BANGKOK, THAILAND – Suvarnabhumi Airport prepared for the Songkran 2026 holiday with plans to handle about 1.82 million passengers in ten days and reduce congestion through extra flights, biometric systems and five days of free parking.
Forecast: 1.82 million passengers in ten days
Airport director Kittipong Kittikhachorn announced extensive measures for the Songkran travel period in 2026. For the period from 10 to 19 April, the airport expected a total of about 1,820,000 passengers, or around 182,000 per day.
According to the forecast, overall passenger numbers were set to be slightly below the previous year, with a decline of 1.9%. At the same time, the airport planned to handle around 11,000 flights, averaging 1,100 per day, an increase of 4.6% compared with the same period a year earlier.
Slight drop in passengers, more flights
Nine airlines applied for additional extra and charter services, for a total of 130 flights. Most of these extra flights were allocated, according to the airport, to AIR MACAU as well as Bangkok Airways and Thai Vietjet Air.
The added services were intended to spread demand more evenly across the day and ease pressure on regular scheduled flights. The airport positioned these measures as part of a broader effort to manage the Songkran peak without major delays.
Technology to cut queues: self check-in and biometrics
To speed up processing, Suvarnabhumi promoted the use of self check-in kiosks (CUSS) and self bag-drop systems (CUBD). The airport expected more passengers to switch to these options to reduce lines at traditional counters.
In addition, biometric technology was to support identity verification, helping to cut document checks and make procedures more efficient. The systems were designed to shorten waiting times at key bottlenecks in the departure process.
Public transport and controls: focus on safe journeys
For arrivals and departures, taxis, limousines, public buses and the Airport Rail Link were to be available in sufficient numbers, with extra vehicles planned for peak periods. Coordination with the relevant agencies aimed to keep ground access flowing during the busiest hours.
Together with responsible authorities, the airport tightened vehicle and driver inspections, including alcohol tests and drug screenings. These checks were intended to enhance safety for travelers using public and private transport to and from the airport.
Five days of free parking in long-term Zone C
As relief for passengers, parking in the long-term Zone C area was offered free of charge for five days. The exemption applied from Saturday, 11 April 2026, at 00:01 until Wednesday, 15 April 2026, at 24:00.
A shuttle bus was scheduled to run every 15 minutes around the clock between the parking area and the terminal. The airport expected the free Zone C parking and shuttle service to encourage more drivers to leave their cars in the long-term area and reduce congestion near the terminal.