To be on time for their first day back at work after the Tet holiday, a large number of passengers returned to HCMC via Tan Son Nhat Airport last night and early this morning (February 3), leading to congestion in the arrival areas.
Tan Son Nhat International Airport reported that it handled 968 flights, including 418 departures and 487 arrivals, with a total of 146,470 passengers, on February 3. Of these, 91,993 were arriving, while 54,477 were departing.
From the evening of February 2 to the early morning of February 3, the domestic arrival terminal was crowded with people returning from various provinces after the Tet holiday for work, school, or spring travel. Due to the sharp increase in passenger volume, baggage claim areas remained packed as travelers waited for their luggage.
At taxi, ride-hailing, and bus pick-up zones, many passengers faced long wait times to get a ride home. Some travelers said they opted for late-night or early-morning flights to ensure they arrived in time for work. In the previous days, from the third to the fifth day of Tet, hundreds of thousands of people from Central and Northern Vietnam had already flown South to resume work after the holiday.
To manage the surge in passengers and ensure security, Tan Son Nhat Airport increased staffing for coordination and assistance at terminals and parking areas. Travelers were encouraged to book ride-hailing services in advance or use shuttle buses to reduce waiting times. Those picking up passengers were advised to check flight details, arrival times, and plan their travel accordingly to avoid congestion.
According to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, passenger traffic is expected to remain high in early February as people continue returning for work and school after the holiday.
While the arrival terminal was crowded, the departure terminal remained quiet, except for the international departure area, which was consistently busy.
According to Tan Son Nhat Airport's slot allocation plan, peak hours can accommodate up to 50 takeoffs and landings per hour, meaning a flight departs or arrives roughly every minute. During peak hours, planes take off and land continuously.
The surge in domestic flights has been driven by high demand as people return to HCMC and other Southern provinces. Passenger traffic at Tan Son Nhat Airport is expected to increase significantly today and in the coming days compared to previous periods.
Heavy traffic on highways
Despite recent highway expansions, traffic congestion remained severe due to the high volume of vehicles. Major expressways like Dau Giay - Phan Thiet and HCMC - Long Thanh - Dau Giay experienced prolonged gridlock. Tran Tuan Thanh, a driver traveling from Da Nang to HCMC, reported that authorities blocked the Dau Giay - Phan Thiet Expressway at the DT765 interchange, forcing vehicles to detour onto National Highway 1A, resulting in severe congestion.
The HCMC - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway also faced heavy traffic near Long Thanh Bridge and the National Highway 51 interchange. On National Highway 1A, congestion stretched for tens of kilometers through Ham Thuan Nam and Ham Tan (Binh Thuan Province) as traffic surged.
By the afternoon of February 2, roads leading into Hanoi were also heavily congested. In the South of Hanoi, National Highway 1 was backed up from Vuc Vong (Ha Nam Province) to the toll station, while the Phap Van - Cau Gie Expressway saw extended delays, particularly at the Dai Xuyen, Liem Tuyen, and Vuc Vong interchanges, where vehicles lined up for kilometers to enter the expressway.
Meanwhile, on the North-South Expressway, traffic heading North on National Highway 1A through Thanh Hoa Province remained heavy. However, on the Mai Son - National Highway 45 Expressway, vehicles near the Tan Phuc, Dong Thang, and Dong Xuan interchanges were still able to maintain speeds of 60-80 km/h.
On the afternoon of February 2, National Highway 51 experienced heavy congestion as tens of thousands of vehicles traveled from Ba Ria - Vung Tau toward Dong Nai and HCMC. The first bottleneck occurred at the intersection with the 991B Road project in Tan Hoa Commune (Phu My Town), where ongoing construction slowed traffic.
Near the Long Thanh District interchange, the presence of container trucks further reduced traffic flow. Upon entering Dong Nai Province, congestion built up more than two kilometers before the Nhon Trach intersection, with many cars encroaching on motorcycle lanes to move faster. At the interchange with the HCMC - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, vehicles moved slowly, with brief standstills due to the high volume of traffic.
On February 2, the National Traffic Safety Committee reported that during the nine-day Tet holiday for the Year of the Snake 2025, there were 445 traffic accidents nationwide, resulting in 209 deaths and 373 injuries. Compared to the same period in 2024, this marked a decrease of 258 accidents (36.69 percent), 126 fatalities (37.61 percent), and 232 injuries (38.34 percent). Notably, violations related to blood alcohol limits continued to decline significantly compared to previous years.
The HCMC Traffic Police Department (PC08) reported that from January 28 to February 1, traffic safety in the city remained stable. The number of traffic accidents and violations decreased compared to previous years, with reductions in accidents, fatalities, and injuries.
During this period, traffic police inspected thousands of vehicles, issued more than 1,820 citations—including over 1,000 alcohol-related violations—temporarily impounded nearly 1,050 vehicles, revoked nearly 270 driver’s licenses, and deducted points from over 240 licenses.
