Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or are just quickly passing through, our Ho Chi Minh City Airport Guide is a great place to start planning your visit. Here, you’ll find information on services and facilities available inside the airport – including details about airport lounges, WiFi, mobile charging points, lockers, 24-hour food options, nearby hotels, and everything in between.
Table of Contents
I had to bribe my way out of a few situations in the baggage screening room. They will discretely bribe you for money. Once, I gave this guy some cash, he opened his wallet to put it away and I saw his wallet full of different currencies (US $, Canadian $, Euros). I’m certain bribes happen often. – Nicole
SGN Airport Overview
To help you plan your layover or overnight sleepover, here is a quick run-down of what travellers have reported to us during their time at Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
What to Expect
Ho Chi Minh City Airport (Code: SGN) consists of two terminals: domestic (T1) and international (T2). T1 has been recently renovated and has generally nicer facilities than T2’s. Work on a third terminal that will serve Domestic flights is currently in progress. Recent improvements have made security lines better than in the past, and the staff doesn’t take issue with overnight guests. Flights depart around the clock, so travellers are around all night. A few restaurants are open 24 hours a day. Free WiFi is available to help pass the time. For those looking for a little added comfort, there are lounges open to all types of travellers, one of which has showers.
Sleeping in Ho Chi Minh City Airport
Ho Chi Minh City Airport has some decent places to sleep overnight. Landside areas in the International Terminal have the best options. The first floor doesn’t have much seating, but it is quiet, while the Wellwishers Gallery on the third floor has much more seating. Many travellers spend the night here, meaning this place is noisier (March 2013). Once cafes and restaurants close, travellers had success moving chairs and benches around for more comfortable resting – some even saw airport staff doing this too. Both terminals are hot, and the air conditioner seems weak. The International terminal also has a sleep zone with sleep chairs and paid sleep pods. For uninterrupted sleep, hotels near the airport provide airport transportation. See locations in the Airport Hotels section below or read traveller airport reviews for more tips.
To help us keep this guide up-to-date, you can add or update information or write a review to submit airport tips and photos. You can also visit the airport’s website for current information. For more airport information, continue scrolling down to explore more in our Tan Son Nhat Airport Guide.
In this guide we may refer to locations as “landside” and “airside”. Landside is the public area of the terminal located in the non-secure zone, before security. Airside is the secure area of the terminal that you must reach by going through security.
Airport Hours
The airport is open 24 hours.
Airport Hotels & Sleep Pods
If sleeping in Ho Chi Minh City Airport sounds like a nightmare, sleep pods are inside the terminal, and many hotels are within a short driving distance.
- Sleep Pods – Location: International, Airside, 2nd-floor hallway, near Gate 27. There are 24 free sleep chairs and ten paid sleep boxes. The sleep boxes are four square metres/ room and have beds, pillows, drinks, towels, lamps, power outlets, etc. Price: USD 7/ hour. Extra cost: USD 4 for 30 mins extra, USD 7 for 30-60 mins.
Hotels near the airport
- ibis Saigon Airport – Airport shuttle is available. » Check Rates
- Holiday Inn & Suites Saigon Airport – No airport shuttle. » Check Rates
For more options, visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near Ho Chi Minh City Airport that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.
Airport Lounges
Pay-per-use, Single Visit Passes & Lounge Memberships
Regardless of what class of service you are flying, there are lounges that you can enter by paying at the door, purchasing a lounge pass or through a lounge membership program. Visit the individual lounge page for more details about the lounge itself and learn how to gain access with just an economy class ticket!
- Apricot Business Lounge – Location: International Terminal, Airside, 1st Floor. Showers are available. Lounge Access: Prepaid lounge passes • Lounge membership programs.
- Jasmine Halal Lounge – Location: International Terminal, Departure Hall. Hours: 24/7. Pay at the door (945 VND).
- Le Saigonnais Business Lounge – Locations: Domestic Terminal, Airside, in front of Gate 12 • International Terminal, 3rd Floor. Showers are available in the Domestic lounge. Lounge Access: Lounge membership programs.
- Prime Lounge – Location: Domestic Terminal. Hours: 4:30 AM – Last flight. Pay at the door (650 VND).
Related Pages: Tan Son Nhat Airport Lounges
Drinking Water
Thirsty? Drinking water fountains are available free of charge. Locations:
- Domestic Terminal – Airside, opposite gates 5, 10 and 16.
- International Terminal – Airside, opposite gates 15, 16 and 18 • baggage carousel No.1 and 6 (Arrival Hall), transit/transfer area.
