Getting to Hanoi by air: Noi Bai Airport (HAN)

Noi Bai handles over 30 million passengers a year and is Vietnam's second-busiest airport after Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City. It is the main gateway to the north: Vietnam Airlines and a long list of foreign carriers fly here. Landing in Hanoi to start your trip, connecting onward, or just killing time in transit? This guide covers all three.

Inside: terminals, how to get into the city, the flight board, currency exchange, SIM cards, lounges, and which international hubs feed Noi Bai. Prices are in VND with a rough USD conversion (roughly 26,000 VND = $1).

Noi Bai airport overview

Noi Bai International Airport (Sân bay quốc tế Nội Bài) opened in its current form in 2001, in the Soc Son district about 30 km north of the centre. All air traffic for northern Vietnam passes through it.

How many airports does Hanoi have? Just one. Noi Bai is the capital's only civilian airport — second in size in Vietnam, but growing fast and outpacing several regional rivals.

The airport is growing on two fronts. The international T2 is being expanded, lifting capacity from 10 to 15 million passengers a year. Alongside it, a large new T3 is planned north of the current terminals to absorb future traffic. While both projects are underway, expect some closed-off walkways and longer security queues.

T1 is styled like a Vietnamese pagoda on the outside, with upturned roof edges. Inside, the romance fades: glass, plastic and four floors of standard airport fittings.

Hanoi airport terminals

For now there are two buildings, about 500 metres apart. The rule is simple: T1 is domestic, T2 is international. A larger T3 is still under construction — once it opens, some international traffic will shift there, so always check which terminal is printed on your ticket.

Terminal 1 (domestic flights)

This is where flights from Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Da Lat and Phu Quoc arrive. Already in Vietnam and hopping between cities? You want T1.

Four floors:

• Level 1 — arrivals, exits to transport, ATMs (Citibank, HSBC, Vietinbank, Techcombank, Agribank), a Vietinbank exchange counter
• Level 2 — cafés, shops, waiting areas for people meeting arrivals
• Level 3 — departures: check-in, security, gates. SH Premium Lounge (near Gate 5) and SHB First Club (Zone A). VATC SleepPod capsule hotel
• Level 4 — restaurants and cafés (Highlands Coffee, Star Cafe), rest areas

Terminal 2 (international flights)

Every arrival from abroad lands here — whether you flew in from Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul or Hong Kong. T2 opened in 2014 and is newer and roomier than T1.

• Level 1 — arrivals: immigration, baggage claim, customs. After customs: four exchange counters, ATMs (BIDV, Maritime Bank, VP Bank, Vietinbank, Techcombank, Agribank), SIM kiosks (Viettel, Vinaphone, MobiFone), exits to taxis and buses
• Level 2 — left luggage (24/7), service desks, VATC SleepPod capsule hotel
• Level 3 — departures: check-in, security, exit immigration, Duty Free, gates
• Level 4 — restaurants (Bigbowl, McDonald's, KFC, Burger King), Lotus Lounge and ACV Business Lounge

The arrival process at T2, step by step

1. Leave the aircraft and follow the "Arrivals" signs (all in English too)
2. Immigration: join the queue for foreign passports. Have your passport and boarding pass ready. If you carry a pre-approved e-visa, keep the approval letter handy
3. Collect your baggage — check the board for the belt number
4. Customs: green channel (nothing to declare) or red
5. Arrivals hall: exchange counters, SIM kiosks, ATMs
6. Exit to transport: taxis and buses are right outside the doors

The whole walk from the jet bridge to the exit takes 40–90 minutes, mostly depending on the immigration queue.

Moving between terminals

A free black electric shuttle runs between T1 and T2 every 10–15 minutes, a ride of about 5 minutes. It stops at the main entrances of both buildings.

Hanoi airport live flight board

There are a few ways to check flight status.

The official online board at noibaiairport.vn shows every flight in real time, with filters by direction, flight number and date. It refreshes every 2–3 minutes, in Vietnamese and English.

Inside the airport, boards are on every floor of both terminals, and signage is duplicated in English. Lost? Look for the information desks on each level.

Getting from Hanoi airport into the city

Every option, from ~$0.30 on a city bus to ~$21 in a taxi. For getting around once you are in town — buses, bikes and Grab — see the Hanoi transport guide.

Bus 86 — the best budget option

An orange-and-red express with air conditioning and Wi-Fi. It runs from the airport through the Old Quarter to the railway station (Ga Hà Nội).

• Price: 45,000 VND (~$1.80)
• Frequency: every 25–30 minutes
• Hours: roughly 06:40–22:15
• Luggage: hold underneath the bus
• Journey time: 45–60 minutes to the Old Quarter (up to 80 at rush hour)
• Where to board: stops right outside T1 and T2

You buy the ticket from the driver in cash VND. Carry small notes — change from a 500,000 VND bill may not be available. No dong yet? Swap $5–10 at an exchange counter before you leave.

