Holiday rush no longer overwhelms Ho Chi Minh City airport

The National Day break lasts from August 30 to September 2 (Saturday to Tuesday).

Traditionally known for overcrowding during national holidays, Tan Son Nhat International Airport defied expectations this year.

Domestic terminals T1 and T3 were bustling with passengers, many of them families traveling with young children, on Saturday afternoon, but the usual tension and frustration were noticeably absent.

At Terminal T3, although the Vietnam Airlines area saw high passenger volume, ground staff efficiently guided travelers and managed queues.

Meanwhile, the lobbies for Bamboo Airways, Pacific Airlines, and Vietravel Airlines remained relatively calm and orderly.

Terminal T1 saw peak congestion at the Vietjet area between 4:00 and 5:00 pm.

However, staff were on hand to prioritize check-in for passengers with imminent departures, minimizing delays.

Nguyen Binh, a resident of Binh Thanh Ward, said he had booked his family’s tickets two months ago to avoid the hike in airfares.

He shared that at first, he was worried that the new terminal would be disorganized, but in reality, everything was smooth.

He checked in online from home, and it only took 20 minutes to get through a security gate.

Last year at this time, he waited in line for nearly an hour, he said.

“This year is completely different. The spacious terminal, helpful staff, and efficient process really made for a stress-free start to our holiday,” Binh said.

According to the management board of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the airport was expected to handle up to 750 flights per day on peak days, including August 30 and September 2, serving 130,000 travelers.

An aviation expert pointed out three key factors for the reduced congestion at the airport, including Terminal T3 taking the load off, technological enhancements, and proactive coordination.

The T3 terminal, built at a cost of VND11 trillion (US$417 million), has effectively shared the burden with Terminal T1.

T1 was designed to handle 15 million passengers per year, but often operated at nearly double that capacity.

Since April, T3 has taken over all domestic operations for Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and Vasco, allowing T1 to focus on Vietjet, significantly easing overcrowding.

Besides, Terminal T3 has introduced biometric identification for quick passenger verification at gates.

Online check-in has also become standard practice, drastically cutting wait times and streamlining passenger flow.

Furthermore, the airport has improved its operational coordination, including flexible assignment of check-in counters and baggage carousels.

Real-time updates across terminals T1, T2, and T3 help guide passengers to the correct gates, while airlines are required to maintain a strong staff presence at check-in counters and boarding gates to manage delays or cancellations promptly.

In past years, holiday travel at Tan Son Nhat was often defined by long lines–sometimes hundreds of meters long– and flight delays due to capacity issues.

This year marked a turning point.

While Terminal T3 is still in its early stages of operation, it represents a critical milestone in the airport’s infrastructure development.

A representative from the airport said that detailed plans had been developed for every hour of the holiday schedule.

Close coordination between airlines and ground service staff is aimed at ensuring a safe, efficient travel experience.