Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI): 2026 Aussie Guide for the Angkor Wat Entry
Siem Reap-Angkor International (SAI) is the airport about 90% of leisure Aussies fly into for Cambodia — it's the gateway to Angkor Wat. The new terminal opened 16 October 2023, sits ~50 km east of town, and changed the arrival math for every Angkor-bound Australian.
What do Australians need to know about Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) in 2026?
SAI opened 16 October 2023 and is the airport ~90% of leisure Australians fly into for Cambodia — it's the gateway to Angkor Wat. About 50 km east of Siem Reap town centre (the new airport is much further out than the old REP was), 45–60 minutes by tuk-tuk or taxi for $15–25 USD (~$23–38 AUD). Bring your printed Cambodia eVisa (2 paper copies), your e-Arrival QR, and small USD bills for the airport transfer. Immigration queue typically 10–20 minutes; baggage claim is fast.
Wichtigste Erkenntnisse
- SAI (IATA: SAI; ICAO: VDSA) opened 16 October 2023 and fully replaced the old Siem Reap International (REP). If your booking confirmation reads REP, that code is dead — you're landing at SAI.
- SAI is the airport about 90% of leisure Aussies fly into because it's the closest airport to Angkor Wat and the Angkor Archaeological Park.
- The new terminal is ~50 km east of Siem Reap town — much further out than the old REP. Allow 45–60 minutes by tuk-tuk or taxi for the transfer. Budget $15–25 USD (~$23–38 AUD).
- Bring two printed paper copies of your Cambodia eVisa, your e-Arrival QR code (screenshot it before boarding), and $50–100 USD in small bills for the transfer and first day.
- Immigration queue runs 10–20 minutes at peak. Baggage claim is fast — fewer wide-bodies overlap at SAI than at KTI.
Why SAI matters for Aussie itineraries in 2026
If you are an Australian flying to Cambodia for a holiday in 2026, the odds you land at Siem Reap-Angkor International (SAI) are roughly nine in ten. Angkor Wat is the headline reason Australians visit Cambodia — the temples sit just outside Siem Reap, and SAI is the closest international airport to the Angkor Archaeological Park. Phnom Penh (KTI) is the business and government hub; Sihanoukville (KOS) is the southern coast and Koh Rong islands. Almost everything else — the temples, the floating villages on the Tonle Sap, the Cambodian Circus, the night markets, the cooking classes — starts in Siem Reap.
SAI itself is new. It opened on 16 October 2023, replacing the old Siem Reap International (REP) that sat much closer to town and to the temples themselves. The new terminal sits about 50 km east of Siem Reap, on a fresh stretch of road built specifically for the airport opening. The trade-off is real: the terminal is bigger, quieter, and modern, but the transfer into town now takes 45–60 minutes rather than the 15 minutes the old REP used to. Every 2026 Aussie travel guide that still references REP is out of date.
SAI vs the old REP at a glance
The single biggest change in moving from REP to SAI is distance from town. The old airport was close enough that you could realistically tuk-tuk from a temple back to a departing flight in 30 minutes. The new one is not. Everything else — terminal size, queue length, baggage speed, food and shopping — improved when the airport opened. The table below is the honest side-by-side an Australian planner needs.
Getting from SAI to Siem Reap town
The 50 km transfer is the part most Aussies underestimate. The new road is Highway 6's alternative — long but smooth and sealed — and on a normal day the run takes 45 minutes. Add 10–15 minutes if you land in late-afternoon Siem Reap traffic on a Sunday. Three options out of the terminal: tuk-tuk from the rank just outside arrivals at $15–20 USD (~$23–30 AUD), airport taxi at the fixed-rate desk at $20–25 USD (~$30–38 AUD), or hotel pickup arranged ahead of time, which is often free if you are staying three nights or more. Grab (the regional ride-hail app) also works at SAI; expect $13–18 USD via Grab depending on time of day.
There is no train link between SAI and Siem Reap, and the local public bus is slow and infrequent. For an Australian arriving tired off a long-haul, road is the only practical answer. Pay the tuk-tuk in USD if you can — drivers prefer it, and the rate is fairer than KHR Riel converted at the airport rate.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Which Cambodian airport do I fly into for Angkor Wat?
Siem Reap-Angkor International (SAI). It is the closest airport to Angkor Wat and the Angkor Archaeological Park, about 50 km east of Siem Reap town. The old Siem Reap International (REP) closed in October 2023, so SAI is the only Siem Reap option in 2026. About 90% of leisure Australians flying to Cambodia land at SAI because Angkor Wat is the headline reason most Aussies visit.
Is the old Siem Reap airport (REP) still open?
No. The old Siem Reap International (REP) closed when SAI opened on 16 October 2023. Some booking engines still display the REP code because IATA backends lag reality by a year or two, but any 2026 commercial flight to Siem Reap lands at SAI. If your boarding pass reads REP, it is a display lag — you are landing at the new terminal.
How far is SAI from Siem Reap town?
About 50 km east of Siem Reap town centre — much further than the old REP, which was around 7 km out. The transfer takes 45–60 minutes by tuk-tuk or taxi on the new sealed road, depending on time of day and traffic on the approach to town. Plan to leave your Siem Reap hotel three hours before international departures.
How much should I pay for a tuk-tuk from SAI to Siem Reap?
$15–20 USD (~$23–30 AUD) is the fair tuk-tuk fare from SAI into Siem Reap town. Airport taxis at the fixed-rate desk run $20–25 USD (~$30–38 AUD). Grab is also available and tends to sit at $13–18 USD depending on time of day. If a driver quotes you $30–40, walk to the official tuk-tuk dispatch desk inside arrivals where the rates are posted.
Are there ATMs at Siem Reap-Angkor airport?
Yes — multiple ATMs in arrivals, dispensing both Cambodian Riel (KHR) and US dollars (USD). The USD machines are the better choice for the airport transfer and small payments around Siem Reap. Skip the airport currency-exchange counters; the rates are poor compared to in-town ATMs or pre-flight USD picked up in Australia.
Can I buy my Angkor Wat pass at the airport?
No. Angkor passes are sold only at the official Angkor Enterprise ticket office on the road between Siem Reap town and the temples, or pre-booked online a day or two ahead. Any 'temple pass' offered to you by a driver at the airport is not the real pass — that is a known scam. Pre-booking online is the cleanest path; otherwise stop at the official office on the morning of your first temple day.
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