Vietnam Travel News: Long Thanh Airport Opening 2026 and What It Means for Ho Chi Minh City Arrivals

The most useful Vietnam travel news update for Ho Chi Minh City flights is that Long Thanh International Airport's Phase 1 terminal will handle 25 million passengers a year using a single 4,000-meter runway. Domestic flights now at Tan Son Nhat (SGN) will move first, with a soft opening targeted for September 2026. The first commercial domestic flight is tentatively set for September 5, 2026, but that date is not yet final—it depends on a formal announcement from the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV).

International services will not shift at the same time. ACV expects a second-phase move likely between December 2026 and January 2027, but no official cutoff date has been set for Tan Son Nhat's international operations. That means travelers may see domestic itineraries with the new code LTH from late 2026 while international tickets continue to show SGN. Keep in mind that LTH is a provisional IATA code and may not appear in airline systems until the airport is fully active, so verify flight details with your carrier rather than assuming a booking error.

From late 2026, the main booking change in Vietnam travel news is that domestic flight itineraries may show LTH (Long Thanh International Airport) instead of Tan Son Nhat's SGN. The LTH code remains provisional until the Airports Corporation of Vietnam finalizes airline systems, so check the airport name on every booking confirmation, not just the three-letter code. International tickets will continue to list SGN until the official transfer of international flights to Long Thanh, expected in a second phase around December 2026 to January 2027, with no firm cutoff date announced yet.

Vietnam's e-visa policy does not change for Long Thanh. The current e-visa, which allows multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days, is valid at all international airports, land border gates, and seaports, including Long Thanh once its international terminal opens. You do not need a separate visa or extra document just because your flight lands at LTH rather than SGN. If you hold an older single-entry e-visa, double-check the permitted entry point printed on the document, but most travelers issued e-visas from August 2023 onward can enter through any international checkpoint.

For departures from Long Thanh in the first months of operation, arrive at least three hours before an international flight. Terminal staff, check-in systems, and security lanes are still being calibrated, so queues can move slower than at Tan Son Nhat. Keep airline emails and mobile boarding passes close; gate changes can happen with little notice while the airport sorts out its operations.

Getting from Long Thanh to Ho Chi Minh City

Long Thanh International Airport — the focus of much Vietnam travel news in 2026 — sits in Long Thanh District, Dong Nai province, about 40 km east of central Ho Chi Minh City. The fastest road link is the HCMC–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway, which should get you to District 1 in 45–60 minutes under normal traffic; allow an extra 20–30 minutes during weekday rush hours or heavy rain.

ACV plans to run airport buses at 30,000–50,000 VND per person (about US$1.20–2.00), with luggage space and departure times matched to flight arrivals during the soft-opening phase. Metered taxis and fixed-price airport taxis are expected to cost 300,000–400,000 VND (US$12–16) for the 40 km trip — confirm the fare before leaving the terminal, as drivers may not all be familiar with the new airport in early weeks.

There is no metro link from Long Thanh to the city; the proposed rail line is still under study and won't open for several years. During the September 2026 soft-opening period, duty-free shops, lounges, and some ground transport counters may not be fully operational, so keep an eye on ACV announcements and your airline's arrival email before relying on one option.

For vietnam travel news today: Long Thanh International Airport's first phase terminal has capacity for 25 million passengers per year and a single 4,000-meter runway, but when domestic flights start around September 5, 2026, expect a working airport rather than a finished one. Check-in, security, and baggage handling staff are new to this terminal; early operations will likely run slower than Tan Son Nhat, so arrive at least 3 hours before any domestic departure from LTH and avoid tight connections.

Duty-free shops, airline lounges, and even the full range of ground transport options are not yet confirmed for the soft opening. Bring your own water, snacks, and a power bank; don't assume you can buy a SIM card or a coffee inside the terminal. Taxis and airport buses are planned at VND 300,000–400,000 and VND 30,000–50,000 respectively, but their frequency in the first weeks is unverified.

Vietnam's e-visa policy applies at Long Thanh exactly as at Tan Son Nhat: no extra paperwork, no separate airport code required on the visa application. Your e-visa remains valid for any international entry point. Before departure, check the official ACV website and your airline's emails; gate and terminal assignments can change without much notice during the transition. This is the key vietnam travel news to act on for late 2026 arrivals.

Long Thanh International Airport's soft opening is tentatively set for September 5, 2026 for domestic flights, but the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has not issued a final date, and weather, construction, or certification snags could push it back. For the most current vietnam travel news on the opening, check ACV's official site (acv.com.vn) and your airline's notices. The provisional IATA code LTH will appear on tickets only after the airport is officially active, so don't expect your booking to change immediately.

Vietnamese news outlets such as english.thesaigontimes.vn and Tuoi Tre News, plus active expat forums on Facebook and sites like Vietnam Coracle, often share real-time reports from the ground—taxi queues, check-in delays, and terminal glitches—faster than official channels. That matters because domestic and international flights will not transfer on the same schedule. Domestic routes may move first in September, while international flights are not expected until December 2026 or January 2027, and no cutoff date has been announced. If your ticket still says SGN, that's where you go.

Before any trip in late 2026, verify each booking individually. Check the airline app or website 24–48 hours before departure for terminal changes, and confirm whether your flight departs from Tan Son Nhat or Long Thanh. The opening sequence is fluid, so treat every piece of vietnam travel news as provisional until it appears on your boarding pass.