Long Thanh Airport in 2026: opening date, which flights move, and how to get to the city
Long Thanh International Airport is Ho Chi Minh City's new airport, about 40 km from the city center. It was supposed to open to commercial flights on 1 December 2026, but on 4 October the airport operator ACV gave a new date: 24 December. International flights will move over from Tan Son Nhat in three stages, finishing in March 2028.
All of that is still a plan, and the plan keeps moving. The opening date has slipped twice in the past year alone. Key facts below carry their source and date, and anything that hasn't happened yet is labelled as a plan. You won't find taxi or bus fares here, because none have been officially published.
When does Long Thanh Airport open?
Long Thanh Airport is due to start commercial flights on 24 December 2026, according to the latest figures from ACV. The date was given on 4 October at a meeting chaired by Standing Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Gia Túc. Over the summer the plan was different: on 28 July 2026 the government news portal baochinhphu.vn reported that the CAAV had agreed with ACV on an opening on 1 December.
Here's how the date has moved. In October 2025, Vietnam News reported commercial flights from June 2026. In July 2026, ACV was planning for 1 December. Now it's 24 December.
What has already happened, and what's scheduled for the coming weeks:
- 15 December 2025: Vietnam Airlines technical flight VN5001 tested the runway and equipment.
- 19 December 2025: ceremonial flights by Vietnam Airlines (a Boeing 787 from Hanoi), Vietjet and Bamboo Airways (A320/A321s from Tan Son Nhat). No scheduled passengers.
- October–November 2026: under ACV's plan, three rounds of trial operations of the terminal, runway and apron (per Nhân Dân, 4 October 2026).
ACV says 12 of 16 construction packages are broadly on schedule. The government is openly cautious:
The remaining workload is large, there is not much time left, and the project is facing many difficultiesconclusion of Standing Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Gia Túc, as reported by Dân trí, 7 Oct 2026, translated from Vietnamese
The same report says some contracts show "almost no progress," and work on key sections was ordered to run around the clock. Bottom line: if your late-December flight is scheduled into Long Thanh, keep a backup plan in case of another delay.
Long Thanh Airport in numbers
Long Thanh is an ICAO Code 4F airport, which means it can handle the largest passenger jets. Phase one is designed for 25 million passengers a year. Once fully built, capacity rises to 100 million.
| Item | Figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| IATA / ICAO code | LTH / VVLT | Vietnam News, 07.10.2025 |
| Distance to central HCMC | about 40 km | Vietnam News, 07.10.2025 |
| Runways | two parallel: 05R/23L and 05L/23R | Vietnam News, 07.10.2025 |
| Phase 1 capacity | 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo a year | Vietnam News, 30.09.2026 |
| Design capacity | 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes a year | Nhân Dân, 04.10.2026 |
| Project area | about 5,000 ha | Nhân Dân, 04.10.2026 |
| Investment | about $16 billion | Nhân Dân, 04.10.2026 |
| Location | Dong Nai City (a centrally governed city), former Long Thanh district | Nhân Dân, 04.10.2026; baochinhphu.vn, 24.04.2026 |
The address is confusing, and here's why. Since 1 July 2025, Vietnam has had no districts and fewer, larger provinces: Binh Phuoc was folded into Dong Nai. Then on 30 April 2026 a National Assembly resolution took effect turning Dong Nai province into a centrally governed city. The same day, under a separate decision, Long Thanh commune became a ward (phường Long Thành). If an older article or an airline site says "Long Thanh District, Dong Nai Province," it's the same airport under the old system.
In phase one (December 2026 to March 2027), only the west wing and the central section of the passenger terminal will open (per ACV, reported by Nhân Dân on 4 October 2026).
Which flights move to Long Thanh?
Right after opening, almost every flight to Ho Chi Minh City will still use Tan Son Nhat. ACV plans 20–30 flights a day at Long Thanh in phase one, capped at 366 a week: 322 domestic and 44 international (per Thanh Niên, 5 October 2026). The big move is scheduled season by season until spring 2028.
| Stage | Dates under the plan agreed by the CAAV (July 2026) | What moves to Long Thanh |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Dec 2026 – 27 Mar 2027 | International flights (cargo included) of airlines that choose to move |
| 2 | 28 Mar – 29 Oct 2027 | All long-haul: Europe, the Americas, Oceania, Africa, the Middle East, South and Central Asia |
| 3 | 30 Oct 2027 – 25 Mar 2028 | All remaining international flights, except those under 1,000 km operated by Vietnamese airlines |
| Domestic | no deadline | Vietnamese airlines decide for themselves whether to fly from Long Thanh |
These stage dates were agreed when the opening was still 1 December. The list of regions in stage two comes from ACV's proposal as reported by VOV on 14 July 2026; the CAAV text simply says "all long-haul international flights." No official revision has been published since the move to 24 December.