Food & Drinks
A reader tells us there are 24-hour food options before and after security. (June 2019). These options are open 24 hours: StarCafe (near Gate 16) • Next Noodles • HighLands Coffee (International Arrivals Hall) • Autogrill Vfs F&B • +84 Kitchen Bar.
Luggage Storage & Lockers
Location: International Arrivals Terminal, ground floor, near columns 13 & 14. Hours: open 24 hours. Rates: under 10 hours (VND 27,500 /piece per hour) • over 10 hours (VND 275,000 /article per day).
Mobile Charging
Free charging stations could be found in the Domestic Terminal at the following locations: D1 entrance, opposite Vietnam Airlines self-check-in kiosk • Vietjet Air waiting area, opposite Gate 16-17 • 1st floor, opposite security screening check area • 1st floor waiting area, opposite Gate 10-11 and 11-12. Unfortunately, we could not confirm this at the time of our October 2023 update. If you know whether they are still there, click here to update this guide.
Rest & Relaxation Zones
Location: International, Airside, 2nd floor hallway, near 27. There are 24 free sleep chairs and ten paid sleep boxes. The sleep boxes are four square metres/ room and have beds, pillows, drinks, towels, lamps, power outlets, etc. Price: USD 7/ hour. Extra cost: USD 4 for up to 30 mins, USD 7 for 30-60 mins.
Take precautions even when sleeping in the rest zones. In December 2019, a traveller at another airport reported that money and credit cards had been stolen from their bag even though the bag was right beside them. Protect and lock your bags as you would sleeping elsewhere in public.
Showers
Free showers are available in the International Terminal, Airside, opposite Gate 25. There are two for male and two for female passengers. The Apricot Business Lounge and Le Saigonnais Business Lounge also have showers. [ see Airport Lounges above ]
WiFi / Internet
Free unlimited WiFi is available at Tan Son Nhat Airport in the Domestic and International terminals. Connect to the “TIA-WiFi Mien Phi-QN” network if you are in the Domestic Terminal and to the TIA-WiFi Mien Phi-QT if you are in the International Terminal.
More Airport Information
Children’s Play Area – Location: International Terminal, Airside, near gates 26-27. The play area offers foam carpet, a play house, games and more.
Duty-Free & Shopping – Duty-Free is available at the airport. Hours: unknown. There are also a small number of other shops available.
Information Counters – Various locations. Vietnamese and English are spoken.
- Domestic Terminal – Check-in, opposite C and D Island. (Hours: 5:00 AM – 8:00 PM).
- International Terminal – Arrivals Hall (Hours: 7:30 AM – 12:00 AM) • Check-in area opposite C and D Island (Hours: 7:30 AM – 12:00 AM) • Lounge area Gate 10-14. (Hours: 7:30 AM – 12:00 AM).
Luggage
- Baggage Trolleys – Need a hand with your luggage? Baggage trolleys are available. You cannot take them through security, but the airport also provides smaller trolleys Airside.
- Baggage Wrapping – Baggage wrapping services used to be available in several locations for VND 80.000 – 100.000 (depending on the baggage size). We could not confirm this at the time of our October 2023 update. If you know whether they are still there, click here to update this guide.
- Domestic Terminal – near D2 entrance, opposite the check-in area rows A & B and escalator of the departures area.
- International Terminal – near D1 and D2 entrance.
- Luggage Storage & Lockers – see “Luggage Storage & Lockers” above.
Massages
- Domestic Terminal – At one point, Sen Viet Spa offered massages. Unfortunately, we could not confirm this at the time of our October 2023 update. If you know whether they are still there, click here to update this guide. – Location: Airside, opposite gate 10.
- International Terminal – A foot spa was once on the 3rd Floor (Airside). Unfortunately, we could not confirm this at the time of our October 2023 update. If you know whether they are still there, click here to update this guide.
Medical Services – In an emergency, contact the hotline (08) 38 485 383 – 3408. All medical offices are open 24 hours.
- Domestic Terminal – Lobby, near D2 entrance. Phone number: (08) 38 485 383 – 3307
- International Terminal – Boarding gate 18 • Boarding gate 17 • Arrivals Hall, A2 Entrance, next to Mai Linh Taxi service counters.
Money
- ATMs / Cash Machines – Need cash? ATMs are available. Machines are operated by Vietinbank, HSBC, Agribank, MB Bank, Shinhan Bank, ANZ, Eximbank, Vietcombank, Commonwealth Bank, Citibank, and BIDV. Fees may apply, so check your bank’s fee schedule and daily withdrawal limit if you are travelling internationally. You may also want to notify your bank of your travel plans.
- Banking Services – At one point, VietinBank was located in the Domestic Terminal, opposite the D2 entrance. Unfortunately, we could not confirm this at the time of our October 2023 update. If you know, click here to update this guide.
