Noi Bai international airport is the 2nd biggest transport hub in Vietnam, located on Soc Son district, which is about 27 kilometers from the city center of Hanoi. With the acreage of 139.216m2, the airport welcomes 15 million passengers yearly. If this is your first time to Hanoi, Vietnam, here are 12 things that you need to know.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are two of the most frequented destinations in Vietnam and they also have the two biggest airports: Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai Airport. We have already introduced you to the arrival guide to Tan Son Nhat airport (you can read it here), and upcoming in this article, I will cover all you need to know about Noi Bai airport. Expect to find a step-by-step check-in and check-out procedure, what to eat, where to sleep, and how to travel from the airport to the city center.

Noi Bai International Airport (airport code: HAN) is the second biggest transport hub in Vietnam, located in Soc Son district, which is about 27 kilometers from the city center of Hanoi. With the acreage of 139.216 square meters, the airport welcomes 15 million passengers yearly. If this is your first time to Hanoi, Vietnam, here are 13 things that you need to know:

1. Two terminals: Domestic and International

The airport has two terminals: T1 (domestic terminal) and T2 (international terminal). The distance between terminal T1 and T2 is about 850 meters. Both of the terminals have four floors fully equipped with modern and professional services such as restaurants, duty-free shops, transportation to Hanoi, free wifi, and massage services.

Hanoi Domestic Airport (Noi Bai Domestic Airport)

Terminal T1 is the domestic airport (Sân Bay Quốc Nội). This is where Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Airlines, and Jetstar are located.

The building has four floors:

First floor : Arrival domestic passenger

Second floor: Departure domestic passenger

Third floor : Offices

Fourth floor: Restaurants and cafes

There are three halls on the departure floor with more than 100 check-in counters and three kiosk check-in counters:

Check-in counters from number 1 to 30 are in Hall A

-Use for passengers of Vietnamese Airlines and Vietjet Airlines (SGN – HAN route)

Check-in counters from number 31 to 60 are in Hall B

-Use for passengers of Vietnam Airlines

Check-in counters from number 101 to 138 are in Hall E

-Use for passengers of Vietjet Airlines (route to other cities), Hau Au, and Vasco.

Hanoi International Airport (Noi Bai International Airport) 

Terminal T2 is the international terminal (Sân Bay Quốc Tế). Currently, there are 22 international airlines that operate out of Noi Bai international airport. Some of which include Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, AirAsia, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, Lao Airlines, and Tiger Airways.

The building also has four floors:

First floor : Arrival international passenger

Second floor: Immigration arrival international passenger

Third floor : Departure international passenger

Fourth floor : VIP, business lounge, and airlines representative office

There are ten counters and kiosk check-ins in the departure hall, together with four check-in islands, each of which has 24 check-in counters:

Vietnam Airlines passengers check in at islands E/F, G/H

Other airlines passengers check in at islands A/B, C/D

Besides the common utility services provided by the T1 terminal, the T2 terminal also provides exclusive high-quality services to ensure that your experience at the airport will be the best one.

First and Business class lounge

Located on the fourth floor of T2, the VIP lounge is a comfortable zone for passengers to rest or work before boarding. Waiting time is no longer painful when you are able to wait in a relaxing bright space with the sweet scent of flowers. You can treat yourself to delicious Asian and European cuisine while reading the newspaper or magazines provided in the lounge. There is also a computer system with internet access and a separate smoking room in the lounge.

More information

Location: fourth Floor, T2 terminal

Opening hours: 24/7

Phone number: 0919358899

Locker room

There is one locker room, where you can leave your luggage in the public area on the second floor of T2 (East Wing).

Children Playground and Baby Care Room

Your baby will no longer get bored at the airport since Hanoi Airport has a children’s playground in T2 terminal, near gate 33 of the departure lounge. Amenities include a fun swing, slide, and seesaw! If you are looking for a clean and tidy place to change diapers for your kids, you can look for baby care room on the West Wing of the third flood at T2.

2. International arrival passengers who…

Fly into Vietnam

Go through this process (four steps):

1. Quarantine and immigration check

2. Baggage claim

3. Customs inspection

4. Arrival hall

Notes:

Visa process: You will go through the visa application process before immigration. For more details, please check our article about All You Need to Know about Vietnam Visa.

