Flying to Vietnam for the first time? The trip is easier to manage when you know what to have ready at check-in, what happens when you land, and where to meet your driver or catch your next flight. Work through these steps in order, starting with the passport you will actually carry.
Before leaving home, compare your passport with your reservation and any approved visa. Check the spelling of your name, passport number, local arrival date and arrival airport. If your passport or flight has changed, confirm whether you need to take action before departure. Keep an offline copy of the visa if you use one, along with your accommodation address and onward itinerary. You can use our Vietnam entry planning guide to work out what to verify for your nationality and route.
Save the operating carrier's booking reference. For a codeshare, the airline that sold the ticket and the airline running the flight can differ. Check the departure terminal and counter with the operating airline before leaving for the airport.
At check-in, ask where you next need to collect your checked luggage and whether you have boarding passes for every segment. Keep the baggage receipt until you reach your destination. If you have an international-to-domestic connection in Vietnam, ask whether you need to collect the bag for customs and hand it back to the airline before moving to the domestic terminal. Transfer assistance depends on the carrier and itinerary.
With separate tickets, confirm the onward check-in deadline and plan for the steps between flights, including passport control, baggage collection, customs, a terminal transfer and security where applicable. If the connection looks tight, review the options with the airlines before travel.
If Vietnam is your destination, follow the arrivals signs and present the passport and entry documents that apply to your trip. If you are in transit, follow the instructions provided by your airline and the airport. Once you clear immigration on an arriving itinerary, check the flight number on the baggage display. If a bag is missing, show the baggage receipt at the airline's baggage service desk and ask for a report reference before leaving the arrivals area.
Check customs rules in advance if you are carrying items that may need to be declared. Keep medicines you need during the journey accessible and confirm any documentation requirements for them before packing.
Save your hotel name, street address and map pin. If a driver is meeting you, agree on a landmark and confirm that they have the flight number and know your arrival terminal. If you order a ride after landing, check the pickup point and verify the vehicle and plate in the app. Give yourself time to reach the pickup point after baggage claim.
For a late arrival, confirm that your accommodation can check you in at the hour you expect to reach it. Save a backup contact and payment option in case your phone has no data when you land.
Leave room between landing and any fixed booking, particularly when traveling with checked baggage or children. A simple first evening near your accommodation leaves time for delays. For ideas on what to do after you settle in, see our two-week Vietnam itinerary.
Official references: Vietnam Tourism entry requirements and Vietnam Airlines baggage transfer guidance. Confirm your own airline and entry requirements close to departure.
