Choosing where to fly into the country can be difficult for travelers wishing to make the most of their Vietnam journey.
Both the north and south ends of Vietnam have completely different vibes, and the prices also vary significantly. The weather and season also change dramatically.
The three popular cities where most travelers prefer flying into Vietnam include Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang, and Hanoi. These cities are the most common places to start exploring the beautiful country.
Visa for Vietnam
If you are planning to visit Vietnam, the first thing you need to arrange is your tourist visa. Although the new E-Visa system is there to help you, it is fairly inconsistent.
The price, visa application processing time, and other things depend on when and from where you applied.
However, there are three easy ways to get a visa for Vietnam:
- Old Method
You can apply for a visa at the Vietnamese consulate in your country to get a tourist visa.
- Visa on Arrival
First, get a visa-approved letter from any government-approved agency. Then, buy the visa stamp when you arrive at the airport. Most of the travelers use this method to get their visa.
- E-Visa
The Vietnam government brought the E-Visa system in February 2017 to make the visa approval system easy for frequent travelers. In this, you need to upload a copy of your passport, and pay the required fee online, and you will receive your E-Visa within three business days.
Which is the best place to fly – Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh?
Ho Chi Minh should be your first choice if you want to fly into Vietnam with the most affordable tickets. Most travelers fly to this region because, apart from cheaper flights, Ho Chi Minh provides a softer landing than Hanoi.
In fact, the airport of Ho Chi Minh handles most of the international traffic and is the busiest airport in the country. It operates at maximum capacity and manages more than 15 million passengers each year.
On the other hand, Hanoi’s international airport is considered the second busiest airport and handles a much lower passenger volume.
If you have landed in the south, then you can take the scenic Reunification Express train to travel north. Traveling by bus is also a viable option, but trains are more comfortable for a long haul.
Finding Affordable Flights to Vietnam
If you are from Asia, the most affordable flights are from China, Bangkok, and Singapore.
The government-run Vietnam Airlines manages international flights from the US, Australia, and Europe and is based in Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport. It is advised to check the prices from their official site before booking from a third-party flight booking site.
In case there is no direct flight from your city, consider flying from one of the major airports where the ticket prices to Asia are lower, such as New York and Los Angeles.
You can also use some flight-booking tips and hacks to get the best price. Several airlines provide discount travel packages and coupons if you fly with them regularly such as American Airlines vacations package, United Airlines package, and many more.
Vietnam Airlines is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, and if you travel with them, they will reward you with Delta SkyMiles which you can redeem while booking your next flight.
Flying into Ho Chi Minh
Once your flight lands in Ho Chi Minh, book and schedule a driver to reach your destination.
However, you need to be careful with the city’s taxi drivers, who have a reputation for scamming new travelers. They might demand extra money mid-way to your destination, and some might take you to cheap hotels and pretend it is the best hotel in the city.
If no one is coming to pick you up at the airport, then book a cab from the taxi platform in front of the airport. After booking the taxi, give the driver a small airport fee and the fare.
If you have a bad interaction with the driver, he may demand more money to release your luggage. Therefore, keeping your luggage and backpack on your seat instead of the cab’s trunk is advised.
Flying into Hanoi
The Noi Bai International Airport of Hanoi is situated more than 35 km away in the northeast part of the city.
It’s better to book a hotel that provides airport pickup as it can be costly to book a cab yourself.
The Hanoi airport is the hub for many low-cost carriers, such as Jetstar Pacific and Vietjet, and high-cost airlines, such as Vietnam Airlines.
All the international flights are handled by Terminal 2, which opened in January 2015.
Flying into Da Nang
Da Nang is the third place you can enter Vietnam. Its international airport mostly handles passengers from China, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and many more.
The most significant benefit of flying into Da Nang is that it is located in the middle of the country, and the two most popular tourist destinations, Hoi An and Hue, are close to the city.
If you want to spend less time traveling, flying to Da Nang should be appropriate.
Exiting Vietnam Through Ho Chi Minh
It’s better to book your transportation through your hotel as it will help you to avoid any last-minute hassle.
If you have scheduled a cab, you don’t have to face the taxi drivers’ shenanigans and don’t have to worry about missing the flight.
When you fly out of Vietnam, you must pay the airlines a small departure tax.
You might not notice this as most airlines add this to the ticket price and there is no need to pay anything at the airport.
If the departure tax is not added to the flight tickets for any reason, you must pay it at the airport’s counter before boarding your flight.
Spending or exchanging all the currencies before moving out of the country is also advised. As the currency is not helpful outside the country, you can’t exchange once you reach your homeland.
Also, there are no money exchange facilities at the Hanoi airport, so it’s better you exchange them before reaching the airport or you will be stuck with the remaining currency.
The Final Words on Finding Cheap Flight Tickets to Vietnam
These were the best ways to fly into Vietnam with the most affordable tickets. If you are planning to visit the country, then do your research to make your journey memorable.
If you want to fly to Vietnam with cheaper flight tickets, go to Ho Chi Minh, and if you want to visit the northern region of the country first, book tickets for Hanoi.
On the other hand, if you have less time to travel and want to explore the country, then you can fly to Da Nang, which is located at the center of Vietnam.
It does not matter where you enter Vietnam; the important thing is what you do while in the country to make your trip successful.
Look for discounted tickets to travel to and around Vietnam: