HANOI (NOI BAI) AIRPORT   Passenger Reviews and Traveller Reports

HANOI NOIBAI AIRPORT customer review : 8 December 2009 : by B Ford

Customer Rating : 3/5

It's a pretty small airport, which has its good points and its bad points. On the plus side, international arrivals are incredibly quick - you walk down a short corridor from your plane, have a short wait in the immigration queue, walk a few metres over to baggage claim (which is reasonably fast, since the bags don't have to travel far), then walk a few metres over to customs (I was waved through without them even looking at my bags) and you're in the arrivals hall. Similarly on departure, you are through very quickly once you check in, and don't have to walk through miles of corridors like in larger airports. The negative side of HAN's small size is the lack of facilities - not much in the way of duty free, food, etc, and if you're travelling economy then the only entertainment in the departure lounge is a few TVs playing an endless loop of Vietnamese ads for cosmetics. Signage is also pretty poor. It's not an airport you'd want to spend much time in, but as it's definitely a 'spoke' rather than a 'hub' you're never going to have a six-hour layover there. It's just a place you get into and get out of as quickly as possible, and in those terms it's not too bad.

HANOI NOIBAI AIRPORT customer review : 1 October 2009 : by S Walker

Customer Rating : 1/5

Very poor airport - virtually no shops airside, no money changers and no information screens. It's clean, but that's about all it's got going for it. The duty free is extremely expensive (more expensive than UK high street prices!), and the staff in the shops are surly and downright dishonest. If paying with dong, be very careful. All prices are in US$, and while there may be posters saying 18,000 dong to $1, the staff bump it up to to 20,000 in the hope you won't notice. Question this and some shops relent and revert back to the official exchange rate, others won't, and it's time to walk away. Hanoi airport shop staff - out to rip off tourists even more than market stall holders. Get your dong changed before heading to the airport, and buy any bottles of water or snacks on the plane. It might be expensive, but chances are it will be no more expensive than the airport, and on the plane you might be served honestly, and with a smile.

HANOI NOIBAI AIRPORT customer review : 14 July 2009 : by Rob Boyce

Customer Rating : 4/5

Arrival process slowed down by additional health screening declaration form to be filled in at present due to the swine flu crisis. Once through this, passports handled fairly quickly and luggage reclaim likewise. Currency exchange possible in the arrivals hall. Departure process saw long queues for check in for Vietnam Airlines flights, but handled quickly and efficiently. Fairly modern terminal with a good range of shops and food outlets.

HANOI NOIBAI AIRPORT customer review : 31 October 2008 : by James Halley

Customer Rating : 3/5

One tip, I never saw any currency exchange airside so if you have dong, spend it or change it before you check in. its a worthless currency once you leave Vietnam, although i did manage to find an exchange in bitang in KL who took it off my hands at a rate beneficial to him. But the MYR got me dinner and a beer.

HANOI NOIBAI AIRPORT customer review : 15 September 2008 : by P Giudes

Customer Rating : 4/5

Average airport. Singapore Airlines check in only opened 2 hours before departure. Lots of people milling around, but no communication until the appointed time. There is a large selection of duty free stores once through customers offering the usual things. Tip : head upstairs for more space and a quieter experience.

HANOI NOIBAI AIRPORT customer review : 12 September 2008 : by Andrew Lam

Customer Rating : 2/5

Airport has a modern design look. Faculty is average compared to the South, Tan Son Nhat airport. Immigration is ok. Building roof seems to need a major fix because of leak during the rain season when I passed through (found small buckets everywhere on the floor).

Hanoi Airport customer review by Giles Norman

15 March 2008   Customer Rating :

Travelled through HAN for first time March 2008. Overall, it's ok and I've been in much worse. Staff friendly and efficient for a communist country. Check-in a little slow but Immigration fine. Waiting area and shopping a little spartan by east Asian standards but fantastic by S Asian standards, and clean!

Hanoi Airport customer review by C Owen

28 November 2007   Customer Rating :

As a regular traveler through Noi Bai airport I would say it is a very average airport. Queues at check-in, immigration are really hit and miss. Can be 5 minutes but can be much longer. Waiting for baggage is also a lottery, can again be 5 minutes but I have waited for almost an hour to receive my bags. The small restaurant upstairs through passport control is very expensive for what it is and really isn't anything to write home about. Overall, it does the job and is relatively clean and has good views of the runway from the upper level.

Hanoi Airport customer review by M Gephart

26 November 2007   Customer Rating :

The airport is fine. The queues aren't bad for immigration/customs and the baggage arrives quite quickly. The duty free leaves a lot to be desired and once you get into the gate area - there really isn't much of a food choice (unless you consider Pringles as a meal).

Hanoi Airport customer review by George Santulli

31 December 2006   Customer Rating : n/a

Arrival was fast and bag carousel was pretty wide open, even at 1030pm with some other flights from Korea etc. Customs was fast and efficient. Departure was easy, but I got there about 2.5 hours before my flight which was way too soon! The gates for Asiana to Seoul was being used by domestic flights within Vietnam and didn't open for international check until almost an hour before the flight. Not much to do in the terminal and the coffee bar had only powdered Sanka like coffee.

Hanoi Airport customer review by Ned Hopkins

10 February 2006

Both arriving and departing HAN are quick and easy. No baggage inspection on arriving at international terminal and only a cursory passport /visa check. Departure on a domestic flight was also a breeze. The 1st/business lounge is within the departure area. Snacks and drinks are adequate; there is no smoking area.

Hanoi Airport  customer review by Vuong Tuan Hao

1 November 2004

I must agree that Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport is very modern but it depends very much on which gate you go to. I remember walking through a zigzag corridor to the gate departing Hanoi for Saigon. Terminal in general is a lot better than the one in Saigon.

Hanoi Airport  customer review by Hugues Martel

6 October 2004

Hanoi airport is really modern. The walking distance between the check-in and gate is very short. Facilities are good (shops and a nice restaurent upstairs). The viewing gallerie upstairs is very nice too and generally empty.

Hanoi Airport  customer review by Wolfgang Kuhnle

27 August 2004

The best thing about the airport is, after the surprise of how modern an airport this is, that after check-in and passport control there is a nice, little frequented restaurant upstairs where you can have another nice nap on the comfortable seating prior to take off. Otherwise the waiting area is quite mind-numbing.

Hanoi Airport  review by Terry K Offord

1 August 2004

We used Hanoi Airport four times during April/May 2003. I found it to be as good or better than many others around the world. Clean, Comfortable, Great Coffee available, very helpful staff, especially the Customs Officers who were polite and very helpful as were the VN Airline staff. We shall check them out again next year.

Hanoi Airport  review by Kevin Dang

27 March 2004

Ha Noi airport is the best and most modern airport in Vietnam, comparable to other international airports. The services there are great, people are very friendly, courteous, and extremely helpful. I highly recommended- you have to see it to believe it.

Hanoi Airport  review by K Gash

12 February 2004

Hanoi's new airport is very nice and modern. Arrival is simple and so is departure for both domestic and international. I recommend it.

Hanoi Airport  by review Hiro Suda

9 November 2003

The old terminal is cramped and filthy. In the arrival the immigration is slow, specially it's horribly during the mid-summer day when the hall gets sticky and hot because there is no AC! The only bathroom was one of the dirtiest one every saw among all the airports. Departure hall is a bit better, but expect the slow immigration service. The new terminal was under construction at the time when I visited back two years ago, which was used by domestic arrival only (funny how the planes pulled off from the boarding bridge after clearing the passengers). The new one is much better looking, clean, and has open-air concept which make it spacious.