Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is the main airport serving Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam. Its former and still colloquially used name, Saigon, is the reason for the IATA code SGN.
The airport is located around 7 km from District 1 in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. The short distance may be deceptive due to traffic; early morning, it is much quieter, and it takes just 20 minutes to reach the city center, while the evening rush hour can stretch the journey up to 90 minutes.
Tan Son Nhat is Vietnam’s busiest airport. In 2025, it handled more than 42 million passengers, of which nearly 18 million were international. SGN is among the 10 busiest airports in Southeast Asia and among the top 50 airports in the world.
Major Airlines - Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air
The airport is the main southern hub for Vietnam Airlines, the flag carrier of the country. The airline offers frequent services to nearly all domestic airports. Most important of those is the hyper-busy commuter-style link to the capital, Hanoi, as well as direct flights to Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Phu Quoc. Vietnam Airlines also flies internationally to several destinations in Asia, Europe, and Australia, as well as a brand new service to San Francisco in the USA.
SGN is also known as a popular low-cost traffic hub. VietJet Air has an enormous presence with its 40+ routes and upwards of 3500 flights per month. It also offers domestic routes with very high frequencies, as well as cheaper flights to dozens of destinations in East, South, and Southeast Asia.
Other prominent Vietnamese carriers that also operate from the airport on a smaller scale include Bamboo Airways, Sun PhuQuoc Airways, and Vietravel Airlines.
Internationally, Ho Chi Minh City receives most flights from Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, Singaporean, and Thai carriers. Airlines include Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, ANA, and Japan Airlines (JAL).
China is an important market too, with both China Eastern and China Southern linking Saigon to several of their hubs.
European carriers that fly direct to Tan Son Nhat Airport include Air France and Turkish Airlines, while Emirates is also useful for European holidaymakers, offering short layovers in Dubai en route to Saigon.
United Airlines is the only American carrier to offer direct flights to Vietnam with its daily service to/from Los Angeles.
Here you can see all airlines at SGN, their routes, and frequencies.
Terminal Layout and Gates
The airport currently operates from two main terminals:
Domestic Terminal (T1): Handles all domestic flights using 20 gates.
International Terminal (T2): Handles all international flights using 19 gates.
The two terminals are adjacent to each other but in separate buildings. Walking between them takes about 5-10 minutes. The walkway is outdoors but covered.
A new Terminal 3, with 27 gates, is gradually entering service (officially opened in April 2025) to relieve congestion at the older facilities. As of early 2026, few airlines use it yet, notably Bamboo Airways for some domestic services. It is 1 km west of T1 and T2, but around 4 km via the roads.
A free shuttle bus operates between all three terminals every 15 minutes between 04:30 AM and 00:30 AM. In stops in front of Pillars B17–B20 (T1), Pillars B15–B16 (T2) and Pillars A17–A20 (T3).
Transit passengers arriving at Terminal 3 can use the airside shuttle bus running every 20 minutes from 07:00 AM to 03:00 AM to get to Gate A2 in Terminal 1. There, you can proceed to either T1 for a domestic flight or walk to T2 for an international flight, without ever going through Immigration.
However, the airside shuttle does not run in reverse! In other words, to get from T1/T2 to Terminal 3, you need to exit the terminal you arrive at and use the landside shuttle.
Connecting Flights and Transit
Tan Son Nhat Airport has an international transit area where you can remain until your next international flight. Your two tickets must be booked under the same reservation.
Otherwise (if you have booked two separate tickets), you will be doing what’s called a self-transit, and you will have to exit the transit area to re-check luggage, which will include an Immigration check. Note the unexpected queues that may form in SGN, which can stretch the recommended 2 hours between flights to 3 or more.
If you need to stay at the airport overnight, consider the first or third floor of Terminal 2, which are the quietest areas during the night.
All transits between an international and a domestic flight are practically treated as independent. You will need to go through Immigration and Security, move between terminals, and proceed anew.
Domestic-to-domestic transfers are easiest, as you will arrive in the departure area of the same terminal and you won’t even need to go through Security. Assuming no delays, you can make such transfers with as little as 30 minutes.
If you’re on a layover of at least 6 hours and don’t need a visa, you can hop over to the city and see the sights. Check out the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City.
Free Wi-Fi and other services
Ho Chi Minh Airport offers free WiFi in all terminals. To connect, select “Airport_WiFi_Express” from the list of available networks. This will automatically open your browser to the welcome page. Click connect to start using the internet.
The network is not limited in duration or bandwidth, though it may disconnect temporarily sometimes. In such a case, simply reconnect.
Other passenger services at SGN include:
ATMs: Most Vietnamese banks have machines installed just outside each terminal in separate cubicles.
Currency exchange: Available landside and airside in Terminal 2 (international).
Baby care room: At least one is available in T2 near Gate 18.
Medical center: Located in the Arrivals Hall of Terminal 1.
Luggage storage: Only available in Terminal 2, near the exit. The fee is 275.000 VND per 24 hours.
Prayer room: Located near Gate 17.
Information: Info points are located at Gates C and D in Terminal T1, in the Arrival Hall, and in the waiting lounge of Terminal T2. Staff speak both Vietnamese and English.
