The Vietnam Guides

Flights to Vietnam: Airlines, Airports and Finding Good Fares

· 4 min read Practical
Flights to Vietnam: Airlines, Airports and Finding Good Fares

Contents

  1. The Main International Airports
  2. The Open-Jaw Strategy
  3. Airlines Flying to Vietnam
  4. Flight Times
  5. Domestic Connections Within Vietnam

Vietnam is a long, thin country — around 1,650 km from the Chinese border in the north to the Mekong Delta in the south. How you fly in and out affects your whole itinerary. Most visitors doing a north-to-south (or south-to-north) trip save time and money by using an open-jaw ticket — flying into one city and out of another, rather than backtracking to the same airport.

The Main International Airports

Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) — Hanoi The main gateway for northern Vietnam. Hanoi is the capital, the base for Ha Long Bay trips, and the starting point for overland journeys north toward Ha Giang and Sapa. Noi Bai is about 30 km from the city centre; allow 45–60 minutes by taxi depending on traffic.

Da Nang International Airport (DAD) — Central Vietnam Da Nang handles a significant volume of international traffic and is the most convenient airport for central Vietnam. Hoi An is 30 km south (45 minutes by taxi), Hue is 90 km north. Several airlines fly direct to Da Nang from regional hubs. If your trip focuses on the central region, flying into Da Nang avoids the need for domestic connections from Hanoi or Saigon.

Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) — Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam’s busiest airport, serving the south. The main gateway for the Mekong Delta, Cu Chi Tunnels, and onward travel toward Phu Quoc or Cambodia. The airport is inside the city — it’s around 7 km from the centre, though traffic can make this a 30–60 minute journey.

The Open-Jaw Strategy

For trips covering a significant portion of Vietnam — Hanoi in the north down to Ho Chi Minh City in the south — the standard approach is:

  • Fly into Hanoi (HAN)
  • Travel south by train, domestic flight, or bus (or a combination)
  • Fly home from Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)

This avoids the cost and time of backtracking. Return flights through a single city are sometimes cheaper, but the open-jaw option is usually close in price and saves one or two days of travel. Some itineraries reverse this — flying into SGN and exiting from HAN — which works equally well depending on your routing through Asia.

One-way or open-jaw tickets can be compared on Aviasales alongside standard return fares.

Airlines Flying to Vietnam

Vietnam Airlines is the national carrier and operates the widest range of routes. It flies to European cities including London, Frankfurt, Paris, and Moscow, and connects to most Asian hubs. Service is generally reliable.

Bamboo Airways is a growing Vietnamese carrier with expanding long-haul operations. Check current routes as the schedule has changed over recent years.

Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways route travellers via Bangkok (BKK/DMK), which is one of the main connecting hubs for Southeast Asia. Bangkok is well-placed for connections to all three Vietnamese international airports.

Qatar Airways connects via Doha and is frequently competitive on pricing for European travellers, particularly from the UK and northern Europe. Routes cover both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Emirates routes via Dubai. Connections to Vietnam are available from many European cities. Journey time from London via Dubai to Hanoi is typically 16–18 hours door-to-door.

Singapore Airlines routes via Singapore Changi, which is one of the most efficient transfer airports in the region. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are both well-served from Singapore.

Cathay Pacific routes via Hong Kong and is worth checking for travellers from Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Asia.

Flight Times

From the UK: approximately 11–13 hours total flight time with one stop, depending on layover routing. Singapore and Dubai are the most common transfer points; Bangkok adds a shorter leg to Vietnam.

From mainland Europe: similar or slightly shorter depending on the connecting hub.

From Australia: flights from Sydney or Melbourne via Singapore or Bangkok run 10–14 hours in total.

Direct flights from Europe to Vietnam are limited — most routes involve one stop.

Domestic Connections Within Vietnam

Once in Vietnam, domestic flights between cities are cheap and practical. VietJet Air and Bamboo Airways operate frequent services between Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, and other domestic airports. Prices can be very low — a Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City flight is sometimes under $30 USD booked in advance, though fees for checked baggage add to this.

Domestic flights make sense for long north-south legs. The Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City train journey is around 30 hours; the flight takes 2. For shorter central sections (e.g. Da Nang to Hue), the train or road is fine.

Use Aviasales to compare international fares and check whether open-jaw routing works out cheaper than a return for your specific dates.

Once you’ve landed, see our guide to getting around Vietnam for airport transfers, trains, and domestic flights.

Flights

Find the Best Fares to Vietnam

Aviasales searches hundreds of airlines and booking sites for the cheapest fares to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Flying into one city and out of another is a common and cost-effective option.

Search Flights on Aviasales →

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