Do you always book a hotel by the airport just in case you miss you flight? Or am I the only

[altayvan]

Too many stamps in my passport. Just in case I am staying grounded and not going to leave BKK today

[marin]

Never, in fact I have never even thought of it. 

[Nick Carter icp]

I aways ain to get to the airport at least six hours before my flight .

I have regular nightmares where I am trying to get to the airport for s flight and there's numerous delays like traffic jam and train cancellations are numerous other things , like my flight leave in 40 minutes and I am an hour away stuck on a bus stuck in a traffic jam .

   So, I always get to airports extra early

[EVENKEEL]

Not once thought of it. Always get to Airport early so I can belly up to the free lounge bar.

[UWEB]

Never, for 10 years was flying out of Thailand every two month for work but never needed a Hotel. Just be on time at the Airport.

[jas007]

Sounds like an extreme precaution to me.  If I missed my flight, I'd just go back to another hotel room somewhere.  Usually, though, I just get to the airport early.  

[novacova]

5 hours ago, altayvan said:

Do you always book a hotel by the airport just in case you miss you flight? Or am I the only

No. You’re the only one.

2 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

I aways ain to get to the airport at least six hours before my flight .

Good grief! You’re kidding, right?

[Ralf001]

Yeah, Nah never.

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

I aways ain to get to the airport at least six hours before my flight .

I have regular nightmares where I am trying to get to the airport for s flight and there's numerous delays like traffic jam and train cancellations are numerous other things , like my flight leave in 40 minutes and I am an hour away stuck on a bus stuck in a traffic jam .

   So, I always get to airports extra early

 

Damn...   6 hours ??  you can't be serious, surely ?

 

I only ever get to the Airport 2 hours before the flight... (quite often less than that - about 1.5 hrs)... 

In and out so frequently...  at least 8x departures per year...  never even came close to missing a flight.

 

------

 

With regards to the Op ?... Why on earth booking anything 'just in case' you miss a flight ?

IF in the event a flight was missed - it takes moments to book one of the many many hotels nearby the airport on Booking.com...   

... This idea was never on any radar at all... certainly not something anyone would consider consider, at least I would have thought so until I read this thread. 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Damn...   6 hours ??  you can't be serious, surely ?

 

I only ever get to the Airport 2 hours before the flight... (quite often less than that - about 1.5 hrs)... 

In and out so frequently...  at least 8x departures per year...  never even came close to missing a flight.

 

   Aim for six hours but usually ends up being about 4 hours prior to departure .

   Soon as the gates open I go and check in and get my boarding pass , no queues or waiting , then there's plenty of time to go for a feed or a drink 

[Hummin]

If I fly out in the night, I book one extra night at the Airport hotel we use. 12-15 min away. 

 

Last time I went home, 45 min from my hotel and through the emigration. 

 

Checked in online, and no delays at all, and got to use my pink card for the immigration line for Thais. 

[CHdiver]

Every time. I like to have a relaxed day around the pool of the Novotel, then have a leisurely stroll to the Check In. 

[JensenZ]

16 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Aim for six hours but usually ends up being about 4 hours prior to departure .

   Soon as the gates open I go and check in and get my boarding pass , no queues or waiting , then there's plenty of time to go for a feed or a drink 

"no queues or waiting"? What about 4 hours before departure? Is that not waiting? You get to the airport 4 hours early to avoid queues or waiting? That was quite funny. You're waiting for the check-in counters to open.

[spidermike007]

You might not be the only one but you are certainly one of the only few. I've never in my life done that I don't anticipate ever doing that.

 

I always get to the airport 3 hours early for an international flight, so there's very little likelihood of me missing the flight. 

[Nick Carter icp]

10 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

"no queues or waiting"? What about 4 hours before departure? Is that not waiting? You get to the airport 4 hours early to avoid queues or waiting? That was quite funny. You're waiting for the check-in counters to open.

