Parliament okays $7.45 bln Gia Binh airport project in northern Vietnam

Vietnam’s National Assembly on Thursday approved an investment plan for the Gia Binh Airport project, which will cost about VND196.38 trillion ($7.45 billion) to meet international standards, including 5-star service.

The airport, located in Bac Ninh province and about 40 km from central Hanoi, is expected to handle 30 million passengers and 1.6 million tons of cargo annually by 2030. The figures by 2050 will be 50 million passengers and 2.5 million tons.

It will be built to ICAO 4F standards. Total investment comprises equity capital (not less than 15%) and loans. The project's lifespan is 70 years.

The development will be carried out in two phases. In phase 1, from now to 2027, essential facilities will be completed to serve the APEC Summit in 2027. From 2026-2030, remaining phase 1 works will be finalized to ensure full operational capacity of 30 million passengers and 1.6 million tons of cargo per year.

For phase 2, from 2031-2050, construction will focus on expanding capacity to 50 million passengers and 2.5 million tons of cargo annually.

The project will require about 1,885 hectares of land, including 922 hectares currently used for two-crop rice farming.

Earlier, the National Assembly had heard a presentation from Construction Minister Tran Hong Minh on the project

Accordingly, Gia Binh airport is set to become among the world’s top 10 five-star airports under Skytrax criteria. It is also expected to rank among the airports with best passenger experience as assessed by Airports Council International (ACI).

The airport is envisioned as a northern Vietnam aviation gateway and a regional hub for passenger traffic, cargo handling, and aircraft maintenance in the Asia-Pacific.

The Government views this project as a strategic initiative that will help restructure the Capital Region’s aviation network following "a dual-hub model", similar to global metropolitan regions such as London, Tokyo, and Seoul.

The airport is also expected to leverage its geographic position to boost industrial development, logistics, e-commerce, tourism and services, while providing strategic support to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.

It will play an important role in national security and in hosting major diplomatic events, including the APEC Summit in 2027.

In the south, Vietnam is building Long Thanh International Airport, about 40 kilometers east of Ho Chi Minh City. This is a VND336.63 trillion ($14.12 billion) project to be built in three phases.

The first phase, scheduled for completion by the end of 2006, features the construction of two runways in the northern area and one passenger terminal, along with supporting infrastructure, to accommodate 25 million passengers per year and handle 1.2 million tons of cargo annually, according to a parliament resolution.

The 5,000-hectare airport is set to welcome the first plane to make landing or take off in July 2025. Once fully completed, it will be the nation’s biggest, helping reduce the overload at HCMC-based Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

A consortium involving an arm of leading real estate developer Sun Group intends to build part of a VND71.15 trillion ($2.7 billion) road connecting Hanoi to Gia Binh.

The consortium, comprising Cong Thanh Transport Construction Investment JSC and Sun Group’s subsidiary Cam Pha Sun Co., Ltd, has submitted an environmental assessment impact report for the development of a section of the road linking Hanoi to the airport.