Rest zones: There’s a sleep zone with sleeping boxes near Gate 21 on the second floor of Terminal 2. Prices start at 21 USD for the first 3 hours, plus 4 USD for each additional 30 minutes.
VIP Fast Track service: Price depends on the actual package, between 15 and 50 USD.
Lounges at Ho Chi Minh Airport
SGN airport has several lounges in the two older terminals (T1 and T2). Lounges are quite valuable because the public areas of both terminals are often overcrowded, so they provide guaranteed seating and a quieter space.
The Domestic Terminal (T1) has two lounges:
Lotus Lounge: Operated by Vietnam Airlines. Located near Gate 18. Open from 5 AM to 10 PM. Apart from eligible passengers of the airline, anyone else can also enter by paying 425.000 VND at the door.
Le Saigonnais Business Lounge: Located near Gate 18. Open 24/7. Open to holders of First and Business-class tickets with Vietnam Airlines or SkyTeam, as well as some lounge membership programs.
The International Terminal (T2) has six lounges in total:
Apricot Business Lounge: Located near Gates 17/18. Open 24/7. Pay at the door for ~38 USD if you’re not eligible for complimentary entry.
Jasmine Halal Lounge: Located Near Gate 17. Open 24/7. Entrance fee is ~38 USD.
Le Saigonnais Business Lounge: Located in front of Gate 11. Open 24/7. Entrance fee is ~38 USD.
Rose Business Lounge: Located near Gates 8/9. Open 24/7. Entrance fee is ~38 USD.
Orchid Lounge: Located in a small hallway between Gates 10-14 and 17. Open 6 AM to 2 AM. Accepts Priority Pass; otherwise, it costs ~38 USD to enter.
Vietnam Airlines Lotus Lounge: Located near gate 18. Open 24/7. Welcomes eligible travelers of the airline.
All lounges generally allow you to enter within 3 hours of your flight departure time. All lounges have a selection of hot and cold food in a buffet, drinks and snacks, seating areas, free wi-fi, and other amenities. Only the Apricon and Vietnam Airlines Lotus Lounge have showers
Dining Options at Tan Son Nhat Airport
At Tan Son Nhat, you can easily find Vietnamese food, coffee shops, and international fast food chains
Inside the international terminal (T2), Highlands Coffee is one of the most prominent and consistently busy options. It is Vietnam’s most famous coffee house, too. Apart from coffee, it also offers other iced drinks, bahn mi sandwiches, and other light meals.
Pho 24 and other pho counters are common throughout both terminals. It’s an affordable way to get a filling Vietnamese meal at SGN.
McDonald's, KFC, and other international brands are also available. Some of them are open 24/7.
Prices are expectedly higher than in the city but still quite cheap by Western standards.
Transport from the airport to the city center
Tan Son Nhat Airport is only about 7 km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. You can certainly walk if you have the time, but taking some form of transport is more convenient.
Official Airport Taxis queue outside T1 and T2. Mind the two trusted companies, Mai Linh and Vinasun, and be careful with copycats whose spelling is similar but not the same. Both have wardens on site at the airport: Mai Linh staff wear green shirts with green ties, whereas Vinasun staff wear dark green shirts with maroon ties.
Taxis should use the meter; refuse the ride if they don’t want to. Fares to District 1 (the popular downtown area) are around 200.000-250.000 VND (~7-10 USD).
Ride-hailing apps are quite popular in Vietnam. The most used ones are Grab, Be, and Xanh SM. Use the corresponding app to book a ride. Fares are a little cheaper than airport taxis, though pickups can be a little chaotic at times.
Public transportation is limited to buses.
The most useful airport bus for tourists is the air-conditioned Bus 109, which connects the airport with District 1. It runs every 20 minutes from 05:30 to 22:00 with a travel time to District 1 of about 45 minutes, although it can stretch to up to 2 hours during rush hour. Tickets cost 20.000 VND plus 20.000 VND for larger luggage items.
Bus 152 is a public bus, thus cheaper but slower and more crowded. It runs every 10-15 minutes from 05:15 to 19:00 with its final destination in District 7 (Trung Sơn). Tickets cost 7.000 VND.
Both buses stop at Column 15 in front of the International Terminal and Column 18 in front of the Domestic Terminal.
There is also an express Airport Shuttle 49, which serves some of the largest city center hotels, stopping at major landmarks such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and Saigon Opera House. The fare is 40.000 VND.
In the future, Ho Chi Minh City’s metro system will connect to the airport, but currently, travel is dependent on the busy traffic overland.
Hotels near SGN Airport
While the city center is not too far, rush hour can make journeys unpredictably long. Thus, staying in a hotel near Tan Son Nhat International Airport makes sense, especially for overnight layovers or very early departures.
The closest major hotel is the Ibis Saigon Airport. It is located just five minutes from the terminals and offers a regular shuttle service for guests. It’s a well-rated 4-star hotel with trendy rooms, a top-floor pool and bar, gym and sauna, and an on-site restaurant.
Another accommodation option nearby is the 5-star Holiday Inn & Suites Saigon Airport. It’s a little farther from the terminals (~8 minutes drive) but offers larger rooms and a more premium experience.
Click here to see more hotels near Ho Chi Minh City Airport.
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
