Vietnam’s Long Thanh may enter global mega airports club next decade: report

Long Thanh International Airport, under construction in Vietnam’s southern province of Dong Nai, is expected to join global mega airports capable of handling at least 100 million passenger arrivals annually by the next decade, a report said.

The report by UK-based aviation analytics firm OAG lists Long Thanh alongside five other major Asian airports expected to join the elite 100-million-passenger club: Singapore’s Changi Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, South Korea’s Incheon International Airport, and the upcoming New Manila International Airport in the Philippines.

OAG noted that Asian governments view these large-scale aviation hubs as critical to attracting both domestic and foreign investment, boosting tourism, and generating employment.

The surge in airport development is being driven by rapid economic growth, a rising middle class, and accelerating urbanization across the region.

According to OAG, next-generation mega airports like Long Thanh are adopting advanced technologies including biometrics, AI-powered systems, automation, and sustainable solutions to balance scalability with passenger experience and operational efficiency.

Located about 40 kilometers east of Ho Chi Minh City, Long Thanh International Airport is Vietnam’s most ambitious aviation infrastructure project to date, with a total investment of VND336.63 trillion ($14.12 billion). The airport is being developed in three phases.

The first phase, nearing completion and slated for opening next year, includes one runway, a passenger terminal, and auxiliary facilities designed to serve 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo annually.

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 complete, the 5,000-hectare airport will be Vietnam’s largest and will help ease congestion at neighboring HCMC's Tan Son Nhat International Airport, which currently operates beyond its 25-million-passenger capacity.

Gia Binh International Airport in Bac Ninh province, an industrial hub neighboring Hanoi, is set to surpass Noi Bai as northern Vietnam’s largest airport, after the construction ministry approved adjustments to its projected capacity and land area.

Accordingly, the airport will span up to 1,960 hectares, a sharp increase from 408.5 hectares outlined in the April revision. It is now expected to handle around 30 million passengers annually by 2030, and roughly 50 million by 2050, up from the earlier projections of 5 million and 15 million, respectively.