Last updated: November 1, 2026
For the first few months, Long Thanh and Tan Son Nhat will both serve Ho Chi Minh City, and tickets often just say "Ho Chi Minh City". That creates new questions: Which airport will I land at? Does my e-visa still work? Can I connect between the two airports without a visa? This guide answers each one, based on the latest official notices.
⚡ At a glance | Long Thanh International Airport |
|---|---|
Location | Long Thanh, Dong Nai, about 40 km east of central Ho Chi Minh City |
Planned opening | Midnight, December 24, 2026 (ACV notice, late October 2026) |
First-phase flights | Up to 366 per week: 322 domestic and 44 international |
Design capacity (phase 1) | About 25 million passengers a year, one terminal, one runway |
E-visa accepted? | ✅ Yes, listed as an e-visa port once it operates |
Tan Son Nhat (SGN) | Stays open and keeps most international flights at first |
When does Long Thanh Airport open?
The current target is midnight on December 24, 2026. ACV, the state company that runs Vietnam's airports, gave this date to the Dong Nai authorities in a notice reported by the Vietnam News Agency on October 30, 2026. The opening date has already moved more than once, so treat it as a plan rather than a guarantee.
📅 Date | What happened |
|---|---|
December 2025 | Technical opening and first test flights |
December 2, 2025 | Government Resolution 389/NQ-CP adds Long Thanh to the e-visa port list, effective once it operates |
Mid-2026 | Earlier target for commercial flights, later postponed |
September 2026 | Trial operations begin |
December 1, 2026 | Previous commercial opening target |
December 24, 2026 | Current commercial opening target |
Can I use a Vietnam e-visa at Long Thanh Airport?
Yes. Resolution 389/NQ-CP, dated December 2, 2025, expanded Vietnam's e-visa ports to 83 border gates. It lists Long Thanh International Airport as an air border gate "once coming into operation". From the day commercial flights start, foreigners can enter and leave Vietnam there with:
- ✅ A Vietnam e-visa (single or multiple entry, up to 90 days)
- ✅ A visa exemption for your nationality (for example the 45-day exemption for UK, German, French, Japanese or Korean passports)
- ✅ A visa issued by a Vietnamese embassy, a temporary residence card, or another valid entry document
Nothing about the visa itself changes. Long Thanh has no special visa, fee or form. Your passport still needs at least 6 months of validity, and you go through immigration exactly as you would at Tan Son Nhat.
Which port of entry should I put on my e-visa?
The e-visa application asks for your intended port of entry, and the approved e-visa shows it. Choose the airport where your flight actually lands:
- ✅ Your booking shows Long Thanh as the arrival airport: select Long Thanh if the application offers it.
- ✅ Your booking shows Tan Son Nhat (SGN): select Tan Son Nhat.
- ⚠️ Your airline moves your flight to the other airport after the e-visa is issued, or Long Thanh isn't selectable yet when you apply: contact us before you fly, and we'll check your options.
Not sure which airport to put on your application? Send us your booking and we'll check it for you.
Will my flight land at Long Thanh or Tan Son Nhat?
For most international travelers this winter, it will still be Tan Son Nhat. In the first phase, only 44 international flights a week are planned at Long Thanh, against 322 domestic ones. Vietnam Airlines is expected to fly some international routes there, and many foreign airlines have said they are interested. The full shift of international traffic is planned to happen gradually, starting with long-haul routes.
Your situation | Likely airport | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Arriving before December 24, 2026 | 🛬 Tan Son Nhat | Nothing changes. Use our Tan Son Nhat arrival guide |
Arriving after December 24, booking shows "SGN" | 🛬 Tan Son Nhat | Enter Tan Son Nhat as your e-visa port |
Arriving after December 24, booking shows Long Thanh | 🛫 Long Thanh | Enter Long Thanh as your e-visa port; plan your transfer to the city |
Booking only says "Ho Chi Minh City" | ❓ Unclear | Check the airport name in the airline app or ask the airline |
Flight moved between airports after booking | ⚠️ Changed | Check that your e-visa port still matches; contact us if not |
Can I connect between Long Thanh and Tan Son Nhat without a visa?
