Airports of Viet Nam
Viet Nam is a long, thin country — over 1,600 kilometres from the Chinese border to the southern tip of the Mekong Delta — and its airport network reflects that unusual geography. Rather than concentrating everything into a single dominant hub, the country has spread its 21 commercial airports along the spine of the coast, with meaningful capacity at both ends and a growing middle. Two cities anchor the system: Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the north. Neither qualifies as a true mega-hub by global standards, but together they carry the weight of nearly all international traffic into the country.
The shape of Viet Nam's aviation network
What strikes me about flying through Viet Nam is how evenly matched its two main airports are. SGN in Ho Chi Minh City edges ahead with 88 non-stop destinations to Hanoi's 85, but the difference is negligible in practice — both cities are genuinely well-connected to the rest of Asia, and increasingly to Europe and beyond. Da Nang, the country's third airport, punches harder than you'd expect from a mid-sized coastal city, with 33 routes that reflect how seriously the world has started taking central Viet Nam as a destination in its own right. Below that tier, though, the drop-off is steep. Fifteen of the country's 21 airports serve fewer than eight destinations each, which means domestic flying is often the only realistic option for reaching the country's more remote corners.
Airport tiers in Viet Nam
Regional airports (6)
- SGN Ho Chi Minh City — 88 destinations
- HAN Hanoi — 85 destinations
- DAD Da Nang — 33 destinations
- CXR Nha Trang — 25 destinations
- PQC Phu Quoc — 23 destinations
- HPH Haiphong — 12 destinations
Minor airfields (15)
- DLI Dalat — 6 destinations
- VCA Can Tho — 6 destinations
- VII Vinh City — 5 destinations
- BMV Buon Ma Thout — 5 destinations
- VCS Con Dao — 3 destinations
- UIH Qui Nhon — 2 destinations
- VDH Dong Hoi — 2 destinations
- TBB Tuy Hoa — 2 destinations
- PXU Pleiku — 2 destinations
- HUI Hue — 2 destinations
- VCL Tamky-Chulai Airport — 2 destinations
- VKG Rach Gia — 1 destinations
Tips for using Viet Nam's airports
If you're arriving internationally, your entry point is almost certainly SGN or HAN — choose based on where you want to spend most of your time, since the overland distance between them makes backtracking expensive. For central Viet Nam, flying into Da Nang directly saves a major leg of travel. Cam Ranh (CXR) is the smart choice for the Nha Trang coast, with 25 routes that include several international connections. The 15 smaller airfields are largely domestic-only, often served by a single airline, so book early and build flexibility into your schedule around them — weather cancellations are not uncommon in the north during winter.
Frequently asked questions
How many airports are in Vietnam?
Vietnam has 21 commercial airports serving both domestic and international routes. These airports connect major cities throughout the country and provide access to regional destinations.
What is the biggest and busiest airport in Vietnam?
Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest and busiest airport, serving as the country's primary hub for international and domestic flights.
Can I fly internationally from regional airports in Vietnam?
Yes, several regional airports offer international flights, including Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and Da Nang International Airport. However, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City handles the majority of international traffic.
What is the distance and how do I transit between Vietnam's main airports?
Vietnam's main airports are connected by domestic flights, buses, and trains. Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) and Noi Bai (Hanoi) are the two largest hubs, with regular domestic flight connections between them.
Which airport should I fly into when visiting Vietnam?
If visiting Ho Chi Minh City or southern Vietnam, fly into Tan Son Nhat (SGN). If visiting Hanoi or northern Vietnam, use Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). For central regions, Da Nang International Airport (DAD) is a convenient alternative.