City buses 7, 17 and 90

The cheapest way in: from 8,000 VND (~$0.30). Downsides: the routes are long, announcements are Vietnamese only, and there is no luggage hold. Good if you already know Hanoi. First time? Take bus 86 or a Grab.

Bus 7 runs to Cầu Giấy (west). Bus 17 goes to Long Biên (near the Old Quarter). Bus 90 heads to Kim Mã (central-west).

Taxis

There are official ranks outside both terminals. Trusted companies:

• Mai Linh (green cars) — the largest network, runs on the meter
• Vinasun (white with a red-and-green stripe) — a reliable alternative
• Noi Bai Taxi (yellow) — the airport service

On the meter, the Old Quarter runs 350,000–520,000 VND (~$14–21). Overnight (23:00–05:00) the tariff is about 30% higher.

Grab — simpler and cheaper than a taxi

Grab works like Uber: you book in the app, the price is fixed up front, the route shows on a map, and you pay cash or card.

Where to meet your Grab driver:

• At T2: leave the arrivals hall, walk to Pillar 8, cross the pedestrian bridge. The pickup zone is marked there
• At T1: the zone by the main exit — look for the "Ride-hailing pickup" sign

To the Old Quarter it runs 250,000–350,000 VND (~$10–14) — usually 20–30% below the meter. Install Grab and register before you fly: the app needs to verify your phone number, and it accepts foreign SIMs.

Pre-booked transfer

A driver waits with a name board in arrivals. You can book on Klook, KiwiTaxi or GetTransfer.

The upside: a fixed price, a meet-and-greet right in the hall, and the option of a child seat. And you don't have to sort out a SIM or Grab the moment you land.

Flights to Hanoi — hubs and connections

The main gateways

Noi Bai is well connected across Asia. If there is no direct flight from your city, the smart play is a one-stop routing through a major regional hub. From these airports you get several daily flights into Hanoi on both full-service and budget carriers.

Coming from Europe or North America, the common routings are via a Gulf hub (Doha, Dubai) or an Asian one (Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong). Vietnam Airlines is in SkyTeam, so miles credit to SkyTeam partners.

Domestic flights from Hanoi

Once you are in the country, Hanoi is the northern node of a dense domestic network out of T1. It is often faster and not much dearer than an overnight train or bus.

Booking tips

How to find a fare: compare on Google Flights and Skyscanner, then book direct with the carrier or via the airline app. Buying 2–3 months out helps, and mid-week departures (Tuesday–Wednesday) are usually cheaper. Low season for northern Vietnam is roughly June, September and October; the pricey stretch is around Tet (late January–February) and the December holidays. For domestic hops, VietJet and Bamboo Airways run frequent sales — set a price alert.

What to do on a layover in Hanoi

Noi Bai is a handy connecting point for flights around Southeast Asia. Vietnam Airlines and its SkyTeam partners route many journeys through here.

Short layover (under 4 hours)

Stay airside. Past security in T2 there are cafés, restaurants, Duty Free, free Wi-Fi and charging points. Connecting T2 → T1? Budget 1.5–2 hours: shuttle, a second security check and the walk to the gate.

Medium layover (4–6 hours)

You can stay inside the airport. Got Priority Pass? Head to the SH Premium Lounge for food, drinks, Wi-Fi and a shower. Without a lounge, grab a bite at Bigbowl (T2, open 24/7). Level 4 in T2 has soft seating where you can doze off.

Long layover (6+ hours)

Worth heading into town. Bus 86 gets you to the Old Quarter in about 50 minutes. With 4–5 hours in Hanoi you can:

• Wander the Old Quarter
• Eat phở bò at a street stall (from 40,000 VND / ~$1.60)
• See Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple
• Buy coffee and souvenirs

Leave 2 hours for the trip back and check-in. To go into the city you clear immigration on the way out — so make sure your visa or e-visa allows the entry you need.

Overnight layover

VATC SleepPod — capsules right in the airport. In T2 on Level 2 (12 twin pods and 2 single), in T1 on Level 3. Inside: TV, alarm, clean linen, free snacks and water. No shower, and the toilet is the shared terminal one. The pods are landside (before security), so you have to clear immigration to reach them.

Visa to leave the airport: whether you can go into the city depends on your nationality and visa. Many travellers use the Vietnam e-visa; some passports get visa-free entry for a set number of days. Check the rules for your passport before you count on a city run.

Services at Noi Bai airport

Currency exchange and ATMs

Exchange counters are on Level 1 of both terminals. In T2 there are four right after customs. They run from 06:30 to midnight and take USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CNY, KRW and THB. USD gets the best rate.

ATMs run 24/7 in both terminals:

The Vietnamese bank fee is 50,000–100,000 VND (~$2–4) per withdrawal, and a single withdrawal caps at 3,000,000–5,000,000 VND. Most foreign Visa and Mastercard cards work fine at these ATMs; tell your bank you are travelling so the transaction isn't blocked.

SIM cards and Wi-Fi

Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone kiosks sit in the arrivals area of both terminals. Bring your passport — it is required to register a SIM.

