Long Thanh Airport: A once-in-a-century boost for Dong Nai’s economy

Long Thanh International Airport, a nationally significant flagship project, is expected to reach substantial completion by the end of 2025, with commercial operations set to begin in the first half of 2026. Once operational, Long Thanh is poised to deliver a once-in-a-century boost to Dong Nai’s economic development.

Installation of equipment underway at the Phase 1 passenger terminal of Long Thanh Airport. Photo: Pham Tung

A national connector, reshaping Vietnam's stature

In early August 2025, during his eighth on-site inspection of phase one of the Long Thanh Airport project, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the critical importance of completing the project and putting it into operation as soon as possible. He affirmed the determination and confidence of all relevant parties in overcoming difficulties and challenges, describing the project as a testament to the growing strength of the Ministry of Construction, the project management board, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), as well as all participating investors, contractors, and consultants.

An accelerated timeline, the Prime Minister noted, would enhance investment efficiency and demonstrate effective coordination between agencies, units, and localities, thereby creating jobs and stimulating growth. "Completing the project ahead of schedule proves that ‘nothing is impossible'. It is all a matter of determination and methodology," he emphasized.

The Long Thanh Airport project is a national keystone, ranked among the world's 16 most anticipated airport developments. It is envisioned to become a key international aviation transit hub for the region. Once fully operational, the airport is projected to contribute an additional 3-5 percent to the nation's GDP annually.

According to the draft proposal for the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in Dong Nai province, which will be linked to Long Thanh Airport, the zone will cover more than 8,500 hectares and integrate four key functional areas: a production zone (over 3,000 hectares), a logistics hub (over 2,200 hectares), a finance–commerce–services district (1,500 hectares), and a research, innovation, and digital economy precinct (1,400 hectares).The total investment for the entire zone is estimated at approximately 16 billion USD. Of this, public investment is expected to account for around 5%, domestic private capital 40%, and the remaining 55% from foreign direct investment (FDI). Phase one of the project, scheduled for implementation over five years on a 3,700-hectare site, is projected to require more than $ 9.2 billion.

The initial master schedule aimed to complete and operationalize Long Thanh Airport's Phase 1 within the 2026 calendar year. However, in a push to accelerate the construction timeline and bring the project online sooner, the Prime Minister has directed all relevant entities to achieve substantial completion by December 19, 2025. This revised schedule aims to enable the commencement of commercial operations in the first half of 2026.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics and a member of the Prime Minister's Policy Advisory Council, Long Thanh airport addresses fundamental national challenges in an era of intensifying global competition.

The primary issue Long Thanh will resolve is the chronic congestion in aviation and associated urban transport.

"For a long time, Tan Son Nhat Airport and the urban transport system serving it have been overloaded and congested.” Dr. Tran Dinh Thien stated. “We need to see that is not merely a local or regional bottleneck, but a national issue. Therefore, the launch of Long Thanh Airport would unlock this national-scale bottleneck and connect Viet Name with the world." He further explained that the development of Long Thanh Airport requires a corresponding restructuring of the national road network to ensure effective connectivity. In today’s era of rapid global change, Long Thanh Airport carries the mission of international linkage as one that has the potential to reshape Vietnam’s development position.

“It is no coincidence that Long Thanh Airport has been tasked with becoming an international transit hub,” said Dr. Thien.

“By its very nature, Long Thanh Airport will become a strategic coordinate in Vietnam’s international competition, helping to shape a new development architecture for the country,” added Dr. Tran Dinh Thien. “This is the particularly important role of Long Thanh Airport.” Earlier, at the groundbreaking ceremony held in late August 2023 for the construction of the passenger terminal, runway, and aircraft apron of phase one of Long Thanh Airport, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh described both the Long Thanh Phase 1 project and the new Terminal T3 at Tan Son Nhat Airport as two exceptionally large-scale developments.He emphasized their critical importance within the national airport system, identifying them as key infrastructure projects linked to national defense, security, and the socio-economic development of both the Southern Key Economic Zone and the country as a whole.

"Upon completion, these two projects will help position Vietnam as a major transport hub in the region and the world," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized. "An aviation economy ecosystem will open up new opportunities, create a growth impetus, and enhance the nation's competitive edge."

A long runway for Dong Nai's takeoff

Long Thanh Airport's Phase 1, expected to be operational in H1 2026, is projected to be a catalyst for Dong Nai's development. Photo: Pham Tung

As the host province, Dong Nai has identified Long Thanh Airport as the nucleus of its future development strategy."The Long Thanh Airport Urban Area and the Dong Nai River corridor are two new development drivers for the province," said Vo Tan Duc, Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee.As the nation's future premier aviation hub, Long Thanh Airport is projected to generate immense developmental momentum for Vietnam as a whole and for Dong Nai in particular. To position the airport as the nuclear of its growth strategy, Dong Nai has proactively embarked on identifying an optimal airport city development model. This initiative aims to fully capitalize on the airport's potential and solidify the province's "takeoff" in the new era.

