The second biggest airport in Thailand is Don Mueang Airport (DMK) locate at Sanambin district, 27 kilometers away from Bangkok. Since Bangkok becomes one of the main tourist destinations, the airport support and facilities are very important here. Therefore, it’s recommended to know the information about Don Mueang Airport facilities and supports before you travel around Don Mueang.
Don Mueang Airport
Don Mueang Airport is the second biggest airport with a long history that started nearly a century ago. It has handled almost 41 million passengers. It offers popular flights such as NokScoot, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, and Thai AirAsia X.
History of Don Mueang Airport
Being the first to open for commercial travel in 1924, Don Mueang Airport is known as the oldest airport in Asia. However, it was closed due to the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport as Bangkok’s modern main airport that serves long-haul international flights.
As the rising of cheap flight services, Don Mueang Airport re-opened in 2007 as the hub of domestic and regional trips. So, if you are on a short trip with a tight budget, it is better to find an affordable flight that takes you to this airport.
Read Also: Cheap Itineraries Near Don Mueang Airport for a Quick Rest during a Layover!
Don Mueang Airport Terminals and Levels
Don Mueang comes with two terminals that have different functions and facilities. Each terminal comes with several levels and each level offers various supports.
Terminal 1
Terminal 1 of Don Mueang Airport is the place of all international flights and some of the domestic flights. Here is the description of each level:
Level 1
The Level 1 in Don Mueang Airport Terminal 1 has the arrival halls which are divided into the domestic arrivals on the south and the international arrivals on the north. The domestic gates include Gate 31-37 and 41-48. Meanwhile, the international gates are Gate 1-14 and 21-27. You can have free access to all of the arrival halls.
At the arrival halls, you can quench your thirst with the free water fountains. There are currency exchange service and bank counters if you want to exchange your money. Public telephones are available to use if you need to send some news to your beloved ones. And there’s the information desk if you ever need some help.
Moreover, there are also post offices, duty-free stores, lost and found counters, baggage storage, hotel reservation counter, meeting point, food, and drink concessions. There are ground transportation supports as well, such as bus, taxi, or car rentals.
Besides the arrival halls, the first level of Don Mueang Airport Terminal 1 is also the place for the baggage claim area, three baggage belts, passport, and visa control.
Level 3
Being the opposite of Level 1, Don Mueang Airport Level 3 is the departure hall that’s also divided into domestic and international departures. The domestic departures hall is in the south, and the international departures hall is in the north. In both halls, you can see the security checkpoint and the boarding area. There are also some of the airlines’ counters and check-in counters before the security checkpoint and boarding area.
Right after the security checkpoint, you can find the immigration counter and a big duty-free shop with various kinds of food and drink, public phones barbershop, an ATM, toilets, VIP lounges, and so forth.
You can also serve yourself with the food and drink in the domestic departures hall. Also, you can take a rest in the VIP and special airport lounges namely Samaneras and Sangha’s lounge, an ATM, a Muslim prayer room, etc. There is the access route to the boarding gates and the flights’ transfer after the security on the far south of the terminal. If you want to move to Terminal 2 of Don Mueang Airport, you just need to go through the walkways.
Read Also: Layover? Worry Not, You won’t Get Bored while Doing These!
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 is built for serving domestic and regional flights. The capacity of passengers is 30 million a year. There are four levels in Terminal 2:
Level 1
The domestic arrival of Terminal 2 in Don Mueang Airport is on this level. Outside, you can easily find public transportation such as the bus and rental cars. Inside, there are six baggage bels and customs. Under this level, you can see the P2 car parking lot.
Level 1 has information counter, water fountains, PRM toilets, car rental booths, toilets, meeting points, smoking area, mobile phone services, ATMs, food, and drinks.
Level 2
To put it simply, Level 2 is the airline’s office. It’s a dedicated floor connected with the P2 and P3 parking lots, Magic Food Park, and the food concessions.
Level 3
Level 3 is the domestic departures hall of Don Mueang Airport with the check-in counters in the center of the first section. Moreover, you can find the information on the information counters before the check-in counters. Various services you can enjoy here are Muslim prayer room, PRM toilets, smoking areas, airline ticket offices, toilets, lost and found the center, Muslim prayer room, reception room for Buddhist monks, VIP lounges, post office, food and drink concessions, currency exchange and first aid station.
After the security, the point is the access to piers 3 to 5, and gates 73 to 78. The basic services are similar, such as the escalators, lifts, water fountains, toilets, stores, and PRM toilets. Near the security, you can walk to Terminal 1 at the north end.
Level 4
The amenities available at this level are PRM toilets, water fountains, toilets, sleep boxes, food, and drink concessions. Moreover, you can enjoy other Don Mueang Airport services such as beauty salon, public telephones, pharmacy, information desk, VAT refund, SIM cards, baggage storage, sauna and spa, medical services, conference facilities, business lounge, and banking facilities.
Lounge
The lounges available here include these facilities:
- Miracle Lounge: opens at 5 AM – 8 PM and the fee is 15 Euros per person for 2 hours.
- Miracle Co-Working Space: opens at 6 AM – 10 PM and the conference rooms are also available.
- The Coral Executive Lounge: opens at 6 AM – 10 PM and the access fee is 28 Euros per person for 3 hours.
Transportations in Don Mueang Airport
What is your first destination once landing at Don Mueang Airport? Wherever you’re heading to, it’s best if you know which transportation will suit your needs. Here are a few options to choose from if you’re heading to Bangkok:
- Bus: There are airport shuttle buses, airport regular buses, and Bangkok city buses that are ready to take passengers to the downtown area.
- Train: The closest railway station from Don Mueang Airport is about an 8-minute walk or 800 meters away. It’s where you can catch the train to Bangkok city.
- Taxi: It’s your first alternative to save time heading downtown within 30 minutes.
- Car rental: If you want to travel around on your own, it’s better to rent a car. There are many car rental services available that you can book in advance before taking the flight.
Or you can look for alternative transportation choices here!
Visas for Thailand
A visa-entry to get into Thailand lasts for 30 days if you come from Western countries. However, it can be extended for another 60 days after the expired date. To extend you can come to one of the immigration offices in Thailand.
Some nationalities are allowed to enter Thailand within 60 days for a tourist visa. You can extend it for 30 days at the closest immigration office. The tourist visas offered are single, double, triple choices. Keep in mind that you must have a tourist visa to enter Thailand, so prepare it 15 days before.
Tips for Your First Time Travel to Don Mueang Airport
If it is your first time to go to Bangkok by plane, here are some tips when entering the airport:
- You have to first head to the Immigration once walking off the plane. There are hallways and stairs to get there. Better to keep the expectation of a clean and big airport as Don Mueang is smaller than Suvarnabhumi and still undergoing renovations.
- Be patient with the long lines at immigration. It is because there are some airlines arriving at similar times. You may meet locals and international passengers.
- Once finished with the immigration, you can get your luggage and walk through Customs to exit from the airport. Don’t forget to get a local SIM card offered by some vendors and also enter the currency exchange spots as well to have enough Baht cash for the first day or two of the trip.
So, are you going to Thailand immediately? Don’t forget to take Airpaz as your best partner in travel. Enjoy the Don Mueang Airport atmosphere as one of the oldest airports in the world!