Pro tip : Make sure you get both a signed visa and a signed date stamp next to your visa in your passport. Many hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs check this stamp in case they have to report information to the police.

Fly out of Vietnam

Go through this process: (five steps):

1. Enter departure hall on the third floor of T2 terminal: There are four check-in islands, 96 check-in counters, and 10 kiosk check-ins.
2. Present air ticket and personal documents
3. Present boarding pass and personal documents at immigration check
4. Security check and custom clearance
5. Check boarding gate and board your flight

Get domestic flights within Vietnam

Go through this process: (six steps)

1. Enter departure hall on second floor of T1 terminal
2. Present air ticket and personal documents for check-in
3. Go through Security check
4. Approach departure lounge and get ready to board
5. Connecting flights
6. International connecting flights.

Check-in counters are located on the second floor.

• Skip the immigration process
• Go to the third floor for security check for passengers and handheld luggage
• Take the procedures for international arrival passenger

Get domestic connecting flight:

• Follow immigration procedures for international arrival passenger
• Go to T1 terminal, using free shuttle bus
• Check-in for domestic flight

3. Information desks

In case you need any information about the flight schedules, immigration procedures, or simply need to know where can you get a shuttle bus, you can find your answers at the information counters.

T2 terminal : there are two desks in the public hall on the third and first floor. You can also contact them via a 24/7 hotline: (+844) 35 876 611.

T1 terminal : there are information counters on the first floor of the public hall, and another one on the connection bridge on the second floor of hall A and E. They are reachable at (+844) 35 843 004.

4. Hanoi Airport Food 

When you have a connecting flight or a little time to kill before your departure, it’s a good idea to grab some food. Noi Bai Airport has many options in both T1 and T2 terminal. The choices vary between Vietnamese cuisine and fast food international cuisine; not to mention comfortable coffee shops with a good view of the airplanes and runway. All places have 24/7 service, free wifi, and outlets to charge your phone or laptop.

Here are some airport restaurants and where to find them:

T2 terminal:

+ Before Security:

Third floor – West wing: Cafe and Fastfood, Lucky Café, and Skyboss Cafe & Fastfood

First floor and Third floor : Burger King, Star Cafe, Chill, and BigBowl

+ Departure hall

Third floor – East wing: Fastfood & Drink, Bamboo Cafe & Fastfood, Fresh Garden, and Coffee PB’s Boutique

Third floor: Burger King, Star Cafe, Popeyes, and Two Tigers

T1 terminal:

+ Before security: Ngoc Suong Restaurant (first and fourth floor), Lucky Cafe (first and fourth floor), Coffee - Fast food (first, third, and fourth floor), Aero cafe (first floor), Bamboo Cafe & Fast food (second floor, Hall E), Cafe & Fast food (second floor, Hall E)

+ Departure lounge : Food and Drink (second floor, Hall E), Fast food (second floor, Hall A, and B)

Pro tip: After the security check, there are not many options so it’s better to grab food before you go through security

5. Bank

Unlike airports in other countries, the currency exchange in Vietnam’s airport has a good rate. Besides the currency exchange stall, Noi Bai airport is equipped with ATM machines from popular Vietnamese banks.

Where to find it?

T2 terminals: Public area

West wing:

– Two Currency exchange stalls: BIDV and Maritime Bank

– Three ATM machines: BIDV, Maritime Bank, and VP Bank

East wing:

– Two currency exchange stalls: Vietinbank and Techcombank

– Three ATM machines: Vietinbank, Techcombank, and Agribank

T1 terminal: Public area

– Two Currency exchange stalls: Vietcombank and ACB

– Nine ATM machines: Citibank, ANZ, HSBC, Vietinbank, Techcombank, ACB, VIB, Sacombank, and Agribank

– Kiosk banking: Vietinbank

6. Shopping

Shopping for duty-free is the best way to relax before or after a flight. Noi Bai airport has duty free and souvenirs shops. You can shop till you drop for some gifts or simply wander around just for fun to kill time.

