Waiting Times Immigration Suvarnabhumi Airport

[patongphil]

I am flying in in a few days but as I have a connecting flight so was wondering what the wait times through immigration and customs were currently at the airport.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Haveasay]

I presume it's to a domestic flight! Remember there are two immigration entrances. If the first has long queues walk another maybe 20 metres to second and check. Though I've not entered for a few weeks, and someone else posted delays, and simultaneous arrivals possible, they seem more prepared. Also the process is quicker, with passengers just needing flight ticket and passport. No check of where your staying etc, on previous entry form. Obviously they say 3 hours between flights but I'd allow 5 with collection of baggage taking time, which I had if your not booked through. 

[Chigur]

Two weeks ago arriving around 8pm, not connecting but entering into Bkk. Immigration line was hardly 15min. and another 15 at baggage collection. I had nothing to declare and customs didn't stop me.

[mikeymike100]

Depends what time you arrive in BKK?

Usually early to mid morning the line at immigration is small and in the evening, afternoons are the busiest as generally more flights land.

[khunjeff]

As others have noted, it varies a lot based on how many other flights have landed at the same time. After people complained online a few months ago about long immigration queues, though, they do seem to be trying to keep the waits down to below 20 minutes by opening more counters when the crowd starts to grow. I arrived last night at about 630pm, and was very lucky - a two minute wait at immigration, and bag on the belt less than ten minutes later (the previous month I waited about 16 minutes).

 

If you want live information on queues at Suvarnabhumi, it's available on the "Sawasdee by AOT" app. The app is large and intrusive, but I've found the estimates of wait times to be pretty accurate.

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.AOT

[bkk6060]

Business class a few weeks ago took 45 seconds.

[surat04]

I arrived at 16:15 one week ago. No queue at immigration, straight to a vacant desk. Also no queue for public taxi. I made my 18:55 AirAsia flight from Don Meuang with ease.

[newnative]

A week ago my partner and I arrived on an international flight around noon.  Most of the booths were open and there were only a few people in each line--I was through in just a few minutes.   By the time we got to Baggage Claim it was just a short wait for our suitcases.  Very easy. 

[statman78]

As people have posted, I arrived this past Monday just after noon and the lines were short.  Took about 5 minutes.  The luggage arrive soon after I got to the the baggage carousel.  Unfortunately my bag never arrived and I am still waiting.

[dddave]

Probably less than half the flights arriving at Suvarnabhumi are right on schedule which makes immigration queues very difficult to predict.  Two 15 minute late flights along with a on time arrival can suddenly fill the immigration hall that 5 minutes before was half empty.  

 

There are 2 main immigration areas for international flights, one servicing gates A thru D and the other gates D thru G.    If the immigration area you come to first is backed-up, look for a TV monitor at the base of the ramp that shows both areas.  If the other area is uncrowded, keep walking in the same direction about 3 or 4 minutes and you will come upon it.

[rimmae2]

On 12/20/2022 at 11:09 PM, dddave said:

Probably less than half the flights arriving at Suvarnabhumi are right on schedule which makes immigration queues very difficult to predict.  Two 15 minute late flights along with a on time arrival can suddenly fill the immigration hall that 5 minutes before was half empty.  

 

There are 2 main immigration areas for international flights, one servicing gates A thru D and the other gates D thru G.    If the immigration area you come to first is backed-up, look for a TV monitor at the base of the ramp that shows both areas.  If the other area is uncrowded, keep walking in the same direction about 3 or 4 minutes and you will come upon it.

Actually there are monitors that show the waiting times in each Immigration areas areas for non-Thai Nationals, as well as in Fast Track.

 

I use the lanes for Thai Nationals so don't bother looking closely at waiting times, but in several early morning (06:00 to 06:30) arrivals in recent weeks noticed max time of 5 minutes. 

[patongphil]

Just a report back on how things went.

We had only 2 hours between scheduled international landing and next domestic flight. (8:30 am and 10:25am)

Needless to say we landed about 20 mins late - had to abort landing and recircle etc as there was a "dead animal on runway"

Anyway as had kids were sent to priority lane and were straight through. Other queues were no more than 10 mins.

Baggage another 10 mins or so.

 

This is when things took a surprising turn. Went up to a lady to enquire as to which Thai Smile Queue was the correct one for our check in.

She took it upon herself to take us to the self check in kiosk and checked us all in straight away. She then took us over to the self check in for bags and handled all that as well - including moving goods between bags so they were not overweight.

 

All in all about another 10 mins so we were well in time for connection.

 

I must say a BIG thank you to this lady and Thai Smile - such service well appreciated after a couple of long flights overnight with kids in tow.