HCMC airport's new terminal to handle 80% of its domestic flights

Terminal T3 will officially handle all domestic flights operated by Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air from May. Other domestic airlines, Vasco, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, and Pacific Airlines, will continue their operations from Terminal T1, while T2 will continue serving all international flights.

The interior of Terminal T3, Tan Son Nhat Airport, HCMC, March 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Before T3 enters full operation, the airport will conduct trial procedures and stability checks on systems and staff training. Initial trials are scheduled from April 28 to May 4 on routes connecting HCMC with northern localities.

Terminal T3 is set to open immediately following the peak travel period around the Reunification Day holiday (April 30-May 4), a time when passenger numbers significantly increase.

Passengers traveling with Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air will use the new facility, significantly easing congestion at Terminal T1. Currently, the two airlines account for approximately 80% of domestic passenger traffic at Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Tan Son Nhat's current domestic terminal T1’s annual capacity is limited to roughly 15 million passengers, or around 41,000 per day, frequently causing overcrowding, especially during peak travel seasons.

A crowded scene at domestic terminal T1 of Tan Son Nhat Airport during the recent Lunar New Year holiday in January 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Gia Minh

With a budget of approximately VND11 trillion ($431.2 million), primarily funded by the state-owned Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the T3 terminal project began construction in late 2022. It covers 112,500 sq.m, featuring one basement and four above-ground floors. Additionally, a multi-story vehicle parking structure covering 130,000 sq.m includes two basement levels and four floors above ground.

To support the opening of T3, a new road directly connecting the terminal, the Tran Quoc Hoan - Cong Hoa connector road, will open by the end of April, according to Luong Minh Phuc, Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Board. This road includes three access points: two ground-level entries and one elevated bridge.

"The construction of this connector road is complete, providing efficient entry and exit points to T3, reducing congestion in the airport area and surrounding streets," Phuc said.

Tan Son Nhat's T3 Terminal and the new connector road, March 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Further infrastructure improvements around Tan Son Nhat Airport, such as the newly completed expansion of the Bach Dang and Truong Son intersection, along with ongoing traffic management adjustments, will also enhance passenger flow to and from T3.

The opening of Terminal T3 will raise the total annual passenger capacity of Tan Son Nhat Airport to 50 million, establishing it as Vietnam’s largest domestic terminal.

 

 

HCMC airport's new terminal to handle 80% of its domestic flights

This is how Tan Son Nhat's new terminal will look like