This is my second time flying with Vietnam Airlines. Vietnam Airlines, the flag carrier of Vietnam, offers a blend of modern service with a touch of the country’s rich cultural heritage. With its extensive network connecting major cities across Asia, Europe, Australia, and beyond, it serves as a gateway to Vietnam’s bustling cities, stunning landscapes, and cultural treasures. Known for its high standards of safety and customer service, Vietnam Airlines provides passengers with a comfortable and efficient flying experience, whether in economy, business, or first class. The airline’s fleet, consisting primarily of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, is equipped with modern amenities, ensuring a seamless journey for both domestic and international travelers. As Vietnam’s leading airline, it continues to play a key role in connecting Vietnam to the world.

We arrived the Changi Airport T3 and despite having about 1h 10 minutes left before the flight, there was still a line at the check in. We got our boarding passes, Singapore to Ho Chi Minh to Danang, and proceeded to the boarding gate. We did not even have time to go to the lounge on our Loungekey pass. Since food will be served on the plane, we also thought that there was no need to head to the lounge.

Boarding gate was open, security check was brisk. It seems like there were not many passengers, but most of them were already in the waiting area, waiting to board.

It is a A321 (twin-jet) plane, with a 3-3 seating arrangement. The flight time to SGN is 2 hours. There was a little delay and we pushed off from the gate around 15 minutes after the expected departure.

Food served on the plane was great. Perhaps I was too hungry, so I wiped clean this plate of beef curry with rice. Everything was great about the meal, and the serving size was just right. However, I would have preferred an ice cream instead of a banana for the dessert. My wife had the pork and noodles.

This is the flight map as there is no individual inflight entertainment screen. Before landing, this screen would automatically retreat. As you can see, we are almost landing into SGN Tan Soon Nhat International Airport.

The immigration queue was a horror. All passengers had to clear immigration first, and there was no separate queue for those taking an onward connecting domestic flight. For us, the crew gave us a sticker which said “Vietnam airlines domestic transfer” but there was no special privilege. I wonder for those with tight connection timing like 1-2 hours, how would they be able to make it. By the time we had our passports stamped, our luggage was already out. We had 6 hours to kill, as my next flight had been pushed back (we were informed in advance) to 21:15 instead of 17:35 which I had originally booked.

That means an additional 4 hours layover at the airport. We could have gone out to the city to have a good dinner before coming back to the airport, but I was not sure about the stress and the additional traveling time, as it would coincide with peak hour. Trying my luck, I went to the Vietnam Airlines domestic counter and asked to be put on an earlier flight. Surprisingly, they found an earlier flight (but within the same fare group) and gave it to us; it was at 20:10 so we saved one hour.

We had coffee at Highlands Coffee, then went to the airport lounge to have some dinner. Actually the time passed quite fast, so after relaxing at the airport lounge, we then headed to the boarding gate. SGN airport does not make announcements for the flights, so we had to pay attention to the information screens and go to the correct gate.

Boarding checks were completed and soon we were on the tarmac again, flying out of SGN which we had just came in about 5 hours ago. This time the night had fallen. I was a bit annoyed that much time was spent on the layover, otherwise I would be having a nice meal in Danang by now.

Taxiing on the runway of Tan Son Nhat airport. The flight was about 80% full, with mostly Vietnamese. I am not sure if they live in Danang or they are from Saigon and going there for a weekend trip, like us.

The city lights of Ho Chi Minh from the window seat of my plane. As you can see, the traffic congestion is really quite bad.

After a flight time of 1h 15 minutes, the plane landed without issue at Danang International Airport.

Serving as the country’s third-largest airport, it connects the central region of Vietnam to both domestic and international destinations. The airport plays a vital role in the region’s tourism, being the closest airport to popular destinations like the ancient town of Hoi An and the historic city of Hue. With modern facilities, efficient services, and a steadily growing passenger capacity, Da Nang International Airport offers a smooth and convenient travel experience. It hosts several international airlines, offering flights to key destinations in Asia, including Seoul, Bangkok, and Singapore. However, the direct flight from Singapore during the National Day weekend was very expensive, so I did not book it.

We went straight to the arrival hall as there was no need to clear immigration. Shortly after, about 5-10 minutes, the luggage was out on the carousel. After we collected the luggage, we booked a Grab car to bring us direct to our hotel, which is about half an hour away. The traveling process was a long journey today, but overall we are satisfied with the seats and service provided by Vietnam Airlines.