How to read this: short international flights (under 1,000 km) run by Vietnamese carriers can stay at Tan Son Nhat even after March 2028, and domestic flights don't have to move either. Tan Son Nhat isn't closing. The city will run two airports.
What the airlines have said
Only public statements, with dates. These are intentions, not tickets on sale.
- Vietnam Airlines: move four international routes to Long Thanh: Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Manila. That's about 12% of its international flights from Ho Chi Minh City (Tuổi Trẻ, 30.07.2026).
- Vietjet: base three aircraft at Long Thanh from early December to 15 January 2027 (Tuoi Tre News, 29.06.2026), about 18 flights a day to Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa and Vinh, growing later to 4–6 and then 8–10 aircraft (Tuổi Trẻ, 30.07.2026). Vietjet has also committed to at least two international routes in the first phase, without naming them (Vietnam News, 01.07.2026).
- Vietravel Airlines: per Vietnam News on 1 July 2026, expected to start flights from Long Thanh in late 2026.
- Korean Air: visited the airport on 20 July and is assessing an Incheon–Long Thanh route. No decision yet (Tuổi Trẻ, 30.07.2026).
Vietjet's plan dates from when the opening was 1 December. Whether its "early December" slides along with the airport hasn't been announced.
As of 1 July 2026, Vietnam News reported representatives of 34 foreign airlines in talks with the airport. That doesn't mean they'll fly here in December.
Long-haul flights from Europe, the Middle East and beyond
We found no public statement from any foreign long-haul carrier about a move date. What exists is the plan agreed by the CAAV: all long-haul international flights (in ACV's proposal, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia) are due to move in stage two, from 28 March 2027. Under the plan, the only international flights allowed to stay at Tan Son Nhat after 25 March 2028 are Vietnamese carriers' routes under 1,000 km.
The practical takeaway is simple: on any booking from spring 2027, check the arrival airport code. SGN is Tan Son Nhat, LTH is Long Thanh.
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How to get from Long Thanh Airport to Ho Chi Minh City
For now, the only way from Long Thanh Airport into Ho Chi Minh City is by road: car, taxi or bus. The main route is the Hồ Chí Minh – Long Thành – Dầu Giây expressway. There's no rail link to the airport and there won't be one for years. No official travel time has been published; it comes down to traffic on the way into the city.
Roads: what already works
- HCMC–Long Thanh–Dau Giay expressway: open for years and now being widened. Per Dân trí on 27 September 2026, the roadwork is due to finish by the end of 2026 and the new Long Thanh 2 bridge in Q1 2027. So expect work zones on the route during the airport's first months.
- Bến Lức – Long Thành expressway: fully open since 1 October 2026, almost 58 km (CafeF, 01.10.2026). It reaches Long Thanh from the west and southwest of Ho Chi Minh City without crossing the center, which is handy if you're coming from the Mekong Delta side.
Buses: still a plan
There are no scheduled buses to Long Thanh yet, because the airport isn't taking passengers. In April 2026, Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Construction proposed 13 routes. The first two would be express services from Saigon bus station and from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Long Thanh (Báo Văn hóa, 24.04.2026). The first buses were expected to launch in December 2026 (Tuổi Trẻ, 23.04.2026).
In July 2026, the CAAV recommended that the Ministry of Construction ask Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai to set up 5 routes within Dong Nai and 10 inter-provincial routes to Ho Chi Minh City. Route numbers, fares and timetables haven't been announced. If someone is already "selling" tickets for these buses, check official news closer to December.
Taxis and Grab
There's no official taxi fare from Long Thanh to central Ho Chi Minh City. The price will depend on the app and the traffic, so check Grab or Xanh SM on the day. For how these apps work in Vietnam, see our guide to Grab and taxis in Vietnam. Expect to pay noticeably more than from Tan Son Nhat, which sits inside the city, while Long Thanh is about 40 km from the center.
Rail: planned for 2030
The Thu Thiem–Long Thanh rail line hasn't been built yet. In May 2026 its length was given as about 47.7 km (VietnamPlus, 14.05.2026). Under the plan published by SGGP, commercial service starts in 2030, and 2026 reports give the same target. Until it's built, the metro won't reach the airport.
If you're heading to the coast rather than central Ho Chi Minh City, Long Thanh is on the way to Vung Tau. All the ways to get there are in our guide on how to get to Vung Tau. For getting around the city itself, see Ho Chi Minh City transport.
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Ticket charges: Long Thanh costs more than Tan Son Nhat
The passenger service charge at Long Thanh is already approved. For tickets issued from 1 October 2026, it's $25 per international departure and 90,909 VND (about $3.50) per domestic departure, excluding VAT. Airlines include it in the fare, so there's nothing to pay at the airport.
| Item | Long Thanh | Tan Son Nhat |
|---|---|---|
| International departure | $25 | $20 |
| Domestic departure | 90,909 VND (~$3.50), excl. VAT | not compared in the source |
| Ticket issued for Tan Son Nhat, flight later moved to Long Thanh | Tan Son Nhat rate | — |
| Applies to | tickets issued from 01.10.2026 | — |
Source: Vietnam News, 30.09.2026, citing a Ministry of Construction decision; the $5 difference is from the same report. Dollar conversion uses our site rate of 26,000 VND per dollar.
