Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang: planning prayer in Bangkok
Your flight lands at one of two Bangkok airports, and prayer is easier at one.
Bangkok has two international airports, and which one you land at depends on your airline. Suvarnabhumi lists Muslim prayer rooms in its first satellite concourse. Don Mueang is the other airport, and you need to check its facilities page for your terminal. The right plan depends on your ticket.
Which airport does my flight use?
Your airline decides. Based on airline listings:
| Starting from | Airline | Bangkok airport |
|---|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia Airlines | Suvarnabhumi1 |
| Kuala Lumpur | Batik Air Malaysia | Don Mueang2 |
| Penang | Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air | Don Mueang3 |
| Penang | Thai Airways International | Suvarnabhumi3 |
Schedules change, so confirm on your ticket.
What is listed at Suvarnabhumi?
The airport’s official site lists Muslim prayer rooms among the facilities of the Midfield Satellite 1 (SAT-1) concourse4. That is the starting point, not the full address. Look at your boarding pass for the concourse and gate before you go looking.
Bangkok is 1 hour behind Malaysia5. Change your prayer app to Bangkok when you land.
What do we check at Don Mueang?
Use the airport’s own page rather than a blog. Check:
- Whether the prayer room is before or after security.
- Which terminal it is in.
- Whether there is a space for women.
If the page does not answer, send a message: “We are arriving at Don Mueang Terminal [number] on [date]. Where is the prayer room, and is it before or after security?”
Which airport suits a prayer-friendly transit?
- A single ticket into Suvarnabhumi: the easiest, since you have one airport to learn and one concourse to look at.
- A ticket into Don Mueang: plan the prayer before you go through immigration or after you are out, with the airport page in hand.
- Two tickets at different airports: avoid this on the same day if you can. You have to leave, cross the city and check in again, and prayer is the first thing to be dropped.
If your layover is long and you are tempted to leave the airport, read is it worth leaving the airport to visit a mosque.
What if we are on a budget?
Spend a little of what you save on a longer buffer between flights and a note of where to pray. That helps a family more than a cheaper fare with a very short gap.
Your next step
Write the airport name, terminal and where you will pray on your itinerary. Add each stop to the prayer-stop itinerary checklist. For the city, read Bangkok for Muslim travellers, and for the whole country, the Thailand guide for Malaysians. The prayer and daily pacing hub covers the days after.
Send us your flight numbers and arrival time, and we can help you work out which airport you land in and where to pray before your onward leg.
Common questions
Does Suvarnabhumi have a prayer room?
The airport's official site lists Muslim prayer rooms among the facilities of the Midfield Satellite 1 concourse. That tells you where to look but not the floor or opening hours, so check the airport page close to your date and ask an information desk once you land.
What about Don Mueang?
Look at Don Mueang's official facilities page for your terminal and date, and note whether each room is before or after security. If the page is unclear, message the airport before you fly and save the reply on your phone.
Which airport will my flight use?
It depends on the airline. Malaysia Airlines lists Suvarnabhumi, Batik Air Malaysia lists Don Mueang from Kuala Lumpur, and Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air fly into Don Mueang from Penang. Your ticket names the airport, so read it before you plan.
Is it worth changing airports between two cheap flights?
Only if you leave a large buffer. Two airports means leaving the airport, travelling across the city and checking in again, which leaves little room for prayer. If you can, choose connections in the same airport.
What do I do if I cannot find a prayer room in time?
Pray in the quietest corner that is clean and out of the way, with your family's agreement. Keep the prayer short, and tell an airline staff member you need a few minutes. Ask your ustaz in advance how to handle direction and cleanliness.
Sources
- Malaysia Airlines' destinations list includes Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport from its Kuala Lumpur hub. Wikipedia: Malaysia Airlines destinations. seasonal/subject to change
- The Kuala Lumpur International Airport table lists Batik Air Malaysia flying to Hong Kong, Hanoi and Bangkok-Don Mueang. Wikipedia: Kuala Lumpur International Airport. seasonal/subject to change
- The Penang International Airport table lists Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air to Bangkok-Don Mueang and Thai Airways International to Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi. Wikipedia: Penang International Airport. seasonal/subject to change
- Suvarnabhumi Airport's official site lists Muslim prayer rooms among the facilities of the Midfield Satellite 1 (SAT-1) concourse. Suvarnabhumi Airport (AOT) official site
- Thailand is on UTC+07:00, 1 hour behind Malaysia (Malaysia is UTC+08:00). Wikipedia: List of time zones by country. Offsets exclude any daylight saving.
Keep planning
Send us your flight numbers and arrival time, and we can help you work out which airport you land in and where to pray before your onward leg.