Are Vietnamese Airports the worst in South-East Asia
Are Vietnamese airports the worst in South-East Asia? Well, if you title an article like this then you have probably made your mind up! So, yes, I feel that Vietnamese airports are indeed the worst within ASEAN.
And it would appear that I am not alone in my thoughts, with many people, both foreign and local, responding to my recent TikTok post in their thousands. They talk of bad planning, seriously awful attitudes and corruption, lots and lots of corruption.
So, should you avoid Vietnamese airports? And how can they best be navigated? Here’s my guide.
Table of Contents
The International Airports of Vietnam
Vietnam has 22 airports, but for international travellers there are really three that matter: Hanoi, Saigon and Da Nang. And they are not small airports either. In the first six months of 2025, the airports operated by Airports Corporation of Vietnam (communist and state run) handled more than 60 million passengers, with Hanoi alone handling 16.5 million.
Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat is the big one though, handling around 118,000 passengers a day, and as many as 130,000 on the busiest days. Da Nang is smaller, but still handles around 40,000 passengers a day.
And then there is Long Thanh, the huge new airport being built outside Saigon. The idea is that this will eventually take the pressure off Tan Son Nhat, which frankly needs all the help it can get. Long Thanh is designed to eventually handle 100 million passengers a year, which gives you an idea of just how much Vietnam expects its aviation industry to grow. Some in the comments said this would make the problem go away. They are missing the point. Volume is not the issue, it is management and corruption.
Click to read about high countries are communist in 2026.
Why are Vietnamese Airports so Bad?
This is something I could really go on a long time about, but instead I will concentrate on the core issue. Basically, Vietnamese airports open as few immigration counters as they can. This is usually until quite literally the line goes back to where the planes are.
Once this occurs, they then start to open up new counters. Now, while this might sound like a good thing, in actuality there is no system in place, so it is like a free-for-all, with people running from the queue they are in to the recently opened one. I have seen people push in unashamedly (guess which country they are usually from) and full-on fist fights. I have honestly never seen such a shit system, quite literally anywhere else on the planet.
So, how does this affect getting through? And how long does it take to get through a Vietnamese airport? No two airports are the same. I have been told that Da Nang is good, and I certainly feel that Hanoi is better than Saigon, BUT! It can take up to three hours to clear customs and immigration in Vietnam, with even a “good” day usually being an hour.
Is There Fast Track? And How About Corruption?
In the comments on my TikTok video, I was told about 2 things, firstly an official “fast track”. This is a paid service that allows passengers to use a dedicated lane or receive assistance through immigration and customs. It is usually arranged in advance through a private company or travel agent, rather than being some magical government queue-jumping service. If I lived in Vietnam again, I might well do this, even if it is a fucking rip-off.
The second part perhaps 100+ people commented on was immigration officers coming to offer “fast track” to people for a fee ranging from $20-$100. Can you guess where this money goes? Sadly, according to the comments, this was rife both for foreigners and Vietnamese citizens.
Really the Worst in South-East Asia?
I live in Cambodia and travel constantly through South-East Asia and beyond for work, hence Paid To Travel. In my honest opinion, while you can get the odd issue at Bangkok, or Manila, for example, it is not absolute.
Vietnam is absolute, particularly if you fly through Saigon. You will have an issue and it will take far too much time. This was to such a degree that I no longer transit Saigon ever, and, well, after Hanoi, I may well avoid all airports in general.
Is it Still Worth Visiting Vietnam?
I personally love Vietnam and it is honestly one of my favorite countries, airports aside. The street food here is the best in the world and the hotels are simply baller for what you pay for them. And the people are great. Can you, though, avoid the airports? Well, actually you can.
For me, if I were to visit Vietnam, I would simply tag on Cambodia to the trip and then go overland from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City. This is easy and the border is basically handled by the bus company. You can read my guide on how to do that here.
Once you are in Vietnam, the internal flights are actually pretty cheap and much less hassle than the international ones. For me personally, though, the best way to navigate Vietnam is by the excellent train network, with me personally having utilized the Reunification Express more than once.
You can read my guide to taking the train in Vietnam here.
So, are Vietnamese immigration and customs the worst in South-East Asia? Yes, they are!
Click to see my Vietnam Tours with YPT.