Bangkok Airport transfer time
 

Tried to get this answered on tripadvisor but answers weren't too clear, wanted to basically see if a 2 hour window would be okay for domestic to international and vice versa when flying in and out of Bangkok Airport (BKK, not DMK).

- no checked baggage, all carry-on

- land at 1:10pm on EVA at BKK (not DMK)

- depart at 3:10pm on Thai Airways at BKK (not DMK)

- if mobile check-in is available on Thai Airways we would have boarding passes ready

- EVA Air and Thai Airways bookings were done separately, so two tickets vs. on one

Then the second part is whether our return would be okay as well:

- Bangkok Air flight that gets into BKK from Phuket at 1:15pm

- EVA Air flight departing at 3:15pm

- no checked baggage

- assume we would be able to check into EVA Air vs. mobile device

Thanks!

Probably fine in both cases. Mobile check-in only an issue if you're delayed in to BKK. You do clear immigration and customs in both directions but MCT is 75 minutes and IME even when immigration is really bad it isn't usually more than 30 minutes.

That said, what is the alternative and what's your backup plan? It is slightly tight and there is some risk involved.

got it, thanks for the prompt reply here. so the alternative would be we'd have to rebook our flight out to chiang mai for later in the afternoon i guess, 4/5pm vs. 3pm.

i guess what's more important is that we don't miss our flight going out of bangkok. so it seems like generally (assumes no delays), then with no baggage we should be fine for the return (ie get into BKK at 1:15pm to board an EVA Air flight that departs at 3:15pm)?

and i'm not quite familiar, what does is MCT/IME? I was reading about this international/domestic transfer (CIQ) but don't know if this only really benefits travelers with baggage being checked in. thanks!

I tend to agree, but I'm most worried about your international to domestic transfer. Customs can have quite the line at BKK but I normally arrive early in the morning from India. Baggage isn't normally the issue. It is usually customs.

Just looked at the arriving flights around 1pm for BKK. You're going to be tight. There are quite a few large planes the disgorge around that time.

I see, if we were to try to change our flights so it arrives at 11am and next flight departs at 1pm would this be a bit better?

I guess from the above it seems like the return flight (ie from Phuket to Bangkok to international) is less of a concern? Thanks!

MCT = minimum connection time

IME = in my estimation

The connection is fine because most of those arriving passengers have checked bags. If you only have carry on, you'll be out of the customs area before a lot of those other passengers even get their bags.

Coming in from US east coast, I generally arrive late at night when quite a few flights also land in a short period of time, and have no issue with long lines at customs for the simple reason that I don't have to wait for checked luggage to come off the belt.

Surely you mean immigration - I've never seen a queue at customs. Immigration can take a while if it's busy, but there are two main exit plazas and if the first one you come to is very crowded it is often worth going on to the other one, sometimes staff will direct you there.

If the EVA flight is on time I think the two hours should be ok, unless your arrival is a major Thai holiday with a likely shortage of immigration officers on duty - I wouldn't risk it in that case.

There is no exit customs and immigration can be done in HKT on the return so long as TG is willing to interline.

OP doesn't say where the inbound Dom flight goes to, but if to HKT then immigration would be done in BKK and customs in HKT. The TG dom transfer desk is adjacent to the transfer immigration area at the A/B/C/D confluence.

Oh that's great, good to know we should be able to do immigration in HKT so avoid having to do this in BKK.

And dsquared37, my inbound flight will be going to Chiang Mai so would assume the same as the above, that I could do immigration in BKK and customs in CNX?

CNX does indeed allow that.

The vagaries of the setup allow international pax without checked baggage to skip customs. When you arrive in CNX just ensure your CIQ (or whatever) sticker (if you're even given one) is no longer showing and head to domestic baggage claim, then exit to the street.

2 hours is fine. Arriving international remember that there are 3 immigration entrances which I think are for something like baggage carrousels 1-15, visa on arrival/priority lane, and 16-24 ... but everything is just connected inside. I usually have a priority lane pass (and you can buy them online and somebody meets you and gets you through quickly for around 1,000 baht/person) but if the line is extremely long just try the other side, there usually is a significant difference as most people don't realize there are options.

OP doesn't have bags and is continuing on to CNX meaning they can use transfer immigration at the A/B/C/D confluence. There's no need to go through the regular immigration channels.

Fair enough. I have personally found those lines a real pain as there is no priority lane, etc. if I have time I go out the normal and back in (on international to Domestic transfer with bags forwarded or without bags). If there is a huge line that is an option. Am I misreading again?