The Vietnam Guides

Long Thanh International Airport Opens Near Ho Chi Minh City

· 3 min read Travel News
Ho Chi Minh City skyline Vietnam at dusk

Contents

  1. Getting from Long Thanh to the city
  2. What this means for flight bookings
  3. Context

Long Thanh International Airport, located approximately 40 kilometres east of Ho Chi Minh City in Dong Nai Province, has begun commercial operations in June 2026. Phase 1 of the new airport is designed to handle 25 million passengers annually, and the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) is shifting the majority of international long-haul traffic here from the outset - routes from Europe, North America, India, and the Middle East are among the first to relocate from Tan Son Nhat.

The move substantially changes the arrival experience for international travellers heading to southern Vietnam. Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN), which has long operated beyond its intended capacity of 28 million passengers per year, was handling more than 40 million in 2025. Long Thanh (IATA code: LTT) is designed to absorb the overspill and, through subsequent phases, eventually handle 100 million passengers per year once fully built out.

Getting from Long Thanh to the city

The airport sits in Dong Nai Province and is connected to Ho Chi Minh City by the Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway and a new dedicated airport access road. Transfer time to central Ho Chi Minh City is approximately 45–60 minutes by car under normal traffic conditions, though peak-hour travel on the expressway can extend this to 75–90 minutes. Designated taxi zones, ride-hailing app pick-up points (Grab is well established at the terminal), and an airport bus service running to key points in Districts 1 and 3 are all operational at opening. Fares from Long Thanh to the city centre are estimated at approximately VND 500,000–700,000 (USD 20–28) by metered taxi, or slightly less via Grab. A rail link connecting the airport to Ho Chi Minh City’s metro network is in planning but is not part of Phase 1 operations.

For travellers continuing onward to Con Dao or other southern destinations, domestic connections will initially operate from Tan Son Nhat, which retains domestic and some regional services. Our getting around Vietnam guide covers transfer options between the city’s airports and onwards transport routes. Once settled in the city, browse Ho Chi Minh City tours to plan your first few days.

What this means for flight bookings

If you are booking a flight to Ho Chi Minh City from mid-2026 onward, verify at the time of booking whether your airline is operating into Long Thanh (LTT) or Tan Son Nhat (SGN). The IATA code change is significant - passengers arriving into the wrong airport will face a considerably longer transfer than expected. Long-haul carriers including Vietnam Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Emirates are among those relocating operations, but the transition is phased and not all carriers moved simultaneously at opening.

Check your booking confirmation carefully: the three-letter airport code shown on your ticket determines which terminal you land at. If your ticket shows SGN, you arrive at Tan Son Nhat; LTT means Long Thanh. Long-haul carriers are issuing guidance through their booking systems, but it is worth confirming directly with your airline if there is any ambiguity.

Context

Vietnam welcomed 10.6 million international visitors in the first five months of 2026, a 14.9% increase year on year. The opening of Long Thanh reflects confidence that this growth trajectory will continue, and that southern Vietnam’s infrastructure is being built to meet it. Our flights to Vietnam guide will be updated with route-by-route airport allocation details as they are confirmed by individual airlines. You can also compare and book flights to Vietnam across all carriers.