Fly Vietnam Airlines Nonstop SFO to Saigon for 52,000 SkyMiles
Updated on June 29, 2025 | Tim Haig
June 29, 2025 — Saigon’s 24-hour excitement is less than 16 hours away from San Francisco, thanks to Vietnam Airlines’ nonstop flight which launched on November 28, 2021.
The only nonstop route between the United States and Indochina, and one of only two Southeast Asian destinations served nonstop from the US (the other being Singapore), Vietnam Airlines offers SkyTeam members the comfort of a nighttime direct flight on board its Airbus A350-900.
| Vietnam Airlines | VN 99 | VN 98 |
|---|---|---|
| Route | SFO-SGN | SGN-SFO |
| Departs | 10:50pm PDT | 6:45pm ICT |
| Arrives | 4:30am ICT +2 | 6:40pm PDT |
| Duration | 15h40 | 13h55 |
| Frequency | Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun | Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun |
| Inaugural Flight | Nov 28, 2021 | Nov 28, 2021 |
| Season | Year-Round | |
| Nautical Miles | 6811 | |
| Equipment | A350-900 | |
Vietnam Airlines connects San Francisco to Saigon four times a week (photo: Tron Le, Unsplash)
The evening departure in both directions mean passengers can enjoy a full day in either San Francisco or Saigon, be served dinner on board and have ample time to sleep.
Competing routes from the US West Coast to Ho Chi Minh City connect in either Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong or Manila. Japan Airlines via Tokyo-Narita offers the fastest one-stop option from San Francisco, clocking in at 17h45 including transit time.
How comfortable is Vietnam Airlines’ flight to Saigon, Vietnam?
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Vietnam Airlines uses the Airbus A350-900 on its flight from San Francisco to Saigon (photo: Vietnam Airlines)
Vietnam Airlines employs its three-cabin Airbus A350-900 on SGN-SFO-SGN, with 29 seats in Business Class, 45 seats in Premium Economy and 231 seats in Economy.
Onward Connections from VN 99 to Other Cities in Vietnam
Plenty of onward flights within Vietnam connect well to the arrival from San Francisco, including flights to Phu Quoc Island, Da Lat, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Hanoi.
Is it better to use money or miles when flying to Saigon, Vietnam on Vietnam Airlines?
Saigon River and city skyline (photo: Lieu Cap, Unsplash)
Vietnam Airlines is a SkyTeam member so it’s possible to use Delta SkyMiles to redeem flight awards on this nonstop route from SFO-SGN. However, demand on this route is strong, and SkyMiles award availability was quite limited at the time of posting.
The lowest roundtrip Economy award redemption was found for 104,000 miles +$46.
Premium Economy availability was more limited, with the lowest roundtrip redemption found for 192,000 miles +$46.
Business class was the most limited and could only be found on isolated dates 6 months out for 695,000 miles +$46 roundtrip.
—Tim Haig
