Over 125,000 people passed through the airport on Tuesday in what was the biggest day so far of this year's peak Lunar New Year travel demand.
Over 66,000 people flew from HCMC to other destinations within Vietnam, while some 17,000 traveled abroad.
No medical declaration is required at the airport this Tet, making procedures much simpler.
The airport had 900 flights scheduled on Tuesday. That means 11-14 flights every hour.
After spending half an hour in line at a Vietnam Airlines booth, Ngan still couldn't get her tickets and luggage in order.
"I decided to fly back to Hue (in central Vietnam) for Tet right after work ended. I chose to fly at noon as I thought there would be fewer people, but it's still so crowded," she said.
The long wait tired many children. An aviation employee said the airport would be even more crowded four days before Tet, especially in the afternoon and in the evening.
The Lunar New Year peaks this Sunday, and Vietnamese will have a seven-day break starting from Friday.
Employees at the airport perform procedures for passengers. The airport has asked passengers to begin checking in at least 2 hours before a domestic flight, and at least 3 hours before an international flight.
Booths close 40 minutes before departure time for domestic flights, and 50 minutes for international flights.
Employees call out flight numbers and prioritize passengers who are going to be late for their flights.
Hai Yen and her family had to sit on railings because no seats are available.
"I want to bring the kids to our hometown for Tet," the 18-year old said. "I knew the airport would be crowded so I went a bit earlier than usual. I hope my flight won't be delayed."
At the entrances to the domestic terminal, the sheer number of people causes congestion. Trying to find cabs and ride-hailing services is difficult because there are too many passengers.
At the entrance to the airport, lines of cars and taxis can be seen carrying people to the terminals.
Tan Son Nhat Airport is doing its best to handle the influx of people. In a bid to relieve congestion, there are now temporary parking lots at the airport's entrance so cars and taxis can enter and exit more easily.
Peak Tet period for the airport lasts from around January 6 to February 5. Over 3.8 million people, or around 130,000 people every day, are expected to pass through the airport during the period. The number of visitors should be roughly the same as during the Tet of 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.