Under the master plan, the Long Thanh Airport Urban Area and its adjacent zone will span over 57,000 hectares. The core airport urban area itself will account for the largest portion, covering more than 43,000 hectares.

The VIAR–NS–Coninco consortium, comprising the National Institute of Architecture (Vietnam), Japanese engineering firm Nihon Sekkei, and local consultancy Coninco, has won first prize in the international competition for the master plan of Long Thanh Airport and its surrounding area.

According to the winning proposal, the Long Thanh Airport urban area is oriented toward development as an Aerotropolis, a transformative urban model that places the airport at the center of economic activity, rather than treating it as a peripheral transport node. Unlike traditional city forms, the Aerotropolis leverages connectivity, logistics, and modern industry to generate dynamic urban centers that expand outward from the airport core.

A key feature of the vision is the proposed "twin cities" connection between the Long Thanh Aerotropolis and Ho Chi Minh City, forming a globally competitive metropolitan region with Long Thanh Airport as its central hub.

Architect Khuong Van Muoi, former Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Architects, noted a critical distinction: "While many cities worldwide contain airports, Long Thanh is unique: the city will form after the airport is established. Consequently, with its planned structure of fully integrated, state-of-the-art projects that leverage Industry 4.0 and foster high-tech sectors, the Long Thanh Airport City is poised to become a propeller for the growth of the entire region."

"A large international airport like Long Thanh will attract a massive influx of international visitors who will connect with various localities for investment, work, and tourism," Architect Muoi shared. "Therefore, it is clear this will become a primary growth engine for Dong Nai specifically and the Southern region as a whole."

To fully leverage the potential and advantages of Long Thanh Airport in driving the province’s socio-economic development, Dong Nai is pursuing a coordinated strategy. In addition to developing the Long Thanh Airport City model, the province has initiated procedures to petition the Government for a special resolution to be submitted to the National Assembly. This resolution proposes the establishment and development of a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) within the province, closely linked to the airport. The goal is to establish a robust engine for economic growth, attract significant investment, and position Dong Nai as a leading hub for industry, logistics, and economic activity.

Truong Thi Huong Binh, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Department of Finance, stated that her agency has finalized the draft proposal for establishing the FTZ linked to Long Thanh Airport. This undertaking was done after incorporating guidance from the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Finance and feedback from the provincial Socio-Economic Advisory Group. Furthermore, the department has submitted a report to the Provincial People's Committee and its Party Committee, seeking an official resolution from the Provincial Party Committee's Standing Board. This approval is a necessary step to formally request that the Government draft a special resolution for the National Assembly to establish the provincial FTZ.

In practice, Dong Nai's strategic assets, including Long Thanh Airport, Phuoc An Seaport, and the new development spaces created by the recent administrative merger, provide the province with a powerful foundation for establishing and developing an FTZ integrated with these key logistic checkpoints.

Dr. Tran Du Lich, Member of the National Monetary Policy Advisory Council and the provincial Socio-Economic Advisory Group, assessed that the newly merged Dong Nai province possesses a highly favorable development landscape, uniquely equipped with an airport, a seaport, and a border gate. "This offers a distinct advantage for the province to develop its logistics and service-trade sectors. Therefore, the establishment of the FTZ is utmost essential," he stated.

"This zone will be a platform for integrating into global supply chains, leveraging the unique advantages of Long Thanh Airport, Phuoc An Seaport, and creating synergy with the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port complex in Ho Chi Minh City," Dr. Lich explained.

Meanwhile, architect Ngo Viet Nam Son noted that Long Thanh Airport is set to become one of Southeast Asia’s major airports, and Dong Nai’s FTZ will have a distinctive advantage through its close integration with this key asset. He added that critical infrastructure systems connecting Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City are also being upgraded, which, once completed, will further enhance Long Thanh’s strategic position.

“The integration of urban development with the free trade zone and key infrastructure will be a strong driver of investment,” assessed architect Ngo Viet Nam Son. “Real estate developers will be the ones funding much of this infrastructure. Given the strategy of mobilizing private capital, it is essential to plan urban development and infrastructure as a unified, integrated system.”

A key priority for the province's next term, beginning in 2030, will be to cultivate a modern service sector. The core of this strategy is the integrated Long Thanh Airport Service Urban Area, which will encompass the Free Trade Zone and an ecosystem of aviation, logistics, commerce, and tourism services. The province aims to fully harness the airport's spillover effects, from infrastructure investment and transport connectivity to urban development and value-added economic activities, to transform it into the primary catalyst for Dong Nai's economic takeoff.

During a working session between the government delegation and the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee on August 15, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc, Member of the Party Central Committee, stated that once all three phases are completed, Long Thanh Airport is projected to become the sixth-largest and one of the most modern airports in the world. He emphasized that the stature of Long Thanh Airport will, in turn, define the emerging position of Dong Nai province.

                                                                 By P.T. - Translated by Thien Kim, Minho