Pick Viettel if you plan to head out of town (Sapa, Ninh Binh, Ha Long): its coverage is clearly better. A 10 GB / 30-day pack costs about 150,000 VND (~$6). Staff install and activate the SIM on the spot in 5 minutes. Prefer to skip the kiosk? A local eSIM bought online before you fly works from the moment you land, if your phone supports it.

Free Wi-Fi: the network is "Noi Bai Airport Free Wi-Fi," no password. Fine for messaging; video calls can stutter.

Left luggage

T2, Level 2, open 24/7. It costs 50,000–100,000 VND (~$2–4) per bag per day and takes suitcases of any size. Pay in cash VND.

Lounges

The Lotus Lounge (Vietnam Airlines) in T2 does hot Vietnamese dishes and a decent shower. SHB First Club is another level entirely: a cigar room, a massage garden and a runway view.

Food and cafés

Around the clock: Bigbowl (T2, public area) — phở bò from 80,000 VND (~$3.20), rice with meat from 70,000 VND (~$2.80). Lucky Café (T1) — coffee from 30,000 VND (~$1.20).

Main outlets (07:00–23:00): McDonald's (T2), KFC (T2), Burger King (T1, T2), Highlands Coffee (T1, T2) — Vietnamese coffee from 40,000 VND (~$1.60).

Airport prices run 30–50% higher. The same phở bò that costs 40,000 VND in town will be 80,000–100,000 VND here.

Duty Free and shopping

Duty Free is in T2, on both the arrivals and departures sides. The range covers cosmetics, spirits, cigarettes, chocolate and Vietnamese souvenirs. Compared with Bangkok or Singapore the choice is modest — don't plan a shopping spree.

Both terminals have Vietnamese coffee shops (Trung Nguyên, G7), plus cashews, spices and silk.

Tax Free: spend from 2,000,000 VND (~$80) at Tax Free shops and you can reclaim the 10% VAT. The Tax Refund desk is in T2 departures, before immigration.

Common mistakes at Hanoi airport

1. Getting into an unlicensed taxi. "Drivers" in the arrivals hall target newcomers and quote 2–3 times the fair price. Go to the official rank outside or book a Grab.
2. Changing all your cash at the airport. The rate here is 2–5% worse. On $500 you lose 250,000–600,000 VND (~$10–24). Change the minimum, just for transport and a SIM.
3. Not getting a SIM. Without data you can't book a Grab, check a route or message your hotel. Grab one at the airport — it takes 5 minutes. An eSIM bought before you fly also does the job.
4. Not installing Grab in advance. Registration needs phone verification. Doing it at the airport eats 15–20 minutes. Set it up at home.
5. Not allowing for traffic. At rush hour (07:00–09:00, 17:00–19:00) the drive to the airport stretches to 90 minutes instead of 45. For a morning departure, leave a 3-hour buffer.
6. Forgetting the terminal transfer. A T2 → T1 connection means the shuttle plus a second security check. Budget 1.5–2 hours. Many people miss flights assuming the terminals are next door.
7. Not checking visa rules. Requirements depend on your nationality. Transit without leaving the airport usually needs no visa; to go into the city you clear immigration, so confirm your e-visa or visa-free entry before you land.

FAQ — Hanoi airport

How many airports does Hanoi have?

One. Noi Bai (HAN) handles all of the capital's civilian flights.

What is the airport called, and what is its code?

Noi Bai International Airport. IATA code HAN, ICAO code VVNB. In Vietnamese: Sân bay quốc tế Nội Bài.

How long is the trip to central Hanoi?

45–90 minutes, depending on traffic. Grab or taxi with no traffic: 45–60 minutes. Bus 86: 50–60 minutes. Up to 90 at rush hour. The distance is about 30 km.

Can I get from the airport to Ninh Binh directly?

There is no direct bus. Options: (1) Grab or taxi to Giáp Bát bus station (~40 min, ~300,000 VND / ~$12), then a bus to Ninh Binh (~2 h, from 100,000 VND / ~$4). (2) A direct transfer — from $50, about 2.5 hours.

Is there left luggage?

Yes, T2, Level 2, 24/7. It costs 50,000–100,000 VND (~$2–4) per bag per day.

How much is a taxi to the Old Quarter?

By meter (Mai Linh, Vinasun): 350,000–520,000 VND (~$14–21). Grab: 250,000–350,000 VND (~$10–14). Transfer: from 375,000 VND (~$15).

Does Grab work at the airport?

Yes, 24/7. At T2 the pickup zone is Pillar 8 (across the pedestrian bridge from the exit). At T1 look for the zone by the main exit.

Is there a capsule hotel?

VATC SleepPod is in both terminals (T2 Level 2, T1 Level 3), from $30–43 a night. The pods are landside, before security. Nearby are the Family Transit Hotel (from 400,000 VND) and Noi Bai Airport Hotel (from 500,000 VND).

Prices and schedules current as of July 2026. Before booking, check the details on noibaiairport.vnand the airlines' own sites.