Long Thanh International Airport, under construction in Dong Nai Province east of Ho Chi Minh City, entered trial flights from September through November 2026. Official opening is targeted for December of the same year, after which international routes currently handled by Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport will be transferred over in stages. For anyone living in Vietnam or traveling frequently on business, this means “which airport you fly from” could change within a few months. It is worth getting a clear picture of what is coming early.
Trial flights began in September — what is being tested ahead of the December opening
The airport operator has scheduled three rounds of trial operations in September, October, and November, to test everything that needs to be verified before welcoming real passengers — runway and terminal operations, baggage handling, and check-in flow on the ground — in full dress rehearsals before the real thing. As of June 2026, construction was about 76% complete, with total project cost reaching roughly 336 trillion dong (about $12.8 billion). Once finished, it will be Vietnam's largest airport.
The airport sits roughly 40–45 km east of District 1 in central Ho Chi Minh City. Even under normal traffic, that is a 50–70 minute drive, rising to over 90 minutes during rush hour — a very different setup from Tan Son Nhat's in-city location. Developments around Vietnam's expressways and fuel, whichE10 gasoline hits a record 25,060 dong, price rise set for 3pm on September 4and13 sections of the North–South Expressway go tolled from August 15, making an ETC balance mandatorywe have covered elsewhere, are worth factoring into your travel cost calculations for reaching the airport.
When and in what order will Tan Son Nhat's international routes move?
The transfer will not happen all at once — it will proceed in stages by route type. At opening, long-haul routes are expected to move first, followed by a gradual expansion to routes within Asia. Here is a rough timeline.
| Period | Main developments |
|---|---|
| September–November 2026 | Three rounds of trial operations (testing runways, terminals, and ground operations) |
| December 2026 | Official opening. Routes to the Americas, Europe, and Oceania move first |
| 2027 | Expansion continues through Africa, the Middle East, and South-Central Asia before reaching routes within Asia |
| Late 2027 | Tan Son Nhat's international flights begin to be limited to short-haul routes |
| Around 2030 | Tan Son Nhat shifts to mainly domestic flights, with scheduled international service consolidated at Long Thanh |
In other words, right after the December 2026 opening, there will be a period where the departure airport depends on your destination. Flights to Europe, the Americas, and Oceania are expected to use Long Thanh, while flights within Asia are set to keep using Tan Son Nhat for a while. During this transition, it is essential to double-check which airport applies every time you book.
Rethinking transport to an airport further from the city
For access, cars and buses will be the main options for now. The operator reportedly plans seven new bus routes, with rail and metro connections expected around 2030. For a while after opening, travel time from the city center will be hard to predict. When catching an international flight, it is safer to plan on leaving for the airport earlier than you would have for Tan Son Nhat.
Especially if it coincides with rush hour, a one-way trip can take over 90 minutes, so for late-night or early-morning flights, it is worth locking in your ride or transfer arrangements in advance. Ride-hailing conditions in the city change from day to day, andGrab drivers going offline in the app— when things like that happen, it can affect your ride to the airport. During this period of airport change, it is reassuring to keep more than one transport option in mind rather than relying on just one.
The impact on business trips and resident schedules
This transfer brings two major practical changes. First, from December 2026, anyone flying to Europe or the Americas will depart from Long Thanh, meaning a much longer distance from the city. Second, connection assumptions may change. If international flights are at Long Thanh and domestic flights stay at Tan Son Nhat, connecting between them will require moving between airports. Anyone combining international and domestic flights within Vietnam will need to build in extra connection time.
What you can prepare now for the months ahead
The opening is still months away and currently at the trial-flight stage. Travelers and residents do not need to act immediately, but a few points are worth keeping in mind. First, when booking flights for December 2026 onward, check the listed departure and arrival airport more carefully than before. Second, for flights using Long Thanh, budget extra travel time from the city center and lock in your transfer arrangements early. Third, for itineraries that combine international and domestic flights, plan connection times assuming the two airports will be separate. Keeping these three points in mind should help you avoid being caught off guard during the switchover. It is also worth watching for announcements in your airline's member portal or notification emails, since the timing of each carrier's move to the new airport may differ. Sorting out which airport applies to your own travel routes before the changes fully take effect will make booking easier after the opening.
Sources:VietnamWithMe「Long Thanh Airport Begins Trial Flights」／VnExpress International「Long Thanh powers up for December opening」
