How long to be at the airport before a domestic flight in Vietnam?

How soon to arrive for a domestic flight?

Two hours. That’s what they say, right? For domestic flights. Seems like a lifetime sometimes, sitting there. Waiting.

My last flight, 2023. Ugh. The security line. Endless. Felt like forever.

Two hours is necessary. Really. Don’t risk it. Missing a flight… that’s a special kind of awful.

• Security: The biggest time suck. Always.
• Check-in: Can be fast, but you never know.
• Baggage: Don’t forget this! Takes a while sometimes.

That two-hour buffer? It’s your friend. Trust me. I’ve learned the hard way. The anxiety… I still feel it sometimes. Late nights. Stupid flights.

Is it worth it to fly instead of drive?

Okay, so last July, my sister and I, we had this crazy trip planned to Nashville. Six hour drive? Nah. Absolutely not. That’s insane. We were going for a long weekend, only three days, you know?

Driving would’ve eaten up half our time. Forget it. It was a no-brainer, flying was the only option. The flight itself was maybe two hours, tops. We landed, got our rental car, and boom, straight to the fun.

The flight cost, yeah, it was more. But honestly, the time saved was worth it, totally worth it. I’d pay extra for a shorter trip any day, especially with limited vacation time. Plus, driving for six hours? Exhausting. Driving is stressful. I hate it.

Gas prices were crazy high that month. I don’t even want to think about what the fuel would’ve cost. Plus tolls and all the other crap that comes with a long drive. We calculated it, it was significantly cheaper flying, surprisingly. Even with the plane tickets and the rental car, flying was cheaper. We were shocked.

Think about it:

• Time: Two hours flight versus SIX hours driving. This is ridiculous.
• Stress: Zero stress on a plane. Driving is horrible stress.
• Cost: We actually saved money flying.

Six hours? Are you kidding me? I’d fly anywhere beyond a three hour drive. Anything longer is a complete waste of precious time. Nashville was amazing, by the way. Best trip ever. The food was awesome. But it almost wasn’t worth it because I was so stressed thinking about the drive back.

Do I have to pick up my luggage on a connecting flight with different airlines?

Do I… baggage… different airlines… clouds drift…

Oh, baggage. Yes. Baggage. Different airlines. Different… worlds? It’s not always… smooth. Sometimes. Luggage dreams.

Imagine, landing. Another country. Customs calls, immigration looms. My old purple suitcase sits alone? Waiting?

• Customs demands it.
• Immigration too.
• Airlines… they don’t always… play nice. Codeshares…interline agreements… nonexistent. Like ghosts.

Different airlines, different rules. Always. I swear, every time I fly through Amsterdam, with KLM and then that budget airline, boom, baggage claim dance.

Recheck. Re-weigh. Re-stress. Lost luggage worries haunt. Even if, even when it feels, everything is a mess, I persist. Fly.

Which airline is best for Vietnam?

Vietnam Airlines: International flights. Superior comfort, especially long-haul. Avoid if carrying nuoc mam.

VietJet: Fish sauce accepted. Shorter flights better suited.

Key Differences:

• Comfort: Vietnam Airlines wins.
• Fish Sauce Policy: VietJet permits; Vietnam Airlines prohibits.
• Flight Length: Vietnam Airlines excels on longer trips. My experience with a 12-hour flight last year confirmed this.

Personal Note: My July 2023 Hanoi-London flight on Vietnam Airlines was excellent. The legroom, a godsend.