Duty-free 

Noi Bai airport has two duty-free shops in both terminals called NIA Duty Free. You can expect to find clothing, beauty products, and perfumes from many luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, Blvgari, DKNY, Kenzo, Lancome Moschino, and more. Furthermore, you can also buy Cognac, Whisky, Vodka, Gin, Rum, and Wine imported from Europe and America.

Where to buy duty-free goods?

T2 terminal:

– Arrival lounge (first floor) – Arrduty-free free goods

– Departure lounge (third floor) – Departure duty-free goods

Souvenirs

There are souvenirs shops in each terminal. You can buy your last-minute gift for your friends or yourself; choose between goods such as fine art products, handcrafts from Vietnam, textile products, and fashion products. Keep in mind that the prices of these products are much higher in the airport. Unless you really need last-minute gifts, we advise you to buy them in the night market.

Where to find it?

T2 terminal : Two souvenir shops in the central area (third floor)

T1 terminal: Departure lounge (second floor) – Hall A and B

7. SIM card 

The SIM card and 3G data packages in Southeast Asia are super cheap and the registration is quick and painless. You will need internet connection to book a Grab or to track a taxi anyway so it’s a good idea to buy data the cheap way.

The Best Telecommunication Provider

Mobile Phone, Viettel, and Vinaphone are three of the most popular networks in Vietnam used by most locals. It usually cost around 50,000 VND – 100,000 VND (2.2 – 5 USD) for a SIM card with a prepaid credit of 50,000 – 200,000 VND available (2.2 – 10 USD). Read here for a full guide to SIM cards for beginners in Vietnam.

Where to buy SIM cards

T2 terminal: Arrival Hall (first Floor) – Zone A1 and A2

T1 terminal: Public Hall (first Floor) – Zone A 218

8. Free services in the airport

Internet, wifi

You can easily access the internet with your portable devices in either T1 or T2 terminal. The connection is not too fast but it is usable. You need to look for the available network called: “NoiBai Airport Free Wi-fi.” Then, open your web browser to the login page. Finally, fill in the form or click “Access” to connect to the wifi. The wi-fi system will occasionally reset. If this happens, just re-login.

Free water

Hanoi airport has a free water service in each terminal. You can look for it here:

T1 terminal: Departure lounges on second floor, Hall A, B, E

T2 terminal: Before security on third floor, near gate 21, 25, 32, 35

Free chargers

Each terminal has provided ten chargers for regular phones, as well as outlets for those who want to use a laptop. Find them here:

T2 terminal:

Before security (third floor): beside the information counter.

Departure lounge (second floor): the locations near gate 21, 22, 23, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35.

T1 terminal:

Before security (third floor): Hall A and Hall B

Departure lounge (second floor): Hall A, B, E

9. First Aid

In case of emergency, there is a 24/7 daily first aid service in Noi Bai airport. There are three first aid rooms equipped with medicine and other necessary facilities. The doctors and nurses will appear within ten minutes after your request.

Request first aid service:

• Airport attendants: should you need any help on requesting the first aid service, you can talk to your nearest airport staff.
• Medical emergency team: You can also call the medical team through the airport control center via this number: (+844) 35876600 – Ext: 6300.

Where to find the first aid room:

T2 terminal: Arrival Hall (first floor) and departure lounge (third floor)

T1 terminal: Arrival Hall A (first floor)

  10. Travel between two terminals 

You can walk between the international and domestic terminals but if you’re feeling tired after the long flight, then just hop on a free shuttle bus. Every day from 6 AM to 1 AM, a shuttle bus services T1 and T2 terminal, departing every 10 to 15 minutes.

Where to catch the bus:

T2 terminal: Arrival Hall (first floor) – column 18 (West wing)

T1 terminal: Arrival Hall (first floor) – Hall A

  11. Travel to the city 

The distance from the airport to the city center is around 30 kilometers, but it will take about an hour of driving. Noi Bai airport offers a few transportation options to get to the city center: Grab, taxi, coach, and bus.

Read more: Best Way to Get Around in Hanoi

Grab

I love getting around with Grab (a car booking platform, similar to Uber) as it is usually cheaper than getting a taxi. Furthermore, the app also displays the route and price so I don’t have to worry about taxi scams. The estimated price to go from the airport to Hanoi Old Quarter is around 200,000 – 250,000 VND (10 – 11 USD), depending on traffic and demand.