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If your flight was moved from Tan Son Nhat to Long Thanh after you bought the ticket, you won't pay the higher charge: the rule says so explicitly.
Tan Son Nhat or Long Thanh: what to check when booking
Until spring 2027, almost every flight to Ho Chi Minh City will land at Tan Son Nhat (SGN). The exceptions are flights airlines choose to move to Long Thanh (LTH) in phase one. After that, Long Thanh's share grows stage by stage. So rule number one: check the airport code on your booking, not just the city.
The alternative is Tan Son Nhat. It works, it's close to the center, and under the plan, short international and domestic flights can stay there after 2028. Terminals and practical tips are in our Ho Chi Minh City airport guide.
Common mistakes
- Booking a connection across two airports on separate tickets. If your international flight lands at Long Thanh and your domestic flight leaves from Tan Son Nhat, there are tens of kilometers of city traffic between them. There's no official airport-to-airport transfer yet, only a planned bus. Book a single ticket or leave a lot of time.
- Trusting older articles. Earlier pieces mention "June 2026" or "1 December": both dates are out of date. Check when an article was published and look for ACV news.
- Not rechecking the airport after a schedule change. An airline can move a flight, and the code on your booking will change from SGN to LTH. Check the airline's email and your itinerary a couple of days before you fly.
For Vietnamese airlines and what they're like, see our overview of airlines in Vietnam.
What's confirmed and what isn't
As of 7 October 2026, the airport codes, capacity, passenger charges and the staged transfer plan are known. The final opening date, transport fares into the city and individual foreign airlines' move dates are not. Here's the summary so you don't mix them up.
| Question | Status | What's known |
|---|---|---|
| Opening date | plan | 24.12.2026 per ACV on 04.10.2026 (summer plan was 01.12.2026) |
| Flight transfer stages | agreed plan | CAAV, July 2026: three stages to 25.03.2028 |
| First airlines | statements | Vietnam Airlines (4 international routes), Vietjet (domestic) |
| Foreign long-haul carriers | unknown | no move dates announced by the airlines |
| Ticket charges | approved | $25 international, 90,909 VND domestic, from 01.10.2026 |
| Buses to HCMC | plan | 13 routes proposed, target December 2026, no fares |
| Taxi to the center | unknown | no official fares |
| Rail | plan | Thu Thiem–Long Thanh line, target 2030 |
For everything about the city itself, see our Ho Chi Minh City travel guide.
FAQ
According to ACV, commercial flights start on 24 December 2026. The date was given on 4 October at a meeting with Standing Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Gia Túc. Over the summer the target was 1 December, and before that June 2026, so it has already slipped. The government admits some contractors are behind schedule. Recheck the date closer to December, especially if your ticket is for late in the month
No, Tan Son Nhat will keep operating. Under the CAAV plan, international flights move to Long Thanh, but short international routes under 1,000 km flown by Vietnamese airlines can stay at Tan Son Nhat after March 2028. Airlines choose for themselves where to run domestic flights. Vietjet, for example, announced flights from Long Thanh to Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa and Vinh, which doesn't mean those routes leave Tan Son Nhat
Not necessarily at first. Under the plan agreed by the CAAV, long-haul international flights move from 28 March 2027. Until then, moving is voluntary and up to each airline. No foreign long-haul carrier has published a move date that we could find. So on any booking from spring 2027, check the arrival code: SGN is Tan Son Nhat, LTH is Long Thanh
The IATA code is LTH and the ICAO code is VVLT. LTH is what will appear on your itinerary if the flight uses the new airport. Tan Son Nhat is SGN, and mixing them up is costly, because the two airports are tens of kilometers apart through city traffic. If both codes show up in one booking, you have a ground transfer between airports ahead of you, so plan time for it
There are no official fares yet, for taxis or buses. Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Construction proposed two express buses, from Saigon bus station and from Tan Son Nhat, expected to launch in December 2026, but no prices have been announced. Taxis and Grab will charge for roughly 40 km plus whatever the traffic adds. Check the price in the app on the day, not on random booking sites
Technically yes, but they're two separate airports and you'll have to cross the city between them. As of October 2026 there's no official shuttle: a Tan Son Nhat–Long Thanh route exists only in the city's bus plan. It's safer to book a single ticket that departs from the same airport you land at. On separate tickets, allow several hours of buffer for the transfer and check-in
Read next: Tan Son Nhat airport · Flights to Vietnam · Fast Track at Vietnam's airports · Ho Chi Minh City guide
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