Vietnam’s New Long Thanh Airport Begins Trial Flights This Month

Quick answer: Vietnam’s massive new Long Thanh International Airport begins trial flights this month (September 2026), with commercial operations targeted for December 2026. It won’t replace Ho Chi Minh City’s existing Tan Son Nhat Airport overnight — the shift is a multi-year process — but it’s the biggest change to how you’ll fly into southern Vietnam in years. Here’s what’s confirmed and what it means for your trip.

What’s Happening at Long Thanh This Month

Long Thanh International Airport, built in Dong Nai province roughly 40-45 km east of Ho Chi Minh City, is entering its final testing phase. Construction was around 76% complete as of June 2026, and the airport authority has scheduled a series of trial flights across September, October, and November 2026 to test runways, terminal operations, and ground handling before commercial service begins. Vietnamese aviation officials have targeted December 2026 for the airport’s commercial opening.

This is Vietnam’s largest-ever airport project, designed to relieve Tan Son Nhat, which has been operating well beyond its intended capacity for years as Ho Chi Minh City’s air traffic has grown.

The Bigger Picture: Moving Vietnam’s International Flights

Long Thanh’s opening in December is only the first step of a much longer transition. Vietnamese aviation authorities have laid out a gradual roadmap for shifting international traffic away from Tan Son Nhat over the next several years:

• From the December 2026 opening — long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, plus charter and non-scheduled international flights, are expected to be among the first to move to Long Thanh.
• Through 2027 — routes to Africa, the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and then Southeast Asia are planned to transition in stages.
• By late 2027 — Tan Son Nhat is expected to start restricting scheduled international operations to shorter-haul flights.
• By around 2030 — the plan calls for Tan Son Nhat to handle domestic flights only, with essentially all scheduled international traffic consolidated at Long Thanh.

Treat these later-stage dates as a roadmap rather than a fixed schedule — large infrastructure projects like this one routinely shift, and Vietnamese officials have already adjusted Long Thanh’s own opening timeline more than once. The one part that is concrete right now is the September-to-November 2026 trial period and the December 2026 target for commercial flights to begin.

How Far Is Long Thanh From Ho Chi Minh City?

Long Thanh sits about 40-45 km from District 1, which works out to roughly 50-70 minutes by car or taxi under normal traffic, and 90 minutes or more during rush hour. For comparison, Tan Son Nhat is much closer to the city center — see our District 1 travel guide for what that trip currently looks like.

Public transport links to Long Thanh are still catching up with the airport itself. City authorities have announced plans for around seven new bus routes connecting Long Thanh to major hubs, including Tan Son Nhat and the city’s main bus stations, though these are expected to take 90-120 minutes depending on the route. More ambitious plans for a dedicated metro or railway line connecting the Thu Thiem area with Long Thanh are targeted for around 2030. Until that infrastructure is built out, private transfers and taxis will be the practical way to reach the airport.

What This Means for Your Trip Right Now

• If you’re flying to Ho Chi Minh City in 2026, assume you’ll still land at Tan Son Nhat. Long Thah’s commercial flights are only scheduled to begin in December, and the shift away from Tan Son Nhat happens gradually over the following years, not all at once.
• If you’re booking travel for December 2026 or later, double-check which airport your flight actually uses once tickets go on sale — don’t assume it’s Tan Son Nhat by default anymore, especially for long-haul international routes.
• If you’re planning airport-adjacent lodging, our guide to airport hotels in Ho Chi Minh City currently covers options near Tan Son Nhat, which remains the airport most travelers will use through at least 2027.
• Domestic travel is unaffected for now — Long Thanh’s early phase is focused on international and long-haul routes, so if you’re booking a domestic hop, see our guide to Vietnam’s current domestic flight deals.

We’ll update this article as trial flights progress and firmer details on airline assignments and public transport options become available.

FAQ

Is Long Thanh Airport open now?

Not for commercial passengers yet. Trial flights are scheduled for September through November 2026 to test operations, with commercial flights targeted to begin in December 2026.

Will my flight to Ho Chi Minh City use Long Thanh or Tan Son Nhat?

For the rest of 2026, assume Tan Son Nhat. From December 2026 onward, some long-haul and charter flights may begin using Long Thanh, with more routes shifting over the following years. Check your specific flight once booked, since the transition happens airline by airline and route by route.

How do I get from Long Thanh Airport to Ho Chi Minh City?

By car or taxi, it’s roughly 40-45 km and 50-70 minutes under normal traffic (longer during rush hour). Dedicated bus routes and, eventually, a metro or rail link are planned, but aren’t built out yet — for now, private transfers are the most practical option.

Will Tan Son Nhat Airport close?

Not entirely, and not soon. The current roadmap has Tan Son Nhat continuing to handle short-haul and domestic flights for years, with a full shift of scheduled international traffic to Long Thanh targeted for around 2030.

Sources: Vietnam’s civil aviation authority and state media (Vietnam News, VnExpress International, Vietnam Plus) on Long Thanh’s construction progress, trial-flight schedule, and the Tan Son Nhat transition roadmap.