Pro tip: Grab taxi is not allowed to drive into the airport arrival hall. If you go with Grab, you’ll have to walk outside to meet up with your driver.

Taxi

Travel by taxi is a little bit tricky as there are 14 taxi brands allowed to pick up passengers at the airport. Click here for the list of airport taxis. To avoid taxi scams, I recommend taking Mai Linh taxi (the green cab) as that is one of the two trustworthy brands in Vietnam (together with Vinasun). The price to go from the airport to Hanoi Old Quarter (backpacker area) is around 250,000 – 400,000 VND (11 USD – 20 USD).

Taxi scams: The bitter truth is that taxi scams are quite popular in Vietnam. Since they calculate your trip fee via the meter counter clock, some bad taxi drivers tend to take a longer way in order to over-charge you. To avoid that, you can either negotiate with the taxi drivers for the price before you depart or track the route using Google Maps. Again, Mai Linh taxi is a trusted taxi service in Vietnam; if you don’t have Grab on your phone, be sure to look for the green taxis.

Where to catch a cab

T2 terminal: Arrival Hall – first floor – Hall C and E

T1 terminal: Arrival Hall – first floor – East Wing

Taxi information

Mai Linh Taxi: (+843) 8 222 666

Airport bus (or coach)

A cheaper way to travel from the airport to Hanoi city is by using the airport bus (or coach). The 16 – 45 seat buses depart from Noi Bai Airport to a station on Quang Trung street, three kilometers away from Hanoi Old Quarter. If you want to be dropped-off on the way, just show the staff your destination and ask them for your stop. The price of the ticket is 40,000 VND/person (2 USD). Good news, baggage is free of charge!

Jetstar bus

If you fly with Jetstar Pacific and land in Hanoi by 7 PM, you can take their bus to the city center, which departs 30 minutes after landing. The bus tickets are sold on the flight, so please contact your cabin crew to purchase it.

The route : Noi Bai airport – Thang Long Bridge – Hoang Quoc Viet – Nguyen Van Huyen – Dao Tan – Ngoc Khanh bus station – Quang Trung bus station.

Vietjet Air Bus

Vietjet Air also offers a shuttle bus to the city center. The tickets have to be booked on the website 24 hours in advance. You can also call their hotline via this number: (+844) 39 416 270

The route: Noi Bai airport – Thang Long Bridge – Hoang Quoc Viet – Dao Tan – Nguyen Thai Hoc – Quang Trung – Tran Nhan Tong

Where to catch the airport bus

T2 terminal: Arrival Hall (first floor) : West Wing and East Wing

T1 terminal: Arrival Hall (first floor) : Hall C and Hall E (for Jetstar bus)

Bus

There are four buses that have routes from Noi Bai airport to the center of Hanoi: bus number 07, 17, 90, and 86. This is the cheapest transportation option on the list. It costs only 9,000 VND per pax (0.40 cents). Bus 86 is an exception since its price is 30,000 VND/pax (1.5 USD). If you do not know which bus you should take and when to get off, just contact the staff at airport information, show them your address, and they will help you find the right bus. Most of the buses are not allowed to go inside the airport, you must walk to the bus station located 200 meters away from the airport gate.

Bus 07: Normally, this bus is always full of people, so you might have to stand for an hour during the trip.

The route: Noi Bai airport – Thang Long highway – Pham Van Dong – Hoang Quoc Viet – Nghia Do park – Cau Giay transit station.

Bus 17 : This bus has fewer passengers compared to Bus 07 but it will take about 90 – 120 minutes to get to the final destination.

The route : Noi Bai airport – Phu Lo Soc Son – Dong Anh – Cau Duong – Nguyen Van Cu – Long Bien transit station

Bus 90: This is one of two buses that are allowed to go through the airport terminals.

The route: T1 arrival hall (first floor) – Vo Nguyen Giap – T2 arrival hall (first floor) – Vo Nguyen Giap overpass – Vo Nguyen Giap street – Nhat Tan Bridge – Vo Chi Cong – Nguyen Hoang Ton – Lac Long Quan – Hoang Hoa Tham – Van Cao – Lieu Giai – Kim Ma – Number 01 Kim Ma.

