Ho Chi Minh City airport rolls out facial recognition for faster check-in

Tan Son Nhat International Airport has launched facial recognition check-in at the new domestic terminal T3, allowing passengers to breeze through security in minutes using the VNeID app.

Under this system, passengers are guided by police and airline staff to complete online check-in via the VNeID app. They are then verified using facial recognition scanners. Once authenticated, they can bypass traditional security, ticket, and document checks. Facial recognition scanners placed at security checkpoints now allow passengers to proceed through the airport in a matter of seconds.

Nguyen Vu Khuong Duy, a resident in Ho Chi Minh City, noted that the usual airport process would take 30 to 45 minutes, but with the new biometric solution, the entire procedure only takes 10 to 15 minutes. « It is faster and more convenient, like what we see in modern international airports in developed countries, » he said.

Nguyen Duy Khang, who was traveling with a friend to Phu Quoc island, said the biometric system was « quick and time-saving, » adding that air travel has become significantly more convenient.

This initiative marks the second phase of a broader plan to fully implement digital technologies in Vietnam’s civil aviation sector. By integrating biometric data such as facial recognition into the VNeID system, which has also been applied at Noi Bai and Da Nang airports, the plan gradually replaces traditional paper-based procedures. The move aims not only to enhance the passenger experience but also to improve aviation security and accelerate national digital transformation.

T3 was opened in late April as Vietnam’s largest terminal airport, designed for 20 million passengers a year. The terminal is handling several routes by Vietnam Airlines.

VnExpress.net with Vietnam News Agency – July 26, 2025