Noi Bai International Airport (IATA: HAN, ICAO: VVNB) – New Airport Hotels

Noi Bai International Airport is the second-largest airport in Vietnam after Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and plays a crucial role in the economic and tourism development of Hanoi and the northern provinces. It has received accolades like the World’s Most Improved Airport Award from Skytrax.

It is located approximately 35 kilometers northeast of downtown Hanoi. It is accessible via the Nhật Tân Bridge, which has improved travel time to the city center.

The airport has two main terminals: Terminal 1, which handles domestic flights, and Terminal 2, dedicated to international flights. Terminal 2, inaugurated in January 2015, has 96 check-in counters, self-service kiosks, and multiple boarding gates.

Terminal 1 (T1) – Domestic

 
  • Area: 115,000 m²​

  • Opened: October 2001; expanded in 2013 with Hall E​

  • Capacity: up to 15 million passengers per year​

  • Handles all domestic flights since December 31, 2014​

Terminal 2 (T2) – International

  • Area: 139,216 m²​

  • Opened: December 25, 2014; full operation from January 4, 2015​

  • Length: 980 m; Height: 29 m; 4 floors​

  • Current capacity: 10 million passengers/year, being expanded to 15 million​

  • Handles up to 30,000 passengers/peak day and 3,000 passengers/peak hour​

  • Equipped with 96 check-in counters, 10 self-service kiosks, 17 boarding gates, and 283 flight information displays

 

Terminal 1 – Domestic Airlines

Terminal 1 has 13 gates and is used exclusively for flights within Vietnam. The airlines operating here are:​

  • Vietnam Airlines (domestic routes)

  • VietJet Air (domestic routes)

  • Bamboo Airways (domestic routes)

  • Jetstar Pacific (domestic routes)

  • Vietravel Airlines (domestic routes)

  • Sun PhuQuoc Airways (domestic routes)

Terminal 2 – International Airlines

Terminal 2 has 28 gates and serves all airlines on international routes. This includes both full-service and budget carriers flying internationally, such as:​

  • Vietnam Airlines (all international routes — e.g., London, Paris, Frankfurt, Sydney, Tokyo)​

  • VietJet Air (international routes — e.g., Bangkok, Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, Delhi)​

  • Bamboo Airways (international charter flights)​

  • Vietravel Airlines (international routes — e.g., Bangkok)​

  • Emirates (Dubai), Qatar Airways (Doha), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul)​

  • Singapore Airlines, Scoot (Singapore)​

  • Korean Air, Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong), EVA Air, China Airlines, ANA

  • Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, IndiGo, Philippine Airlines, Lao Airlines​

  • Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and other Chinese carriers​

  • Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa), Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi)

Getting from Hanoi to Noi Bai Airport

Noi Bai International Airport is located approximately 28–30 km north of Hanoi’s city center, with a typical journey time of 30–90 minutes depending on the transport option and traffic.

Public Bus – Most Budget-Friendly

Several bus routes connect the city directly to both T1 and T2:​

  • Bus #86 – The most popular airport express; runs from the Old Quarter / Hanoi Railway Station every 30 minutes, costs ~45,000 VND (~$2), journey time 45–70 min; operates 5:30 AM–10:30 PM

  • Bus #17 – Goes to Long Bien bus station near the Old Quarter; ~9,000 VND (~$0.40)​

  • Bus #7 – Terminates at Kim Ma / Cau Giay; ~9,000 VND​

  • Bus #90 – Connects to My Dinh bus station and Cat Linh Metro Station​

Taxi

Taxis are available 24/7 outside the arrivals hall. Reputable companies include Mai Linh Taxi and Grab (ride-hailing app). The fare to the city center runs approximately $17–21 USD, with a journey time of around 23–45 minutes in normal traffic. Using Grab is recommended to avoid overcharging.

Private Transfer / Shuttle

Pre-booked private transfers cost between $18–36 USD and offer door-to-door service with no waiting. Shared airport shuttles (minibuses) are also available outside the arrivals terminal — they depart when full and cost around $4.80–6 USD, dropping passengers off at various points in the city center.

Driving

Self-drive or rental car takes around 23 minutes via the Nhat Tan Bridge expressway, which is the fastest route and has reduced average journey times significantly.

Tips

  • Rush hours (7:30–9:00 AM and 5:00–7:30 PM) can add significant time to any road journey​

  • During the rainy season (May–September), journey times can increase by 15–30 minutes​

  • Buses depart from stops in front of both T1 and T2