 

   I did mean that there's no queueing up or waiting whilst checking in  , once checked in you can then have a leisurely feed or drink , then sit back smugly and watch all the people running through the airport , looking at their watch and panicking about missing their flight .................whilst I get myself another beer 

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

I did mean that there's no queueing up or waiting whilst checking in  , once checked in you can then have a leisurely feed or drink , then sit back smugly and watch all the people running through the airport , looking at their watch and panicking about missing their flight .................whilst I get myself another beer 

 

Each to their own of course...   whatever makes you comfortable - I've read comments from other posters who like to get to the airport very early.

 

However, I've never truly understood why... I consider this level of timing considerably over-egging-it.....   

 

As is the comment about 'sitting back and relaxing snuggly watching others panicking"...   does that really happen - I'm in airports a lot (and try and minimise my time there), but feeling 'smug' at others stressing is not really a highlight of travelling, is it ???

 

 

Airline check-in counters at Suvarnabhumi generally do not open until 3 hours before the flight (unless flying Thai Airways which is 8 hours)...  So you might be waiting anywhere from 1-3 hours before you can check-in anyway.

 

Additionally, is sitting in a crowded Airport cafe having a beer really relaxing !!... 

In a quiet lounge perhaps - but then if you get access to a lounge its likely you have access to priority check-in and fast track which means there is hardly any queueing anyway.

 

 

[impulse]

16 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I did mean that there's no queueing up or waiting whilst checking in  , once checked in you can then have a leisurely feed or drink , then sit back smugly and watch all the people running through the airport , looking at their watch and panicking about missing their flight .................whilst I get myself another beer 

 

You must not fly to China.  If I show up 3 hours early, there's already a 30 minute queue.  If I show up 4 hours early, I may be first in the queue when they open the check-in gate (3 hours before departure).  But I'll need to get in that queue at least half an hour before they open the desks to get up front in the line.  And that's if I can figure out which desk to queue up at.  And they don't change it...

 

To answer the OP, I don't move hotels to be closer to the airport, and that area isn't of enough interest to me that I'd stay near the airport.  I shoot for arriving 3 hours early and allow double the expected time for traffic.  Usually that means leaving the hotel 5 hours before wheels up.  Swampy is a great airport to spend some extra time.

 

Edit:  In fairness, I fly cattle class.  I just can't bring myself to pony up the $100 an hour for a slightly better seat and meal, and shorter queues.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

7 hours ago, altayvan said:

Just in case I am staying grounded and not going to leave BKK today

How often did you do that already? How much did you pay?

Let's say you paid 10 times each 100 USD and you never used the room. That's 1000 USD wasted.

 

If you really can't fly, I am sure you will find a hotel room on short notice. The only question is how much you pay. But for 1000 USD you should be able to find something nice on short notice near the airport anytime you need it.

[Nick Carter icp]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Each to their own of course...   whatever makes you comfortable. 

 

However, I do consider this level of timing considerably over-egging-it.....    As is the comment about 'sitting back and relaxing snuggly watching others panicking"...  

 

Airline check-in counters at Suvarnabhumi generally do not open until 3 hours before the flight (unless flying Thai Airways which is 8 hours)...

 

Additionally, theres nothing relaxing about sitting in a crowded Airport cafe having a beer !!... 

In a quiet lounge perhaps - but then if you get access to a lounge its likely you have access to priority check-in and fast track which means there is hardly any queueing anyway.

 

 

  I usually try and leave six hours prior to departure when I fly from London and I get to the airport by bus and train and you can easily get delayed by a few hours using public transport what with roadworks traffic jams , signal failures , break downs and other things 

[Nick Carter icp]

4 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

You must not fly to China.  If I show up 3 hours early, there's already a 30 minute queue.  If I show up 4 hours early, I may be first in the queue when they open the check-in gate (3 hours before departure).  But I'll need to get in that queue at least half an hour before they open the desks to get up front in the line.  And that's if I can figure out which desk to queue up at.  And they don't change it...