No. There is no airside link between the two airports. If you land internationally at Long Thanh and your next flight leaves from Tan Son Nhat (or the other way round), you must clear immigration, collect your bags, go through customs and travel about 40 km by road. Legally, that means you enter Vietnam, so you need an e-visa or a visa exemption, even if you only stay a few hours.
If your connection needs a change of airport, you are not in transit. You are entering Vietnam, and you need a valid visa or exemption to do it.
This matters in particular for Phu Quoc. The island's 30-day visa-free entry only works if you stay in the international transit process. If your trip means landing at one Ho Chi Minh City airport and flying to Phu Quoc from the other, you lose that exemption. Read Phu Quoc visa-free 30 days: who qualifies before booking that kind of route.
Also plan plenty of time. Express buses between the two airports have been proposed with a journey time of around 70–80 minutes, and road traffic in Ho Chi Minh City can add a lot more. Don't book separate tickets with a short gap between airports.
What happens when I arrive at Long Thanh?
Arrival works the same way as at any Vietnamese international airport:
- Immigration: show your passport and printed e-visa (or rely on your visa exemption). Officers check that your details match.
- Baggage claim: collect your checked bags.
- Customs: use the green channel if you have nothing to declare, or the red channel for items such as large amounts of cash.
- Arrivals hall: buy a SIM card, withdraw cash and find your transfer to the city.
Check our Vietnam pre-arrival form guide to see what you should prepare before the flight.
How do I get from Long Thanh Airport to Ho Chi Minh City?
Long Thanh is about 40 km east of central Ho Chi Minh City, much further than Tan Son Nhat, which sits inside the city. Expect a longer and more expensive transfer.
🚗 Option | Status (November 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Taxi or ride-hailing (Grab, Xanh SM) | ✅ Expected from opening day | Via the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway; journey time depends heavily on traffic |
Pre-booked private transfer | ✅ Available | Easiest with luggage or late-night arrivals; see our airport transfer guide |
Express bus to the city and to Tan Son Nhat | ⚠️ Approved, schedule not confirmed | Ho Chi Minh City has planned bus routes linking the city centre and Tan Son Nhat with Long Thanh |
Railway | ❌ Not yet | Rail links are planned for later years |
Pre-flight checklist for Long Thanh arrivals
☑️ Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
Airport name on your booking | Tells you which port to put on your e-visa |
E-visa port matches your arrival airport | Avoids questions at check-in and immigration |
Passport valid for 6+ months | Vietnam's general entry rule; airlines check it |
Printed e-visa | Phone batteries die; a paper copy always works |
Transfer to your hotel booked | The airport is about 40 km from the city centre |
Airline emails checked a few days before departure | Schedule or airport changes are likely around the opening |
What no agency can honestly promise
We can't guarantee the opening date of Long Thanh, which airport an airline will use for a given flight, or what an individual immigration officer will decide. What we can do is check your booking, make sure your e-visa matches your real arrival airport, and process your application quickly if plans change at short notice.
Frequently asked questions
When does Long Thanh International Airport open?
Commercial flights are planned to start at midnight on December 24, 2026, according to ACV. The date has been moved before, so check your booking close to departure.
Is Long Thanh Airport an e-visa port of entry?
Yes. Resolution 389/NQ-CP (December 2, 2025) lists Long Thanh International Airport among Vietnam's e-visa air border gates, effective once the airport is in operation.
Will Tan Son Nhat Airport close when Long Thanh opens?
No. Tan Son Nhat stays open. In the first phase Long Thanh handles up to 366 flights a week, and most international flights to Ho Chi Minh City are expected to stay at Tan Son Nhat for now.
What if my e-visa says Tan Son Nhat but I land at Long Thanh?
Contact your airline and us before you fly. Sources disagree on how strictly a mismatched port is enforced, so the safest option is to make sure your e-visa matches your real arrival airport.
How far is Long Thanh Airport from Ho Chi Minh City?
About 40 km east of the city centre, in Dong Nai. The trip uses the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway, and the travel time depends on traffic.
Do I need a visa to transfer between Long Thanh and Tan Son Nhat?
Yes. There is no airside connection, so you must pass immigration and enter Vietnam. You need an e-visa or a visa exemption for your nationality.
Related guides: Vietnam e-visa ports of entry · Tan Son Nhat airport arrival guide · Vietnam visa exemption list · Vietnam e-visa