Long Thanh Airport to welcome first commercial flights in 2026

Lai Xuan Thanh, head of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) management board, said Thursday that the terminal construction for the airport in the southern province of Dong Nai began on Aug. 31 last year, with a workforce of 2,400 people and 1,500 machines mobilized for the task.

The terminal construction is expected to be completed by 2025. Equipment installation and trial runs are planned for early 2026, and the terminal is scheduled to become operational before Aug. 31, 2026.

"On Sept. 2, 2026, Long Thanh Airport will receive its first commercial flights," Thanh said. He added that he is proposing to the National Assembly to approve the construction of a second runway and implement measures to reduce dust in the T3 terminal area once the airport becomes operational. Sept. 2 is Vietnam's National Day.

Aerial view of a runway of the Long Thanh Airport. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan

Thanh called for expansion the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway, which connects Dong Nai with its neighbors HCMC and Vung Tau, to facilitate connectivity between the new airport with HCMC.

Spanning 5,000 hectares, Long Thanh Airport has a total investment cost of around VND336.63 trillion ($13.38 billion). In its first phase, expected to be completed in 2026, the airport will accommodate 25 million passengers annually.

During the second phase, the airport is projected to support 50 million passengers annually, eventually increasing to 100 million passengers in the third phase.

In comparison, Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport can handle 30 million passengers a year, while Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat Airport accommodates up to 25 million passengers annually.