Atlanta to Bangkok Flights (ATL to BKK): Connections, Journey Time and Arrival Guide

Atlanta to Bangkok is a one-stop trip, and Asia or the Middle East is your choice

There is no nonstop between Atlanta and Bangkok; at more than 9,000 miles it is beyond the practical range of a scheduled flight. As of recent schedules there are several good one-stop routings from Hartsfield-Jackson, in two directions.

Across the Pacific:

• Via Seoul Incheon with Korean Air or Delta: both fly nonstop from Atlanta to Seoul, and Korean Air flies on to Bangkok several times a day. Delta and Korean Air are joint-venture partners, so one ticket covers the whole trip.
• Via Tokyo Haneda with Delta: Delta flies Atlanta to Haneda, and partners or Delta itself cover the leg to Bangkok depending on the schedule; Japan Airlines and ANA also fly Tokyo to Bangkok.

Across the Atlantic and Middle East:

• Via Doha with Qatar Airways: Qatar flies nonstop from Atlanta to Doha and has several Bangkok flights a day.
• Via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines: Turkish flies Atlanta to Istanbul and on to Bangkok, with a long but cheap routing.
• Via Dubai with Emirates from another US gateway, or via a European hub such as Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt or London, usually as a two-stop.

The Seoul and Doha options are the most common choices and usually the shortest total trips.

Journey time and distance

The great-circle distance from ATL to BKK is about 9,150 miles (14,700 km). Via Seoul, the Atlanta to Incheon leg takes about 14.5 to 15.5 hours and Incheon to Bangkok about 5.5 to 6 hours, for a total of 22 to 25 hours with a connection. Via Doha, the Atlanta leg takes about 14 hours and Doha to Bangkok about 6.5 hours, for a similar total. Via Istanbul, expect 23 to 27 hours.

Going west across the Pacific you cross the International Date Line and arrive in Bangkok two calendar days after leaving Atlanta by local date, often late at night or around midnight. Going east through Doha or Istanbul you also lose a day on the calendar. Coming home, flights usually leave Bangkok late at night or early morning and reach Atlanta the same day or the next afternoon.

Leaving from Hartsfield-Jackson

Atlanta's international flights use the Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal and Concourse F, on the east side of the airport, with its own check-in hall and road access from I-75. Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and Delta's long-haul flights to Seoul and Tokyo depart from Concourse F or E. If you are flying Delta, you can also check in at the domestic terminal and take the Plane Train to Concourse F, but driving or getting dropped at the international terminal is quicker.

Security can be slow at the domestic terminal; the international terminal is usually calmer. For a long-haul departure, arrive three hours before the flight with checked bags. MARTA trains run from downtown and Midtown to the domestic terminal in about 20 minutes, and a free shuttle connects to the international terminal.

Arriving at Suvarnabhumi and getting into Bangkok

Suvarnabhumi is one large terminal, and international arrivals use the second floor. Immigration can be slow when several long-haul flights land together late in the evening; the queue for visitors is often the longest part of the arrival. Have your hotel address ready for the arrival card.

The airport is about 30 km east of central Bangkok:

• Airport Rail Link: from the station on the lower level of the terminal to Phaya Thai in about 26 minutes, with a connection to the BTS Skytrain. It also stops at Makkasan, near the MRT subway. It runs until around midnight, so late arrivals may miss it.
• Public taxi: from the official taxi stands on the first floor; take a queue ticket, and the driver uses the meter plus a fixed airport surcharge and any expressway tolls. Allow 30 to 60 minutes depending on traffic.
• Grab: the main ride-hail app, with pickups from a signed area.
• Hotel transfers: worth arranging for a late-night arrival.

If you are connecting to a domestic Thai flight, check the airport: low-cost carriers such as Thai AirAsia and Nok Air fly from Don Mueang (DMK), Bangkok's second airport, about an hour's drive away.

When to fly and when to book

The cool, dry season from November to February is Bangkok's peak: hot by Atlanta standards but bearable, with clear skies. Fares from Atlanta and hotel rates are highest around Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. March to May is the hot season, with April the hottest month; Songkran, the Thai New Year water festival in mid-April, is a huge celebration and a busy travel time.

The rainy season from June to October brings heavy afternoon downpours but rarely whole days of rain, and it is when fares and hotels are softest. September and October are the wettest months in Bangkok. Book three to five months ahead for the winter peak; two to three months is usually enough for the rest of the year.

Entry requirements and documents

As of recent rules, US passport holders can visit Thailand for tourism without a visa for a set number of days, and the passport must be valid for at least six months beyond arrival. Thailand has introduced a digital arrival card, which must be completed online before you land, and the visa-exemption length has changed more than once in recent years, so check the Thai embassy or the official immigration website before you travel. Airlines may ask for proof of onward travel at check-in in Atlanta.

Time zones and jet lag

Bangkok is 11 hours ahead of Atlanta during Eastern Daylight Time and 12 hours ahead in winter; Thailand does not change its clocks. That is close to a full day-night flip, and most people need four or five days to adjust. If you arrive late at night, go straight to bed and get out in the morning light; on the return, the first few days in Atlanta will feel the hardest. A night in Seoul or Doha on the way out breaks the trip into two steps.

What travellers on this route get wrong

The first mistake is booking a domestic Thai flight from Don Mueang the same evening as an international arrival at Suvarnabhumi. The second is relying on the Airport Rail Link for a flight that lands after eleven at night. The third is accepting a ride from someone in the arrivals hall instead of using the official taxi stand or Grab, which leads to unmetered fares.