Airports

Vietnam has two hub international airports, Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi and Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. A third airport, Da Nang Airport, in Da Nang, accepts a far smaller number of international flights. Over a dozen other domestic airports are scattered across Vietnam.

Airlines

Vietnam Airlines (www.vietnamairlines.com) is Vietnam's national carrier. It has a comprehensive domestic network and a growing international one. Jetstar (http://www.jetstar.com/) is the second domestic carrier with a more limited network.

A growing number of international carriers (both full service and LCCs) are now flying to Vietnam, including the following:

Aeroflot (Hanoi)
Air Asia (Hanoi)
Air China (Ho Chi Minh City)
Air France (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
ANA (Ho Chi Minh City)
Asiana (Ho Chi Minh City)
Bangkok Airways (Ho Chi Minh City)
Cathay Pacific (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
China Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
China Eastern (Ho Chi Minh City)
China Southern (Hanoi)
EVA Air (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Hong Kong Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
JAL (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Jetstar (Ho Chi Minh City)
Korean Air (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Lao Airlines (Hanoi)
Lufthansa (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Malaysia Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Philippine Airlines (Ho Chi Minh City)
Qantas (Ho Chi Minh City)
Qatar Airlines (Ho Chi Minh City)
Royal Brunei Airlines (Ho Chi Minh City)
Silk Air (Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Singapore Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
THAI (Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Tiger Airways (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
United (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Vladivostok Air (Hanoi)

Ticketing

You'll almost invariably get a better rate for a long haul fare shopping around online, but traditional agents are still worth a try -- if you haven't already, give our story on getting a cheap airfare to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam a read.

While a lot of international airlines fly into Vietnam, Bangkok and Singapore remain the main gateways. If you're coming from further afield, for example Europe or North America, it often works out more cost effective to purchase a long-haul ticket into one of Southeast Asia's hubs and then continue on to Vietnam with a budget carrier.

Air Asia flies from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Hanoi, while both Tiger Airways and Jetstar fly to Ho Chi Minh City from Singapore. If you're checking with online agencies like Kayak.com, the airport codes you'll be needing are below, though note very few international airlines serve Da Nang:

Da Nang: DAD
Hanoi: HAN
Ho Chi Minh City: SGN