confusing set up - domestic and international flights not clearly guided on board for check in. They were far apart that consumed great amount of time for just trying to get to another counter. Operators staff were poorly trained without ability to handle passengers enquiry. Despite of so, throwing tantrums and even personally imposed additional restrictions to the travellers in order to check in baggages so can board plane where additional cost were already charged. Their operators held us up at the check in counter till giving us with just barely 1 hour for all security clearance at their airport and running across their gigantic airport to the other extreme end to the boarding gate. Scanned wood in carry on bag was detected as liquid on their security system - then held up more time there.

Not Verified | If there is a worse airport to transit through thankfully I have not yet encountered it! Flew EVA air, landed in gate E3 and about 90 minutes later flew out on the same plane through gate E3. In both directions you have to go through immigration and have your luggage checked, take your shoes off etc so antiquated. Remember that you have already been fully checked in London. So you leave the plane, walk through the airport aimlessly to get back on the same place with much inconvenience. Why not egress everyone, put them in a sterile room and then board the same way? Thailand, love the country but you make the easy very hard.

Not Verified | This airport is Absurd! Ugly grey and not practical you can add that no smoking area at all in the whole airport! Just useless airport for me after 15-16 hours of flight. I don’t recommend to go there at all! Avoid it as you can for any transit!

✅ Trip Verified | The worst airport in south east asia. Immigration, check in systems are very poor. You would need to be at airport 4 hours before or you might miss your flight

✅ Trip Verified | One of the largest airports of the world having varieties of shops of local and international products, food. The security check is a bit slow fast, the check-in service is also a little slow. The airport has a good architectural design having multiple seats, toilets, charging ports and shops to spend time. Shops are expensive.