Suvarnabhumi Airport opened for international commercial flights on September 28, 2006, replacing Don Mueang as Bangkok's primary gateway and inheriting its IATA code, BKK. The idea of a new Bangkok airport had been discussed since the 1960s, but active construction did not begin until 2002. When the airport finally opened, it came with records attached. The control tower, at 132.2 meters, was the tallest airport control tower in the world at the time of completion. The main passenger terminal, designed by Helmut Jahn of Chicago-based Murphy/Jahn Architects, was among the largest single-building terminals ever constructed, covering 563,000 square meters.

Located in Samut Prakan province, about 30 kilometers east of central Bangkok, the airport sits at a natural crossroads for air travel between South Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways use it as a primary hub, while Emirates, EVA Air, and China Southern operate it as a focus city. The range of carriers reflects BKK's role as both a national gateway and a regional transfer point for intercontinental traffic.

The airport has expanded steadily since opening. In September 2023, exactly 17 years after the original opening, the SAT-1 satellite terminal began partial operations, connected to the main terminal by an automated people mover and lifting annual passenger capacity from 45 million to 60 million. A third runway was commissioned in October 2024. In fiscal year 2025, the airport handled 58.1 million passengers and over 340,000 flights. The site was built on land formerly known as Nong Nguhao, literally "Cobra Swamp," a detail that captures something of the scale of transformation BKK represents for Bangkok and for Thai aviation.