 

 

   Don't know what you are doing , but I wait for the check in gate to be shown on the departure board .

   Four hours before departure the gate comes up on the screen and passengers wouldn't know where to go until  the gate is shown 

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, Nick Carter icp said:

I usually try and leave six hours prior to departure when I fly from London and I get to the airport by bus and train and you can easily get delayed by a few hours using public transport what with roadworks traffic jams , signal failures , break downs and other things 

 

Ah... leaving home 6 hours before departure is something different...    depending on where, time etc.. 

 

In the past, when departing from London on an early AM flight, we've got down there the night before so we don't have to wake up at 4am etc...

 

But... thats all a bit different from getting to the airpot 4 hours early.

 

 

With Bangkok Traffic - I have to plan a little...  on a good run I can get to the airport in 20mins - usually its about 30-35mins and at worst its 45mins... never an hour.... so its fairly predicable.

 

If something catastrophic happens, and I miss the flight - then thats just hard luck...   I think aiming to get to the airport (Suvarnabumi) allows 'me' enough of a safety barrier - thats also aided by Thai Elite and fast track through the airport too...  Lots of time saved when travelling through the airport so frequently.

 

I can understand someone wanted to get there 3 hours early, just incase... longer than that seems excessive (just IMO of course - its entirely up to you... I'm just interested in the justification from a sociological perspective thats all).

 

 

 

[impulse]

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I can understand someone wanted to get there 3 hours early, just incase... longer than that seems excessive (just IMO of course - its entirely up to you... I'm just interested in the justification from a sociological perspective thats all).

 

Those of us in cattle class don't like middle seats, and are willing to queue up early to avoid getting stuck in one.  Especially on a long flight.  Or worse, get booked in a middle seat on the 2nd segment, too.  Since Covid, the flights to China are cheap, but very rarely non-stop to smaller (<15 million) cities.

 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

Those of us in cattle class don't like middle seats, and are willing to queue up early to avoid getting stuck in one.

 

Yeah, I hate middle seats too (unless sat with my Wife and Son)...  

 

You know you can check-in online right and chose your seat ? - though you may have to pay a little extra.

 

I guess getting there 2 hours earlier and getting at the head of the queue saves a few $$ from booking a seat.

 

 

 

 

 

[The Old Bull]

I like to fly business class so checking in is always a breeze I aways get there early enough to put in a couple of hours lounge time. Might as well since I paid for it.

[Nick Carter icp]

12 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I can understand someone wanted to get there 3 hours early, just incase... longer than that seems excessive (just IMO of course - its entirely up to you... I'm just interested in the justification from a sociological perspective thats all).

 

 

   I don't like being in a rush , I get stressed out sitting in a traffic jam and checking the time or waiting at a train platform seeing a train has been cancelled , I Prefer to leave home early with plenty of spare time and not being concerned about any delays in getting to the airport . 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

2 minutes ago, The Old Bull said:

I like to fly business class so checking in is always a breeze I aways get there early enough to put in a couple of hours lounge time. Might as well since I paid for it.

 

   Do you just want to show off and boast ?

[impulse]

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Yeah, I hate middle seats too (unless sat with my Wife and Son)...  

 

You know you can check-in online right and chose your seat ? - though you may have to pay a little extra.

 

I guess getting there 2 hours earlier and getting at the head of the queue saves a few $$ from booking a seat.

 

I'll try that again this trip...  In the past, I was never able to check in online to China.  My visa is in an old passport, and they usually want to see evidence of onward travel.  But I haven't tried it in awhile.  I fly to BKK tomorrow and back on Jan 20.  I'll pay more attention to the gate announcement board and try to check in online this time.  Maybe they've changed...

 

 

[The Old Bull]

1 minute ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Do you just want to show off and boast ?

I fly business because it pleases me ,not to impress others.

[bkk6060]

Never

[Njoku]

I dont expect to miss my flight.