Is Vietnam Airport Fast Track Worth It?
Short answer: Vietnam Airport Fast Track can be worth the cost if you’re arriving during peak hours, have a tight domestic connection or simply want to avoid the queue!
Vietnam gets millions of international travelers a year, and it has become a popular choice to buy an Airport Fast Track when arriving to get through Immigration faster. Think 15 minutes instead of 1.5 hours of waiting.
But for $30 USD per person per airport – is it worth it? And when is getting an Airport Fast Track worth it?
What Affects Whether Fast Track Is Worth It?
Here are some things to know before considering an Airport Fast Track in Vietnam:
Airport Peak Hours
Generally, peak hours occur in the early morning and again in the late afternoon. This is because there is a large overlap of international and domestic flights, causing long queues during security and immigration. It’s important to check arrival and departure time in Vietnam before considering getting the Airport Fast Track.
Tip: If you haven’t booked your flights yet, consider buying flights that arrive in Vietnam later at night – in my experience, we arrived closer to 10pm in Vietnam, and the immigration line was shorter.
Tight Domestic Layovers
If you’re landing in Ho Chi Minh City and connecting to a domestic flight on the same day, consider getting the Airport Fast Track. Travelers arriving on an international flight and connecting to a domestic flight are required to collect their luggage and check them in again, and the long immigration queues can eat into connection time.
Tip: If you can’t avoid the domestic layover flight, then make sure you have at least 3 hours between flights. In my experience, we planned our flight to Hanoi the day after arriving in Ho Chi Minh City to avoid the stress.
Tan Son Nhat International Airport vs Other Airports
Tan Son Nhat International Airport is one of the busiest airports in Vietnam, and Immigration line can be significantly longer during peak hours. While other airports also get busy, they will not be as busy as Tan Son Nhat.
Tip: In my experience, we did not have to buy the Airport Fast Track for Hanoi and Da Nang domestic flights.
When to Get the Airport Fast Track
Consider getting the Airport Fast Track if any of these apply:
- You are arriving/departing during airport peak hours
- You have a domestic layover on the same day and the next flight is less than 3 hours
- You have a scheduled activity right after landing
- It’s within your budget
- It’s your first time in Vietnam, and you just want that peace of mind
- You prefer not to wait in line for too long (fair enough!)
Conclusion
My Experience:
We decided against buying the Airport Fast Track during our Vietnam trip, and while the line was long, we didn’t miss our flights. For us, it wasn’t worth the extra cost. We arrived outside peak hours, avoided same-day domestic connections, and allowed plenty of time between flights. Hot tip: If you’re planning to brave the line, make sure your phone is fully charged!
While it’s possible to avoid paying for the Airport Fast Track, there are some instances where it is worth it.
Please note: We didn’t personally use an Airport Fast Track service during our Vietnam trip, so we can’t recommend a specific provider based on first-hand experience.
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