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Flying around Vietnam: airports, tickets and baggage
Flying turns Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City into about 2 hours 10 minutes, from about 1,094,000₫ online for October 2026, against at least 32 hours 45 minutes by train. Direct flights also serve Da Nang, Hue, Nha Trang, Da Lat and Phu Quoc, though some of those airports are 30 km or more from town. In Ho Chi Minh City, check your terminal: Vietnam Airlines flies domestic from T3, Vietjet from T1.
Airport codes and domestic terminals
| Airport | HAN Hanoi; SGN Ho Chi Minh City; DAD Da Nang; HUI Hue; CXR Nha Trang; DLI Da Lat; PQC Phu Quoc |
|---|---|
| Stations and terminals | Tân Sơn Nhất: T2 international; T3 Vietnam Airlines group domestic; T1 Vietjet domestic |
| Luggage | Vietnam Airlines domestic Economy: 10 kg cabin total; Vietjet Eco: 7 kg |
| Typical time | 55 minutes Ho Chi Minh City–Da Lat; about 2 hours 10 minutes Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City |
Direct flights, fares and the airport transfer
Where flying saves the most time
Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City takes about 2 hours 10 minutes in the air, from about 1,094,000₫ online for October 2026. The fastest train takes 32 hours 45 minutes; the lowest train fares, on the slower SE7 and SE5, are 1,015,000₫ for a soft seat and 1,831,000₫ for a four-berth sleeper. Over that distance the plane wins even after the airport transfers.
Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City compares the airlines and trains in both directions. Hanoi to Da Nang is the other classic flight-or-train choice: about 1 hour 25 minutes in the air, or a night on the train.
Da Lat and Phu Quoc: short direct flights
Direct flights on sale for October 2026. The online fare is the full price shown on the listing; checked bags and seat choice depend on the fare you pick.
| Journey and airline | Departure → arrival | Flight time | Online fare from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City → Da Lat, Vietjet | 14:35 → 15:30 | 55 minutes | About 970,700₫ |
| Da Lat → Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Airlines | 08:30 → 09:25 | 55 minutes | About 826,700₫ |
| Hanoi → Phu Quoc, Vietjet | 16:45 → 18:50 | 2 hours 5 minutes | About 1,179,200₫ |
| Phu Quoc → Hanoi, Vietjet | 19:20 → 21:25 | 2 hours 5 minutes | About 708,100₫ |
| Can Tho → Phu Quoc, Vietnam Airlines | 16:10 → 17:05 | 55 minutes | About 1,206,900₫ |
| Phu Quoc → Can Tho, Vietnam Airlines | 17:35 → 18:35 | 1 hour | About 1,224,500₫ |
Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc takes 55 to 65 minutes, from about 671,000₫ online. That page also covers the night bus and ferry, and the Phu Quoc guide the ports and the ride from the airport.
Direct or connecting: read the flight time
On Hanoi–Phu Quoc in October 2026, a Sun PhuQuoc Airways 07:15 itinerary took 8 hours 35 minutes, listed next to direct flights of 2 hours 5 minutes. Same two cities, very different days.
Prices are not symmetrical either: Vietjet's Hanoi–Phu Quoc started at about 1,179,200₫, the flight back at about 708,100₫. Price each direction separately.
The airport code tells you where you land
| Destination | Airport and code | On arrival |
|---|---|---|
| Hanoi | Nội Bài, HAN | T1 domestic, T2 international; bus 86 to the Old Quarter |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Tân Sơn Nhất, SGN | T1 and T3 domestic, T2 international |
| Da Nang | Đà Nẵng, DAD | T1 domestic, T2 international |
| Hue | Phú Bài, HUI | The airport for Hue |
| Nha Trang | Cam Ranh, CXR | About 35 km south of Nha Trang |
| Da Lat | Liên Khương, DLI | About 30 km from Da Lat |
| Phu Quoc | Phu Quoc International, PQC | About 10 km south of Dương Đông |
Liên Khương reopened on 19 August 2026 after work on the runway and taxiways; reports of its closure are out of date.
From the airport into town
Vietnam Airlines' destination guides give these transfer times:
- Cam Ranh to Nha Trang: 45 to 60 minutes by car, or bus 18 to 86 Trần Phú, 65,000₫, about 60 to 75 minutes.
- Liên Khương to Da Lat: 40 to 50 minutes by road.
- PQC to Dương Đông: 25 to 35 minutes by taxi, about 180,000₫ to 220,000₫.
In Ho Chi Minh City, bus 109 runs from T3 to Bến xe buýt Sài Gòn (Saigon city-bus station) for 15,000₫; it no longer calls at T1 or T2. The Ho Chi Minh City page has its hours.
