Vietnam to reopen international airport after half-year closure for major upgrade

Nguyen Anh Son, deputy director of the airport, on Nov. 8 said the runway and terminal works are on schedule, while crews are rushing to complete the apron after delays in land handover.

"As passenger numbers rise sharply toward the year-end, Vinh Airport's reopening is especially meaningful," Son said.

Located in Vinh Hung Ward, the airport was closed on July 1 to undergo the VND1 trillion (US$40 million) renovation. Before the shutdown, it handled 15–20 flights daily and up to 40 flights during peak seasons, serving about 2.6 million passengers in 2022. After the upgrade, the airport's capacity is expected to reach 3.5 million passengers per year.

During the closure, travelers from Nghe An Province had to fly through Tho Xuan Airport in Thanh Hoa or Dong Hoi Airport in Quang Binh. To ease congestion, rail operators also added three extra carriages to each of the 22 passenger trains passing through Vinh Station since late June.

Under Vietnam's 2021–2030 national airport plan, Vinh International Airport is set to become a level 4E facility, capable of handling 8 million passengers and 25,000 tons of cargo annually. By 2050, it is projected to serve up to 14 million passengers and 35,000 tons of goods a year.