Our Review of Ho Chi Minh Saigon Airport (SGN)

Table of contents: Our Review of Ho Chi Minh Saigon Airport (SGN) Pros and Cons of Ho Chi Minh Saigon Airport (SGN) Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Ho Chi Minh Saigon Airport (SGN)

All the information featured on this page was compiled and written by David Enrich, a renowned expert in aviation and airport guides since 1999.

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Other Reviews

Sources of the reviews

The following summary is based on passenger feedback from two widely used travel review platforms:

Skytrax, a well-known aviation rating organization that collects detailed airport reviews and evaluates airports using passenger surveys and service quality indicators.
Google Reviews, where travelers share personal experiences and ratings after passing through the airport.

Skytrax evaluates airports using criteria such as comfort, cleanliness, queues, staff service, shopping and food options, based on feedback from millions of passengers worldwide.

According to Skytrax, Tan Son Nhat International Airport is currently classified as a 3-Star Airport, meaning it offers an acceptable level of facilities and services but still has room for improvement.

Summary of Passenger Reviews

Positive feedback (most common strengths)

1. Excellent location close to the city
Many travelers highlight that the airport is very close to downtown Ho Chi Minh City, making transfers quick compared with many large international airports located far outside urban centers.

2. Good connectivity and flight options
Passengers appreciate the large number of domestic and international flights, with frequent connections across Southeast Asia and within Vietnam.

3. Wide range of food and shopping options
Travelers often mention that both terminals provide a decent selection of restaurants, cafés, convenience stores, and duty-free shops, which makes waiting times more comfortable.

4. Efficient domestic travel
Many reviews state that domestic flights are generally smooth and relatively fast, especially compared with the international side of the airport.

5. Friendly local staff
Some passengers report positive interactions with airport staff and airline employees, noting helpfulness and friendliness.

Negative feedback (most common complaints)

1. Overcrowding and limited space
A frequent complaint is that the airport operates beyond its intended capacity, leading to crowded waiting areas and busy check-in zones.

2. Long immigration queues
Many international travelers report long waiting times at passport control, especially when multiple flights arrive simultaneously.

3. Traffic congestion around the airport
Passengers often mention that the roads leading to the airport can be heavily congested, which may cause delays when arriving or leaving.

4. Aging infrastructure in some areas
While the international terminal is relatively modern, parts of the airport are described as older or less comfortable than newer airports in Asia.

5. Inconsistent service quality
Some reviews criticize the organization of queues, baggage procedures, or customer service, describing experiences that vary depending on time of day or airline.

Overall Passenger Perception

Overall, traveler reviews tend to describe Tan Son Nhat as a functional but crowded airport. The airport performs well in terms of location and connectivity, but struggles with capacity and congestion, which affects passenger comfort during busy periods.

The airport has also faced criticism in global rankings. For example, one international ranking placed it near the bottom of large airport lists due to passenger experience and crowding issues, highlighting the challenges of operating in a densely built urban area.

Final Score

Overall rating: 6.5 / 10

Justification

Tan Son Nhat International Airport scores well in several important areas:

Very convenient location close to the city center
Strong domestic and international connectivity
Decent range of shops and services

However, its score is reduced by several persistent issues:

Overcrowding and long queues
Limited terminal space
Traffic congestion around the airport

In short, the airport works well as a busy gateway to Vietnam, but passenger satisfaction is sometimes affected by capacity limitations and operational pressure.

Pros and Cons of Ho Chi Minh Saigon Airport (SGN)

Pros

1. Very close to the city center

One of the airport’s biggest advantages is its location. Tan Son Nhat is only about 6 km from District 1, the main tourist and business area of Ho Chi Minh City. In light traffic, the journey can take as little as 15–20 minutes, making transfers quick and convenient.

2. Large number of domestic and international flights

The airport is a major hub for Vietnamese aviation and offers excellent connectivity across Southeast Asia and within Vietnam. Travelers can easily find frequent flights to cities such as Hanoi, Da Nang, Bangkok, Singapore, and Seoul.

3. Good range of transport options

Passengers can choose from taxis, ride-hailing services, buses, and car or motorbike rentals. Ride-hailing apps such as Grab are widely used and help keep transport prices relatively affordable.

