Reducing the load on Tan Son Nhat
It is expected that from mid-2026, all international flights will depart and land at Long Thanh International Airport instead of Tan Son Nhat Airport as before.
According to Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV), this is not only a change in location but also a comprehensive upgrade of aviation experience - from infrastructure, technology to traffic connectivity to bring Vietnam closer to the status of a regional transit center.
Over the years, Tan Son Nhat has far exceeded its designed capacity, becoming the busiest airport in the country. The simultaneous service of both domestic and international flights under limited land funds often causes airports to be overloaded.
Passengers had to queue up to check in, get stuck on the way in, wait a long time to get their luggage and jostle at the waiting area. This situation not only reduces service quality but also causes fatigue and stress for passersby.
When international flights are completely moved to Long Thanh, Tan Son Nhat airport will focus on domestic flights. This helps shorten processing time, reduce infrastructure pressure and significantly improve the passenger experience.
Unlike Tan Son Nhat, which is limited by old infrastructure, Long Thanh was planned from the beginning with a long-term vision. In phase one, the airport has met the latest international standards: wide terminal, reasonable travel, automatic procedures, passenger control using modern technology.
When completed, Long Thanh can welcome 100 million visitors/year. The location separated from residential areas allows 24/7 operation without night flights being restricted, while limiting noise and pollution. The large land fund helps the airport expand when demand increases, avoiding repeating the overload situation of Tan Son Nhat airport.
According to ACV, passengers will clearly feel the difference at Long Thanh airport: No more jostling at the check-in counter, shorter waiting time, more amenities such as shopping areas, restaurants, high-end lounges, high-speed Wi-Fi, children's play area and overnight rooms for passengers on the trip.
Longer but moving faster
The distance from the center of Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh is about 40 km, much further than 8-10 km to Tan Son Nhat.
However, the connected transportation system that is being invested in synchronously will help shorten travel time to 40-45 minutes, equivalent to, or even faster than, traveling to Tan Son Nhat during rush hour.
The Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway is about to expand to 8 - 10 lanes. Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 connecting to this expressway is accelerating to the finish line.
New expressways such as Bien Hoa - Vung Tau, Dau Giay - Phan Thiet, Ben Luc - Long Thanh open more access directions.
It is expected that all expressway projects will be basically completed by the end of 2026 at the latest, and put into operation in sync with Long Thanh airport.
In particular, the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh light rail line in the future is expected to reduce the time from the center of Ho Chi Minh City to only 20-25 minutes.
Thanks to that, Long Thanh is more convenient for passengers from Dong Nai and part of the Southwest and South Central regions. They will not need to go around Ho Chi Minh City, saving time and costs.
According to ACV, when all international flights are concentrated in Long Thanh, Vietnam has the opportunity to increase the number of international visitors.
This creates conditions to open more direct flights to Europe, America, Australia, the Middle East, reducing dependence on transit points such as Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong (China).
A large-scale, modern international airport is also a factor attracting airlines to open new routes, creating competition in prices and services, thereby bringing direct benefits to passengers.
