Open-Jaw Trips: Into Hanoi, Out of HCMC
You want to go north to south without doubling back: see when a one-way-each-end ticket saves the day.
Fly into Hanoi and home from Ho Chi Minh City when you want to go north to south and your days are limited. It removes the backtrack day, because you do not return to your starting city. Check fare and baggage first, since the saving only counts if the ticket does not cost the day back in fees.
When does an open-jaw ticket save you a day?
It saves a day whenever your route is a line, not a loop. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is a line. A return to Hanoi would mean a domestic flight and an airport morning just to get back.
An open-jaw ticket means flying into one city and home from another, and it needs a domestic flight in the middle. You choose which one, and what time. See our Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City two-city trip for how the days fit.
Which flights are on the table?
Kuala Lumpur to Hanoi Noi Bai is listed with AirAsia, Batik Air Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and VietJet Air1. Ho Chi Minh City to Kuala Lumpur is listed with Malaysia Airlines, VietJet Air, Vietnam Airlines and AirAsia2. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) lists other Vietnam destinations too, though the list may be incomplete3.
Schedules change, so check the airline sites for the dates you want.
What about the train?
The Reunification Express covers 1,726 km4. End-to-end journeys take about 30 hours, with express timetables of 33 to 34 hours5.
That is a travel experience, not a shortcut. On short leave, a domestic flight protects your days.
What should you check before buying?
- The fare for the open-jaw ticket compared with a return to one city plus a domestic flight.
- Baggage allowance on each segment, because low-cost carriers can charge per flight.
- Whether the domestic leg is on the same ticket or a separate one.
- Your buffer on the day you fly home: leave a margin in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Your home airport: Penang International lists Ho Chi Minh City as its only Vietnam destination6.
What is the next step?
- Look at the Hanoi guide and the Ho Chi Minh City guide for the two ends.
- For the full route, see Vietnam 10 days north to south.
- If you are still choosing the arrival city, read KL to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang.
- Test the days with the travel-day checker and the direct flight routes.
Tell us your home airport, your dates and how many days you have, and we can check whether flying into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City saves you a day.
Common questions
What is an open-jaw ticket?
It is a return ticket where you fly into one city and home from another, for example into Hanoi and home from Ho Chi Minh City. You cover the gap between the two cities yourself, usually by a domestic flight, which you can book separately or as part of a multi-city fare.
Does an open-jaw ticket cost more than a normal return?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Compare it with the return to a single city plus the domestic flight you would need to double back. Use today's quotes for both, and include baggage fees, since the cheaper-looking option may carry extra charges.
Can I book two one-way tickets instead of one multi-city ticket?
Yes, and some travellers prefer it for flexibility. The risk is that each ticket stands alone. If one flight is delayed, the airline does not owe you a rebooking on the other. Allow a generous buffer, and read each fare's baggage rule.
How do I get between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City?
A domestic flight is the fastest option. The Reunification Express train runs the full length in about 30 hours, with express timetables of 33 to 34 hours, so it suits travellers who want the journey itself, not short leave.
I live in Penang, Johor Bahru or Kota Kinabalu. Can I do this?
Those airports list only Ho Chi Minh City as a Vietnam destination, so a direct flight into Hanoi from there is not listed. You can connect through Kuala Lumpur, or fly into Ho Chi Minh City and travel north to south in reverse.
Sources
- Kuala Lumpur International to Hanoi Noi Bai is listed as served by AirAsia, Batik Air Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and VietJet Air. Wikipedia. Wikipedia destination table; check airline sites for current schedules.
- Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat to Kuala Lumpur is listed as served by Malaysia Airlines, VietJet Air, Vietnam Airlines and AirAsia. Wikipedia
- KLIA destinations in Vietnam listed include Da Lat, Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc (page truncated, list may be incomplete). Wikipedia
- The North-South (Reunification Express) railway route is 1,726 km. Wikipedia
- Typical end-to-end journeys on the Reunification Express last about 30 hours; express timetables run about 33 to 34 hours. Wikipedia. Timetables change; check dsvn.vn.
- Penang International Airport lists Ho Chi Minh City as its only Vietnam destination, served by AirAsia. Wikipedia. No Penang to Hanoi or Da Nang listed.
Keep planning
Tell us your home airport, your dates and how many days you have, and we can check whether flying into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City saves you a day.