According to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, on 22/2, there were approximately 1,069 flights, including 988 passenger flights carrying nearly 178,000 people. This passenger volume increased by nearly 60,000 compared to a regular day and was about 13,000 higher than the forecast for the busiest day of the Tet holiday.
Most passengers arrived in TP HCM, totaling nearly 105,000 people, with the majority (over 71,000 passengers) returning to the city from various provinces. The number of departing passengers was lower, comprising about 41,500 domestic travelers and nearly 32,000 international travelers.
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_Passengers at Tan Son Nhat airport during Tet Binh Ngo 2026. Photo: Thanh Nguyen_
Since the third day of Tet, passenger traffic at the airport has remained very high, primarily for arrivals in TP HCM. This year, the new domestic terminal T3 became operational, increasing service capacity and alleviating pressure on terminal T1.
During the Tet holiday, terminal T3 handled the largest volume, averaging over 450 flights daily. All flights for Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, VASCO, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, and Sun Phu Quoc Airways relocated to this terminal. Terminal T1 is currently used only by VietJet Air, which significantly reduced operational pressure.
Beyond the domestic area, international terminal T2 also recorded high traffic during Tet, averaging over 60,000 passengers daily. On the sixth day of Tet alone, the terminal welcomed nearly 65,000 passengers on 334 arriving and departing flights, marking its highest volume in many years.
Despite facing significant pressure, Tan Son Nhat International Airport avoided the chaotic congestion seen in previous years. However, passengers still experienced delays when collecting checked luggage, especially during peak hours when multiple flights landed consecutively.
To reduce congestion, the airport coordinated with units to develop peak service plans, regulating passenger flow by time slot. They flexibly arranged check-in counters, baggage carousels, and departure gates. Additionally, biometric identification was applied to shorten processing times.
Authorities advise passengers to prepare all necessary documents, carefully check flight and terminal information, and arrive at the airport early: at least two hours for domestic flights and three hours for international flights to avoid missing their flights.
Giang Anh
