WORTH ITFive minutes of reading that prevents the most common bad first experience in this city.
Quick answer
All international flights arrive at Terminal 2. If you have an onward domestic flight, check the terminal: Vietnam Airlines, Pacific, VASCO, Bamboo and Vietravel moved to Terminal 3 in 2025, and VietJet stayed at Terminal 1 despite the widely-reported plan to move it. Terminal 3 is a separate building with its own road access — budget 45 to 60 minutes to transfer, and more at peak. Long Thành, the new airport, is due to open in late December 2026.
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Which terminal do you need?
Terminal 2 for every international flight. Terminal 3 for most domestic airlines — but Terminal 1 if you are flying VietJet.
The published plan in early 2025 had both Vietnam Airlines and VietJet moving to the new Terminal 3. That is not what happened, and it is precisely the sort of error that makes people miss flights. The other domestic carriers moved over in August 2025; VietJet stayed, and since 13 January 2026 checks in every domestic flight at Hall A of Terminal 1.
| Terminal | Role | Who flies from it |
|---|---|---|
| T1 | Domestic | VietJet — all domestic check-in at Hall A |
| T2 | International | All international arrivals and departures |
| T3 | Domestic | Vietnam Airlines, Pacific, VASCO, Bamboo, Vietravel |
Terminals 1 and 2 are adjacent, connected by a covered walkway, under five minutes on foot. Terminal 3 is a separate building. If you are connecting from T3 to a VietJet flight, a free airside shuttle runs from the T3 transit hall to gate A2 at T1 every 20 minutes between 07:00 and 03:00 — but only once you hold a boarding pass. Otherwise it is the free landside shuttle or a short ride-hail. A same-day connection between VietJet at T1 and Vietnam Airlines at T3 is a genuine hassle — they are different buildings.
The new Long Thành International Airport was cleared for commercial operation from 1 December 2026; on 4 October the airports corporation ACV gave 24 December as the expected start. Vietnam Airlines and VietJet begin with 20–30 flights a day, mostly domestic and short-haul. Long-haul international flights are scheduled to move there between late March and October 2027, and the remaining international flights by March 2028, except Vietnamese airlines' routes under 1,000 km. If you are booking travel for 2027, check which airport your ticket actually uses.
Getting into the city, priced
A ride-hail app is the default, at roughly 110,000–250,000₫. Bus 109 is the best budget option. Allow 20–30 minutes, or 45 plus in rush hour.
| Option | Price | Time | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus 109, from Terminal 3 | Up to 15,000₫ (US$0.58) | About 45 min | Best budget option |
| Bus 152, from Terminals 1 and 2 | 5,000–7,000₫ (US$0.19–0.27) | 45–55 min | Cheapest, more stops, daytime only |
| Ride-hail app | 110,000–250,000₫ (US$4.20–9.60) | 25–45 min | The default. Fare fixed in-app |
| Metered taxi from the official rank | 150,000–200,000₫ (US$5.80–7.70) | 20–30 min | Fine, from the rank only |
| Pre-booked private transfer | 200,000–350,000₫ (US$7.70–13.50) | 25–45 min | Worth it late at night or with children |
Since April 2025 bus 109 starts and ends at Terminal 3 only, not at the international terminal: arriving on an international flight, take the free terminal shuttle to T3 first. It runs to the Saigon bus station on Phạm Ngũ Lão in the backpacker district, from about 05:30 to 22:40 at the airport end, every 15 to 25 minutes. Fares are reported differently — most 2026 guides say 15,000₫, the city's own April 2025 announcement said less — so carry small notes. Bus 152 stops at Terminals 1 and 2 and runs to Bến Thành, but only from about 05:15 to 19:00.
The city's free-fare scheme for July to December 2026 excludes the dedicated airport-connection routes, so expect to pay on 109; we could not confirm whether 152 is on the free list. It is 7 km to the centre but 20 to 30 minutes by car normally and 45 or more during rush hour — 07:00 to 09:00 and 17:00 to 19:00. Going the other way, build in a full hour to reach the airport at peak.
The taxi scam at arrivals
Touts approach you inside the terminal. Legitimate metered taxis never do. Use the official rank or book in the app before you walk out.
This is the single most common bad first experience in this city, and it follows a consistent pattern worth recognising.
- Touts approach inside the terminal offering "taxi, taxi". Legitimate metered taxis do not tout inside.
- Fake liveries: cars painted to imitate the two big reputable firms, with near-miss names and logos.
- Rigged meters that run at multiples of the real rate.
The defence is boring and complete: either walk to the official taxi rank and take the front car, or open a ride-hail app before you leave the building so the fare is fixed before anyone speaks to you.
On money: the exchange counters in arrivals give worse rates than city gold shops but are fine for a first million or two đồng, and airport ATMs charge premium fees. Withdraw modestly and top up in town.
A 2026 walkthrough of arriving at the airport, filmed end to end. Video by VirtCam Travel.
The e-visa portal, and the resellers pretending to be it
The government portal is evisa.gov.vn. Any visa site whose address does not end in .gov.vn is a markup reseller or a scam.
Vietnam's e-visa is open to all nationalities and runs up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, at US$25 and US$50 respectively. That is the official price. A large industry of lookalike sites charges several times it for the same application, and some simply take the money.
Type evisa.gov.vn into the address bar yourself. The older government address, evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn, still works too; anything that does not end in .gov.vn is not the government. Do not arrive there through a search advertisement, and do not use a site that offers to "expedite" the process for a fee. E-visa holders join the standard foreigner queue at immigration — there is no faster lane to buy.
Immigration queues at Terminal 2 run from about ten minutes off-peak to considerably longer when several wide-bodies land together. You may not need a visa at all: twelve European countries — among them Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland — have a 45-day exemption from 15 August 2025 to 14 August 2028, on top of the longer-standing list. Check your own nationality rather than a summary. If you are still building the trip, Kiwi.com is where to price the onward legs — and from late December 2026 some flights start using Long Thành.
Sort the arrival before you fly
The arrivals taxi gauntlet is the most common bad first experience in this city. All three of these remove it.
GetTransfer
A fixed-price private transfer — no meter, no negotiation.
Get a quote
See on GetTransferOpens gettransfer.com
Airalo
An eSIM so the ride-hail app works before you leave the terminal.
Browse plans
See on AiraloOpens airalo.com
Some links are affiliate links — they don't change your price and keep this guide running.
Questions people actually ask
Which terminal is international at Tân Sơn Nhất?
Is VietJet at Terminal 1 or Terminal 3?
How do I get from the airport to District 1?
When does Long Thành airport open?
How much is a Vietnam e-visa?
Sources — checked 5 October 2026
- VietJet — all domestic flights check in at Hall A, Terminal 1, from 13 January 2026
- Tuổi Trẻ News — five carriers at T3 from August 2025; VietJet stays at T1
- Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam — free airside shuttle T3 to T1, every 20 minutes
- Dân Trí, 4 October 2026 — ACV expects Long Thành commercial operation on 24 December
- Dân Trí International — the three-phase move of international flights to Long Thành
- Dân Trí — Vietnam Airlines and VietJet registered for 20–30 flights a day at Long Thành
- Sài Gòn Giải Phóng — bus 109 moves to Terminal 3; 152 serves T1 and T2
- VnExpress International — free city buses exclude airport-connection routes
- Vietnam National Electronic Visa system — the official portal; visas up to 90 days
- Government news portal — 45-day exemption for 12 European countries from 15 August 2025