Passengers at Noi Bai Airport. Photo for illustration
During 2025, Vietnam’s aviation sector continued its strong recovery, with domestic carriers such as Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways expanding operations. The year also marked the market entry of Sun Phu Quoc Airways, which began commercial flights at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.
On the international network, the winter 2025 schedule showed steady growth, with several airlines launching new routes to Hanoi, including Hainan Airlines, Shandong Airlines, Etihad Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Spring Airlines. Existing carriers have also increased flight frequencies. On some days, international passenger numbers reached 50,000, exceeding peak levels recorded in previous years.
Building on this momentum, Noi Bai International Airport forecasts overall traffic during the New Year 2026 period, from December 31, 2025 to January 4, 2026, to be about 5 to 10 per cent higher than usual.
The busiest day is expected to be January 4, when the airport is projected to handle around 115,000 passengers, up 12.5 per cent compared with the normal winter 2025 schedule, and about 650 flights, an increase of 9 per cent. International traffic could reach a record high of 50,000 passengers and 330 flights, while domestic services are forecast at about 65,000 passengers and 320 flights, marking a rise of up to 14.5 per cent over typical levels.
More automated procedures
To cope with the anticipated surge, Noi Bai International Airport has rolled out coordinated measures across infrastructure, technology and operations to boost capacity, ease congestion and ensure safety and security.
A key step has been the expansion of the Terminal 2. From December 15, 2025, the airport put into operation additional check in counters, self service kiosks and automated baggage drop facilities under the Terminal 2 expansion project, increasing international handling capacity and reducing processing times during peak hours.
At the same time, the airport continues to strengthen the use of technology in operations. The airport collaborative decision making model remains in place to optimise infrastructure use and improve on time performance. Electronic toll collection systems are operating smoothly at all entry and exit lanes, helping vehicles move more quickly. Staffing and equipment are being adjusted in line with passenger flows, with security screening lanes ready to operate at maximum capacity when needed. The airport has also deployed AI powered automated announcements, along with automated flight information and wayfinding systems.
Passengers are advised to check in online, arrive at the airport early, ensure travel documents and baggage comply with regulations, limit accompanying visitors, and prioritise public transport to help reduce pressure on terminal areas.
