Verified 8 September 2026.
Short answer. At a staffed counter it takes about two minutes: you hand over the bag, it is x-ray screened, tagged and photographed, and you keep the reference. Storage is charged per piece per 24 hours from the moment you drop off — not per calendar day. You do not need a booking to store, you do need one to have a bag delivered, and someone else can collect for you if you send us both passport numbers first.
This is written from behind the counter rather than from a help desk. We run our own branches, so what follows is what actually happens to your bag, including the parts that catch people out — the 24-hour clock, what “late” means, and the one rule that quietly changes your bill.
What happens when you hand over a bag
- You do not need a booking to store. You can walk up to any counter during its service hours. We recommend booking because it reserves space and you can drop and go, but a walk-in is a normal way to use a storage counter. Delivery is different — a reservation is required for that.
- The bag is screened, tagged and photographed. Every bag is x-ray screened, given a numbered tag and photographed at drop-off, so its condition is on record before it leaves your hands. This is the step that matters if anything is ever disputed, and it is why a staffed counter differs from a locker you close yourself.
- You keep the reference. An order ID if you booked online, a tag if you walked in. Take a screenshot of the confirmation — it is the fastest way to sort out anything that goes wrong later.
- The clock starts immediately. Charging is per piece for every 24 hours from your drop-off time. Not per night, not per calendar day — from the moment you hand it over.
Collecting it again
Show the reference, check the bag, take it away. Two things are worth knowing before you need them.
What “late” actually means
Two different things, and people conflate them.
- Later in the day than you planned — usually nothing happens, because charging runs in 24-hour blocks from drop-off. Collecting at 6pm instead of 2pm does not cost more unless it crosses into the next 24 hours.
- After the branch has closed — this is the real risk, and it is not about money. Only our two airport counters are open 24/7. Every city branch closes, most at 22:00 and several much earlier, so a bag left at a mall counter is genuinely locked in until it reopens. Check the hours of the specific branch before you plan a late collection.
- Days late — we hold the bag for another 30 days beyond your estimated pickup time. Beyond that it is disposed of. Extending is possible and the fee is charged in advance.
- You booked and did not come at all — cancel at least two hours before the service starts for a full refund, processed in about five business days to the original payment method. Once the service time has started the fee is not refundable.
Delivery works differently from storage
Storage holds the bag where it is. Delivery moves it, and the process is not the same one.
| Storage | Delivery | |
|---|---|---|
| Booking | Optional — walk-ins accepted in service hours | Required |
| Charged | Per piece, per 24 hours from drop-off | Per piece, no distance limit within the same city |
| Where you hand it over | At the counter | Hotel reception, or to the driver in person |
| Timing | Your choice, within branch hours | Scheduled: collected within the first 3 hours, time not appointable. On-demand: driver arrives within about 30 minutes of the slot |
| Tracking | Your tag and reference | Email updates, or track by order ID |
The practical difference: with scheduled delivery you do not wait for anyone. Leave the bag at your hotel reception and go; the driver collects within the first three hours, and that window cannot be narrowed. With on-demand, you meet the driver at the lobby or building entrance at an agreed time.
What we will not take
There is no size or weight limit on storage — any suitcase, any type of bag, and oversized items such as golf bags at their own published rate. What is excluded is the prohibited-items list, which is the same category of thing airlines refuse.
The sensible rule for anything valuable is the one we would give a friend: take it with you. Passport, laptop, medication, cash, jewellery. Storage cover in this market is not designed around a bag full of electronics — we explain what each operator actually covers, including where ours is weaker, in Is luggage storage insured?
Common questions about drop-off and pickup
Do I need to book luggage storage in advance?
No for storage, yes for delivery. You can walk up to any AIRPORTELs counter during its service hours and store a bag without booking, though booking reserves space and lets you drop and go. Delivery is different – a reservation is required, because a driver and a route have to be assigned.
How is luggage storage charged – per day or per 24 hours?
Per piece for every 24 hours, counted from your drop-off time. It is not a calendar day, so dropping a bag at 4pm and collecting it at 10am the next morning is one charge, while collecting at 6pm the next day is two. Pieces are counted individually, and bundled items count separately: a pillow strapped to a suitcase, or a plastic bag hooked over the handle, is a second piece.
Can someone else pick up my luggage?
Yes, with notice. Email us in advance with your order ID, your own passport number, and your friend’s full name and passport number. Arrange it before the collection day rather than at the counter, so the branch has the authorisation on file when they arrive.
What happens if I collect my luggage late?
It depends which kind of late. Collecting later in the day usually costs nothing, because charging runs in 24-hour blocks from drop-off rather than by calendar day. Collecting after the branch has closed is the real problem: only the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang counters are open 24 hours, and every city branch closes, most at 22:00 and several earlier. If you do not collect at all, the bag is held for another 30 days beyond your estimated pickup time and then disposed of; extending storage is possible and charged in advance.
Can I cancel a luggage storage booking?
Yes, with a full refund if you cancel at least two hours before the service starts. Contact us with your order ID. Refunds take around five business days and go back to the original payment method. Once the service time has started the fee is no longer refundable.
