te36

Trying to figure out how close i can cut it for an upcoming trip

How much time should i plan to arrive before plane departure in BKK internationally (to europe) ?

a) with star alliance gold leaving on star alliance
c) without frequent flyer benefits

No checked luggage.

Could i get through with boarding pass only on smart phone / printed (EU passport going to EU).

transpac

I think it really depends on the departing Immigration queue, which can vary.

Check-in with Star Gold should be quite quick.

Airlines have different time schedules for when the last check-in is allowed, and when gates close.

I think you will be required to show a paper boarding pass, at security, for departing Immigration and the reader at the gate.

And can you drill down on your question a bit. Are you asking what is the minimum time before scheduled departure that you can arrive where? Curb, counter, gate? Or do you want us to factor in travel time to the airport from some unknown location, via some unknown means?

Personally, I wouldn't arrive much later than say 90 minutes prior to scheduled international departure. On a recent trip to Hong Kong, the immigration queue departing was quite lengthy, ~ 40 minutes.

ft101

Class of travel would help too.

TravelDream

I think immigration queues make this impossible to answer. You could be through in five minutes but that's unlikely. It could quite easily also be 35 minutes. It's more than possible it could be more than an hour.

I'd aim to be at the terminal no less than 90 minutes before the flight. It's a big, spread-out airport with lengthy immigration queues. Anything less would be foolish.

As to what time to leave your hotel, that's even more difficult to answer. The reputation of traffic is Bangkok is well deserved. Getting a taxi from Silom or Sukhumvit could take 30 minutes or it could take 90 minutes (or more!). Public transport (i.e. trains) is far more reliable in this regard.
Whenever I have taken a taxi to the airport from one of those places, I aim to leave the hotel no later than 3.5 hours before departure time during rush hour and 3 hours before departure time during other time.

Diplomatico

That's pretty much what I do. If it's raining, I take the train.

EmailKid

+1 on paper BP. Had to get one even if I printed out one from airline's web site

Indeed, at some times it cane take that long through security. Having the Biz short line is very helpful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diplomatico

That's pretty much what I do. If it's raining, I take the train.

I always take the train unless it's at a time it does not run. Can get crowded, but I never check luggage and travel light.

:D!

I was allowed through BKK security and emigration with a phone BP last year (Nov 2017). Strictly speaking this was not a mobile BP (which I believe is not offered from BKK) but just the PDF BP that is meant to be printed.

I arrived at the airport about 5 hours early for a QR J flight and didn't want to wait until check-in opened, which meant I didn't get a fast track voucher either.

However security was quick, and only waited 15 mins at passports. I got into the lounge with just my phone too. At the gate they insisted on printing me a paper BP even though I didn't need it any more after that point!

tide

I've used only digital BPs (NH), no paper for the last 1-2 years. No issues at security, immigration, lounge nor gate (see below).
Because I skip the doc check at check-in counters, I present myself at gate 5 minutes earlier than my usual time.

behyx

transpac

Looking at their schedule I see they have just two flights per day, departing at 21:45 and 23:00, so guessing they would open check-in (Row U, Counter 9?) at 18:00-ish at the earliest?

They just opened a lounge at SBIA/BKK, seen some reports that it's open 24 hrs? Not the best reviews.

SK AAR

3 hours before

SK AAR

As stated above the lines for immigration is the uncertain part here. Lines can be short and be longer (I experienced 30 min or so in April for a early AM TG depart. to CPH).

But I will tell you what I do when I have a flight departing BKK around midnight/early AM.

Normally, I plan to be a the airport 1h - 1h30min hour before the flight. This is to check-in bags and obtain a BP. Normally there are no queues for check-in this late (as the majority of pax have already checked at the time shortly before check-in closes). This means leaving the city by taxi minimum 2 hours before the flight (normally from Silom or Sathon area). The good part is that there is hardly any traffic at this hour and going to the airport will take you 45min maximum (often 30-35 min) - you dont need to select highway/toll way at this hour.

I think you will need to collect a BP at the check-in desks as the immigration officer will stamp it. After collecting the BP you proceed to security check upstairs - even without status this is normally quickly done with (it takes max 5 min to get through). Then comes the immigration! This can be time consuming if you are unlucky and several flights will be leaving for China at the same time as your flight, which means that there can be lines at immigration. You may also be lucky that there is no queue/hardly any queue; then immigration takes 2 min. If no queue there is plenty of time for shopping or visiting a lounge. If immigration takes long time (which is 20-30 min in my book) you need to go straight to the gate.

I'm sure some may consider the above too tight/cutting it too close but I'm OK with it. I hate leaving the city too early as often I'm out with friends for dinner and drinks and I like arriving at the airport late/shortly before check-in closes. The benefit is that the lines for check-in (and I also believe at immigration) get shorter the later you arrive and the airport is way more calm when most of the pax for the many early AM flights have been dealt with already and are waiting at the gates. Try arriving at the airport around 10PM for an early AM departure, then you will see lines and people everywhere!