The Vietnam Guides

Long Thanh International Airport Opens Near Ho Chi Minh City

· 2 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

Long Thanh International Airport, located approximately 40 kilometres east of Ho Chi Minh City, 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 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.

The move substantially changes the arrival experience for international travellers heading to southern Vietnam. Tan Son Nhat Airport, which has long operated beyond its intended capacity, was handling more than 40 million passengers per year; Long Thanh is intended to absorb the overspill and eventually replace it as the region’s primary international gateway.

Getting from Long Thanh to the city

The airport sits in Dong Nai Province and is connected to Ho Chi Minh City by a dedicated expressway. Transfer time to the city centre is approximately 45–60 minutes by car in normal traffic conditions. Designated taxi zones, ride-hailing app pick-up points, and an airport bus service are all operational at opening. A rail link connecting the airport to the metro network is planned but not yet operational in Phase 1.

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.

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 are issuing guidance through their booking systems, but it is worth confirming directly.

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.