Hanoi Airport

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.

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).

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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