- Currency Exchange – Various locations in the International Terminal: Airside, near gates 17 and 18 • Landside, opposite check-in area row D (Departure Hall) • On the left outside the immigration counters (Arrival Hall) • Lobby platform of Arrival Hall.
Post Office – A post office used to be available beside the D2 entrance in the Domestic Terminal or via the TIA Information Counters at the International and Domestic terminals. We could not confirm this at the time of our October 2023 update. If you know whether they are still there, click here to update this guide.
SIM Cards – You can purchase a SIM card at the Sasco Travel store. You will find three of the most popular Vietnamese phone operators: Viettel, Mobifone, and VinaPhone. Location: Landside. Hours: 7:00 AM – 2:30 AM.
Smoking Rooms – At one point, smoking rooms were available in these locations. We could not confirm this information at the time of our last update. If you know, click here to update this guide.
- Domestic Terminal – Airside, Departure Hall, opposite Gate 14
- International Terminal – Airside, Departure Hall, opposite Gates 15 and 18.
VAT Refund – VAT refund used to be available in Terminal 2, Airside, 2nd Floor, near gates 6-9. Unfortunately, we could not confirm this at the time of our October 2023 update. If you know whether they are still there, click here to update this guide.
Bus
Buses from the airport to Ho Chi Minh City centre and vice versa pick up and drop off at:
- Domestic Terminal: Column 18 of the taxi stand.
- International Terminal: Column 15 of the taxi stand.
Available buses:
Bus 152 (International Terminal – Domestic Terminal – Hoang Van Thu – Nguyen Van Troi – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Cach Mang Thang Tam– Ben Thanh Market – Tran Hung Dao – Trung Son Residential Area), operating from 5:45 AM to 6:15 PM. Waiting time is 12-21 mins. Rate: 6,000 VND.
Bus 109 (International Terminal – Domestic Terminal – Hoang Van Thu – Nguyen Van Troi – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Ham Nghi– Ben Thanh Market –Pham Ngu Lao – 23/9 Park), operating from 5:45 AM to 1:30 AM (next day). The wait time is 30 mins. Rate: 12,000 VND (for routes less than five km) and 15,000 VND (for routes more than five km).
Shuttle Bus 49 (International Terminal – Domestic Terminal – Hoang Van Thu – Nguyen Van Troi – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Le Duan – Dong Khoi – Hai Ba Trung – Ham Nghi – Ben Thanh Market), operating from 5:15 AM to 2:00 AM (next day). The wait time is 30 mins. Rate: 40,000 VND. Pick up and drop off passengers at hotels in District 1, 3.
Car Rentals
Four car rental companies operate at Tan Son Nhat Airport: Sastco • Song Viet • Acvuni • Phu Nhuan transportation company. Their counters are located on the right, outside the exit doors, in the arrival hall of the International Terminal.
Hotel Shuttles
Several hotels offer airport shuttle service: ibis Saigon Hotel • The Airport Hotel • Holiday Inn & Suites Saigon Airport.
See also Airport Hotels above.
Taxi
Many taxi companies serve the airport; however, readers have reported that Vinasun Taxi and Mai Linh Taxi offer the most reputable services. Be sure to watch the meter and take a picture of the taxi license.
Leaving the Domestic Terminal:
After exiting the A2 entrance, cross the road to the Taxi and Bus Waiting Hall (opposite the Domestic Terminal) and board taxis at columns 3 to 13.
- Passengers with disabilities, pregnancy, the elderly and children can take a priority taxi at columns 1 and 2.
- Passengers with membership cards and taxi coupons should contact taxi company staff at columns 14 to 17.
- Passengers can also go to the Taxi ticket counter to get a coupon at the A2 entrance and column 7 at the Domestic Arrivals Hall.
Leaving the International Terminal:
After exiting the A1 and A2 entrances, passengers may take a taxi at columns 1 to 3 at the Taxi stands area (On the left of the International Terminal).
- Passengers with disabilities, pregnancy, the elderly and children can take a priority taxi at column 6.
- Passengers with membership cards and taxi coupons should contact taxi company staff at columns 1 to 4.
- Passengers can also go to the Taxi ticket counter at the A1 and A2 entrances to get coupons.
Last updated: 2024-08-26
This guide is for informational purposes only to assist with your planning. All information, including rates and hours, is subject to change at any time without notice. The information in this airport guide is based on information collected and/or received from the airports, lounges, hotels, transportation providers, and their websites. We are not representatives of any of the above-mentioned service providers. To report errors or to add/update any items mentioned in the guide: update the airport guide or write a review.