By Air in Bangkok

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By Air

About 100 airlines fly into Bangkok each day. Thai Airways, the national airline, is the only carrier to serve Thailand directly from the East Coast of the United States, with nonstop service to New York. Thai also has direct flights between Bangkok and Los Angeles, and Bangkok and London. It also flies from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, and elsewhere in Asia.

The U.S. carrier with the most frequent flights to Bangkok is Northwest Airlines. It has direct service between Bangkok and San Francisco, and serves New York, Detroit, Seattle, Dallas, Los Angeles, and other U.S. cities through Tokyo. British Airways flies nonstop to Bangkok from London. Singapore Airlines flies to Bangkok through Singapore. Japan Airlines serves Bangkok with a connection in Tokyo, and Korean Air connects Bangkok with New York and Los Angeles through Seoul, though the flight leaves at 1 AM.

Two Taiwanese airlines, China Airlines (which has a spotty safety record) and Eva Air (which doesn't), both fly frequently through Bangkok to many points in Asia, as does Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific. Both Cathay and Eva connect to the United States through those hubs. When booking travel from the United States to Bangkok, avoid the European carriers, which offer connecting service through Europe -- that routing will add many hours to your trip.

Carriers

British Airways (02/636-1747. www.britishairways.com). Cathay Pacific (02/263-0606. www.cathay.com). China Airlines (02/250-9880. www.china-airlines.com). Eva Air (02/269-6300. www.evaair.com). Japan Airlines (02/692-5185. www.jal.com). Korean Air Lines (02/267-0985. www.koreanair.com). Northwest (02/254-0789. www.nwa.com). Singapore Airlines (02/236-0440. www.singaporeair.com). Thai Airways (02/356-1111; 02/132-0040 at the airport. www.thaiair.com). United Air Lines (02/535-2232. www.united.com).

Airports & Transfers

On September 28, 2006, the BKK code was taken over by Bangkok's brand-new Suvarnabhumi airport (pronounced "Su-wan-na-poom"). The $4.2 billion airport, developed for an eventual 100 million passengers per year, is a wonder to behold, with a spectacular, flowing architectural design featuring the world's tallest control tower and the second-largest single building in the world, along with an impressive array of new shops and services. Suvarnabhumi is 30 km (18 mi) southeast of the city, in the direction of Pattaya.

Bangkok's old international airport, Don Muang (now dubbed DMK), which is 25 km (16 mi) north of the city, offers domestic flights on Nok and One-Two-Go, as well as Thai Airlines domestic flights to major destinations like Chiang Mai, Chinag Rai, Krabi, and Phuket.

A 10-lane highway connects Suvarnabhumi to the city's outer-ring road and is linked to the Bang Na-Chonburi Expressway, which leads to the Eastern Gulf. Taxis, available 24 hours, are by far the most convenient way to get to Downtown Bangkok from the airport or vice versa, and they're cheap. You'll pay the metered fare plus a B50 airport surcharge and tolls. The total for all of the above should be around B350-B400. Get your taxi by taking the free airport shuttle to the airport's Public Transportation Center, then heading to one of the taxi counters on Level 1, near Entrances 3, 4, 7, and 8. State your destination to the dispatcher at the counter. The dispatcher will write it down for the driver, who will lead you to the taxi. Allow 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours for the trip to or from your hotel, depending on traffic. Don't forget to get Thai baht at the airport, as you'll need it to pay for your taxi.

At this writing, a city rail link between the airport and Phayathai-Makkasan was not due to open until 2008, but the Airport Bus Express is fully operational, and it's a good alternative to taxi service, costing about 40% less. The bus runs from 5 AM to midnight. Head to the Airport Bus Counter on Level 1, near Entrance 8 of the Public Transportation Center. The service, which costs B150, operates four routes. You can ask at the bus terminal which route to take to reach your hotel. Route AE1 serves the Silom neighborhood. Route AE2 serves Khao San Road and the Old City. Route AE3 serves Sukhumvit, and Route AE4 serves Hua Lumphong (the city's main railway station).

Another option is prearranging a limo transfer through your Bangkok hotel, but we don't recommend it. A hotel-arranged transfer will cost you US$60-$75, a huge increase over the standard taxi fare, and is only marginally more convenient than a taxi. In fact, it's not uncommon to have a hard time finding your driver because of some flight delay or miscommunication, in which case you'll be faced with a frantic search and/or moral dilemma of whether to write off the transfer and take a cab -- hardly the way you want to start your vacation.

Note that when you leave the airport on an international flight, you'll be required to pay a Passenger Service Charge (PSC) of B700.

Note: The airport has more than its share of hustlers, many wearing uniforms and name tags that make them look official. Many try to get you to change your hotel to one that pays them a large commission, often claiming your hotel is overbooked. They will also hustle you into overpriced taxis or limousines. Do not get taken. Instead, follow the signs in the Public Transportation Center that point to the public taxi stand. Line up in front of a booth where an English-speaker will fill out a destination form for you. All of these taxis will use a meter.

Information

Suvarnabhumi Airport (02/132-1888 general; 02/132-0000 flight information. www.airportthai.co.th).