4. Wide range of services and facilities

Both terminals offer restaurants, cafés, currency exchange, SIM card shops, ATMs, convenience stores, and duty-free stores. These services make it easy for travelers to prepare for their trip immediately after arrival.

5. Efficient domestic connections

The domestic terminal handles a high volume of flights every day, making it easy for travelers to connect to popular Vietnamese destinations such as Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, or Da Nang.

Cons

1. Overcrowding during peak hours

Tan Son Nhat frequently operates above its intended capacity, especially during holidays and busy travel periods. This can lead to crowded terminals and long queues at security and immigration.

2. Traffic congestion around the airport

The roads leading to the airport are often heavily congested, particularly during morning and evening rush hours. This can make travel times unpredictable.

3. Limited terminal space

Although the international terminal is relatively modern, some parts of the airport feel small and crowded compared to newer Asian airports.

4. Long immigration lines

International arrivals can sometimes face long waits at passport control, particularly when multiple flights arrive at the same time.

5. Aging infrastructure

While improvements have been made over the years, some facilities still feel older compared with recently built airports in the region such as those in Singapore or Bangkok.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is the main airport serving Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam and the country’s economic hub. Located about 6 km north of the city center, it is the busiest airport in Vietnam, handling tens of millions of passengers every year and acting as a key gateway to Southeast Asia.

The airport plays an essential role for both international travelers visiting Vietnam and domestic passengers connecting to other major cities such as Hanoi, Da Nang, and Phu Quoc. Due to its central location and high traffic levels, Tan Son Nhat is known for being a very busy airport, especially during holidays and peak travel seasons.

Terminals

Tan Son Nhat Airport has two main passenger terminals, located within walking distance of each other.

Terminal 1 (Domestic Terminal)
This terminal handles all domestic flights within Vietnam. Major Vietnamese airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air, and Bamboo Airways operate frequent flights connecting Ho Chi Minh City with destinations across the country.

Terminal 2 (International Terminal)
Terminal 2 is dedicated to international flights and serves airlines from across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The terminal features modern facilities, duty-free shops, restaurants, and airline lounges.

Although the terminals are separate buildings, the distance between them is relatively short. Walking between them usually takes 10–15 minutes, although taxis and airport shuttles are also available.

Transport to and from the Airport

Tan Son Nhat Airport is well connected to Ho Chi Minh City by several transport options.

Taxis and ride-hailing services are the most popular ways to travel to the city. Licensed taxis and services such as Grab operate outside the arrivals area, and the journey to District 1 usually takes 20–30 minutes depending on traffic.

Airport buses provide a cheaper alternative. Several routes connect the airport with the city center and other districts.

Travelers can also rent cars or motorbikes, although many visitors prefer taxis due to the busy and sometimes chaotic traffic conditions in the city.

Facilities and Services

Tan Son Nhat Airport offers a wide range of services designed to make travel more comfortable.

Passengers will find restaurants, cafés, duty-free shops, currency exchange counters, ATMs, SIM card kiosks, and convenience stores in both terminals. Several airline lounges are also available, particularly in the international terminal.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the airport, and there are information counters to assist passengers with directions or flight information.

The airport also has multi-storey parking facilities for cars and large areas for motorbike parking, reflecting the popularity of scooters in Vietnam.

Airlines and Destinations

Tan Son Nhat Airport is a major hub for Vietnam Airlines, as well as an important base for VietJet Air and Bamboo Airways.

From here, travelers can fly to many destinations across Asia, including Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, and Kuala Lumpur. Long-haul flights also connect Ho Chi Minh City with cities in Europe, Australia, and the Middle East.

Domestically, the airport offers frequent flights to destinations such as Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc.

Tips for First-Time Visitors

If you are traveling through Tan Son Nhat Airport for the first time, a few tips can make your experience smoother:

Arrive at least 2–3 hours before international flights, as queues can be long.
Keep Vietnamese dong (VND) available for small purchases or transport.
Use official taxis or ride-hailing apps to avoid scams.
Expect busy terminals during holidays, particularly around Tet (Vietnamese New Year).

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation