Does SAI have a lounge for Aussie travellers?

Yes — Plaza Premium is the main paid lounge at SAI, accessible with Priority Pass, Amex Platinum, or a business-class boarding pass on most carriers. The selection is smaller than at KTI or major regional hubs, but it is comfortable for a 1–2 hour pre-departure wait. Outside the lounge, airside food is modest — a handful of cafes and a small duty-free.

What's the best way to get to my Siem Reap hotel from SAI?

If you are staying three nights or more, hotel pickup is the cleanest option — many Siem Reap hotels offer it free or for a nominal $5–10 USD on top of the room rate, and the driver is waiting with a name card when you walk out of arrivals. Otherwise tuk-tuk from the rank is the cheapest atmospheric choice at $15–20 USD, and a fixed-rate airport taxi is $20–25 USD. Grab also works at SAI.

机场与抵达2026年6月2日8 最小阅读量

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.

Written byTom Aldridge

8 最小阅读量Updated 2026年6月2日

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.

要点总结

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

The IATA code SAI (ICAO: VDSA) is what every airline now uses. Initial design capacity is around 7 million passengers per year, operated by Yunnan Investment Holdings under a long-term concession. Bangkok Airways runs the dominant Aussie-friendly leg out of Bangkok daily, with Singapore Airlines and Scoot serving from Singapore. Sort the Cambodia eVisa before you book the flight, and lock in the e-Arrival Card inside the seven-day window before takeoff. The Australia country pillar covers the broader eligibility picture, and our cross-airport airports overview compares SAI to KTI and KOS side-by-side.

SAI vs the old REP at a glance

Australian traveller climbing into a colourful tuk-tuk at a sunlit airport curb in warm tones

The arrival walk: Immigration, baggage, what to hand over

Step 1 — Foreigners queue. Australian passports go through the same line as every other visa-required nationality. eVisa holders use the eVisa lane (signposted); VoA arrivals are routed to a separate booth before the same Immigration line, which adds 30–60 minutes.
Step 2 — Hand the Immigration officer your passport with two printed copies of the eVisa PDF tucked inside. The officer keeps one copy and returns the other to you — keep that one in your passport for exit. Cambodian Immigration does not accept the eVisa on a phone screen, even though Thailand and Vietnam do. Paper, twice, A4.
Step 3 — Show your e-Arrival QR code on your phone. Screenshot the QR before you board, because the wifi at the SAI Immigration counter is patchy and you do not want to be the person tapping refresh while a queue forms behind you.

If anything goes sideways at the counter — wrong stamp, date confusion, missing e-Arrival — our Cambodia eVisa vs visa on arrival comparison covers the most common Immigration-counter failures and how Australians have unstuck them. The Australian application walkthrough is the cleanest pre-flight checklist.

Wide quiet baggage-claim hall at Siem Reap-Angkor airport in soft warm light

常见问题解答

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.