Bus 86: This is the newly launched bus which specifically offers the transfer service between the airport and city center. The price is 30,000 VND/pax (1.5 USD). You can catch the bus at the arrival hall (first floor) of both terminals.

The route: T2 arrival terminal (first floor) – Vo Nguyen Giap overpass – Vo Nguyen Giap street – T1 arrival terminal (first floor) – Vo Nguyen Giap – Nhat Tan bridge – Au Co – Nghi Tam – Yen Phu – Long Bien transit station – Tran Nhat Duat – Tran Quang Khai – Trang Tien – Le Thanh Tong – Hai Ba Trung – Ly Thuong Kiet – Le Duan – Hanoi Train Station.

Airport Transfer

After a long and tiring flight, getting to your hotel safe and sound should be your top priority. To ensure your airport transfer to be a quick and smooth experience, you should book a private transfer in advance.

The driver will be ready to pick you up on time at the Arrivals Gate, then drive you to your accommodation safely. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy our stress-free transit.

12. Hotels near Hanoi airport

Spending six to eight hours sitting at the departure lounge waiting for your connecting flight can be very uncomfortable, not to mention boring. You also don’t want to waste your time traveling two hours to the city center and back. Instead, think about renting a room in the airport area. It would be awesome to rest after a long flight and take a shower to get ready for the upcoming trip. Here are some recommendations for hotels in the area:

Airport sleep pod (inside the airport)

Noi Bai airport has a sleep pod service located within the airport for those looking for a private place to relax. The rooms are well-designed and equipped with basic items such as AC, television, clothes hangers, wifi, and an alarm clock. They also offer free snacks and drinks, and restaurant vouchers for customers. For the room rate, please click here.

Where to find it

T2 terminal: second floor

T1 terminal: second and third floor

Salite hotels near Hanoi airport

Duc Hieu 2

Distance to the airport: 1.5 kilometers

Address: Dien Xa, Quang Tien, Soc Son, Noi Bai, Hanoi

Price: From 297,000 VND – (13.5 USD)

Family Transit Hotel

Distance to the airport: 4 kilometers

Address: Dien Xa, Quang Tien, Noi Bai, Hanoi

Price: 220,000 VND/Dorm bed – (10USD) – from 357,000 VND/Double-bed room ($16.20 USD)

Indochina Airport Hote l

Distance to the airport: 4 kilometers

Address: 9 Cau Den St., Nga Tu Cao Toc, Hanoi

Price: From 308,000 VND/Double-bed room – (14 USD)

13. Check in without waiting in line with Vietnam Airlines

Good news for everyone: Vietnam Airlines now supports online check-in. Instead of wasting your travel time in lines, why not stay at home and take advantage of the online check-in? With domestic flights, you can go straight to the security gate if you have no baggage or if you do have baggage, you can quickly visit the check-in counter and be on your way. Online check-in also allows you to choose your seat before everybody else. But remember that the online check-in only occurs 24 hours to two hours before the departure time. Also, note that Vietnam Airlines online check-in is limited to nine passengers per booking account and does not apply to children under 12 years old.

Here is your guide to online-check in:

Situation number 1 : If you have already confirmed your email address, you will receive a check-in link via your email about 24 hours before the departure time. Just simply click it, provide the information required, and it’s good to go.

Situation number 2: If you haven’t submitted your email address, you need to access the Vietnam Airlines check-in page from 24 hours to two hours before the departure time. After that, input all the information required and there you go.

Note:

The online check-in feature is available only with flights departing from Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. From other cities, you have no other choice than the normal check-in.

When you have already checked in online, remember to appear at the airport on time (at least 20-30 minutes before the boarding time).

I have just shared 13 things you need to know about Noi Bai airport. If you are about to fly into Vietnam, I hope you will have a wonderful time exploring this beautiful country. If you are leaving us, then have a safe flight and see you soon.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Address: Phu Cuong, Soc Son, Vietnam

Phone: (+844) 38 865 047

Code: HAN

Local time: GMT +7

Make sure to save this article so you can refer back to it at the airport should you need help. Please also make sure to double check your visa! Here’s our guide. Happy flying!

Credit to  Eleanor Nguyen