Vietnam PM says Long Thanh airport should anchor aviation-led growth

Vietnam must use the Long Thanh International Airport as a hub to develop an aviation economy and ecosystem, creating a new growth pole rather than merely operating an airport, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The cabinet leader made the remarks on Sunday during his ninth inspection visit to the Long Thanh airport project in Dong Nai province - a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City, and others related to connecting expressways and roads.

Phase one of the project, with a total investment of nearly VND110 trillion ($4.18 billion), is being developed by state-controlled Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) and is scheduled for implementation from 2020 to 2026. The phase comprises four sub-projects.

A technical test flight is scheduled for December 15, while the first official commercial flight is expected on December 19.

Construction of sub-project 1, covering offices for state management agencies, is under way and on track for completion before December 19.

Sub-project 2, which includes air traffic management facilities and an air traffic control tower, is in the final stages of completion, with equipment installation under way to support the technical test flight and ensure synchronized delivery with the overall project timeline.

Sub-project 3, involving essential airport infrastructure, consists of 15 contract packages, three of which have been completed while 12 are under construction.

In addition to runway 1 and two connecting transportation routes, other items (passenger terminal, taxiways, runway 2, etc.) are being implemented simultaneously to ensure that construction is basically completed before December 19, enabling technical flight operations. Commercial operations are slated to begin in the first half of 2026.

For sub-project 4, covering auxiliary service facilities, priority components to support phase-one operations are being accelerated by investors, with construction largely targeted for completion before December 19 to ensure coordinated operations across the project.

PM Chinh said the project is progressing rapidly, noting that eight major components have been largely completed, including the passenger terminal, air traffic control tower and runway, which is now lit and operational.

Power infrastructure with a capacity of 80 megawatts, along with water, fuel supply, telecom systems, and access roads, have also been completed, while passenger boarding bridges and landscaping are being finalized.

He instructed the Ministry of Construction to work with ACV and other agencies to finalize detailed plans for the technical test flight on December 15 and the first official flight on December 19.

In the medium and long term, Chinh said Long Thanh airport should serve as the centrepiece for developing Vietnam’s aviation economy and a broader aviation ecosystem, helping to drive new growth.

“Relevant stakeholders must continue to make greater efforts to complete and put into operation an international-standard Long Thanh airport with seamless connectivity, developing an aviation economy and ecosystem per Party chief To Lam's direction,” he added.

Long Thanh airport's passenger terminal is inspired by the lotus, Vietnam’s national flower, featuring curved architectural forms and equipped with what officials described as some of the world’s most advanced technologies.

Once phase one is completed, the terminal will have a capacity of 25 million passengers per year, with separate departure and arrival levels, a total floor area of 376,451 sqm, and design standards of a hub airport with 44 sqm per peak-hour passenger. It will also handle 1.2 million tons of cargo annually.

The terminal will include eight check-in islands with 224 counters, including 64 self-service bag-drop units, 84 self-service check-in kiosks, and 32 departure gates with passenger boarding bridges.

Phase 2, scheduled by 2035, will expand capacity to 50 million passengers and 1.5 million tons of cargo by adding a second runway and terminal. In the final phase, Long Thanh is expected to reach full operational capacity of 100 million passengers and five million tons of cargo per year by 2050.

Once completed, the 5,000-hectare airport will help ease congestion at HCMC's Tan Son airport, which currently operates beyond its 25-million-passenger capacity.

The National Assembly last Thursday approved an investment plan for the Gia Binh Airport project in northern Vietnam, 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.

Masterise Group has been selected by the Government and the Ministry of Public Security as investor of this gigantic project.