Ho Chi Minh City's second airport, Long Thành, is not open yet: the airports corporation ACV plans commercial flights from 24 December 2026, as reported by Nhân Dân on 4 October 2026. Until then all flights use Tân Sơn Nhất.
Tân Sơn Nhất terminals, baggage and check-in
Tân Sơn Nhất: the terminal depends on the airline
Vietnam Airlines Group moved all its domestic flights to T3 on 19 August 2025, Pacific Airlines, VASCO and the Côn Đảo flights included. Vietjet's domestic flights still leave from T1 on the October 2026 departure boards, and international flights use T2.
If you land at the wrong one, a free airport shuttle runs from T1 and T2 to T3. Vietnam Airlines says it leaves about every 20 minutes and the ride takes about 20 minutes, depending on traffic.
Cabin baggage: 10 kg on Vietnam Airlines, 7 kg on Vietjet
On Vietnam Airlines tickets issued or changed from 5 May 2025, domestic Economy and Premium Economy allow 10 kg in the cabin in total: one bag up to 56 × 36 × 23 cm plus a small personal item, both counted in the 10 kg.
Vietjet's Eco fare allows 7 kg including the personal item, in the same 56 × 36 × 23 cm size, and checked bags cost extra. Its domestic Deluxe fare includes 20 kg checked.
The allowance follows the airline that operates the flight and the fare you bought, not the site you bought it on.
Check-in deadlines
Vietnam Airlines' domestic counters open two hours before departure and close 40 minutes before. For international flights the cutoff is normally 50 minutes, 60 at Kuala Lumpur, Paris, Frankfurt, London and San Francisco.
Online check-in on Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines and VASCO opens 24 hours before departure and closes one hour before. A codeshare follows the operating airline's rules.
Flying in from abroad
International flights use T2 at Nội Bài, Tân Sơn Nhất, Da Nang and Cam Ranh, so a connection onto a domestic flight in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City means changing terminal. The Vietnam visa guide covers the visa exemptions, the official e-visa site, evisa.gov.vn, and the airports and land gates where the e-visa is accepted.
Travellers in late 2025 report immigration queues of an hour or more at Tân Sơn Nhất international arrivals, which matters for a tight onward connection.
Flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh land at the new Techo International Airport (KTI); the Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh page compares them with the bus.
Airlines on these domestic journeys
| Operator | Where it runs | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam Airlines | Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Da Lat and Phu Quoc | Running |
| Vietjet Air | Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat and Phu Quoc | Running |
| Sun PhuQuoc Airways | Hanoi–Phu Quoc and Ho Chi Minh City–Phu Quoc | Running |
Flight routes with return options
Vietnam domestic flight questions
How do I book domestic flights in Vietnam?
On the airline's own website or through an online booking service. Check the flight time before you pay: Hanoi–Phu Quoc searches mix 2-hour direct flights with connections of more than 8 hours.
What are Vietnam's main airport codes?
HAN is Nội Bài (Hanoi), SGN Tân Sơn Nhất (Ho Chi Minh City), DAD Da Nang, HUI Phú Bài (Hue), CXR Cam Ranh (Nha Trang), DLI Liên Khương (Da Lat) and PQC Phu Quoc.
How much cabin baggage is allowed on domestic flights?
On Vietnam Airlines, 10 kg in total for the cabin bag and personal item, on Economy and Premium Economy tickets issued from 5 May 2025. On Vietjet's Eco fare, 7 kg, with checked bags extra.
Which Tân Sơn Nhất terminal does my domestic flight use?
T3 for Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines and VASCO, including Côn Đảo, since 19 August 2025. Vietjet's domestic flights used T1 in October 2026. International flights use T2.
When does Vietnam Airlines domestic check-in close?
The airport counter closes 40 minutes before a domestic departure. Online check-in runs from 24 hours to one hour before departure.
Is Da Lat airport open?
Yes. Liên Khương (DLI) reopened on 19 August 2026. Direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City take 55 minutes, then about 30 km by road into Da Lat.
How much are flights within Vietnam?
In October 2026, online fares started at about 970,700₫ for Ho Chi Minh City–Da Lat, 1,094,000₫ for Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City and 1,179,200₫ for Hanoi–Phu Quoc. The way back can cost much less or more, and bags are often extra.
Airlines and airport operators
- Vietnam National Railway Group timetable and fares
- Vietnam Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines airport check-in deadlines
- Vietnam Airlines online check-in
- Vietnam Airlines cabin baggage allowance
- Vietjet fare classes and baggage inclusions
- Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV)
- Da Nang International Airport
- Government notice: Liên Khương reopened on 19 August 2026
- Vietnam Airlines: Phu Quoc airport to Dương Đông