Early investment needed for Phase 2 of Long Thanh Airport Project

To meet passenger transportation demands and avoid the impact of construction on the operation of Long Thanh International Airport in Phase 1, Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has recommended early investment in Phase 2 of the project.

The jet bridge system at the Long Thanh Airport passenger terminal phase 1 is currently under construction and installation. Photo: Pham Tung

Reaching a capacity of 20 million passengers in 2026

The Prime Minister approved Phase 1 of the Long Thanh Airport Investment and Construction Project under Decision No. 1777/QD-TTg dated November 11, 2020. Accordingly, Long Thanh Airport is being developed to meet the 4F classification standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), serving as a key international airport for Vietnam with the goal of becoming a major regional transit hub in the global aviation network.

In phase 1, Long Thanh Airport is being developed with one runway, one passenger terminal designed to handle 25 million passengers annually, cargo terminals with a total capacity of 1.2 million tons per year, along with other supporting facilities.

In March 2025, following ACV's proposal, the Prime Minister approved the adjustment of the Long Thanh Airport Project in phase 1. This initiative included the approval of the adjustment and addition of a second runway within phase 1 of the project.

Nguyen Tien Viet, Deputy General Director of ACV, stated: According to the initial plan, phase 1 of Long Thanh Airport was expected to be completed and put into operation in 2026. However, the Prime Minister later requested a shortened construction timeline, targeting basic completion within 2026 and commencing commercial operations in the first half of that year. In response to this directive, ACV has recently coordinated with contractors and equipment suppliers to adjust the schedule of work packages under Component Project 3 of phase 1 of the Long Thanh Airport Project.

Regarding the progress of the packages, according to ACV, all project packages are currently largely on track with the adjusted schedule. "By December 19, 2025, the construction will be completed. On December 19, 2025, the first technical flight from Noi Bai Airport will land at Long Thanh Airport," Nguyen Tien Viet said.

According to Nguyen Tien Viet, Tan Son Nhat Airport is expected to reach an international passenger throughput of 18 million in 2025. "It is forecast that in the first half of 2026, when phase 1 of Long Thanh Airport begins commercial operations, the number of international passengers will reach 20 million," Nguyen Tien Viet added.

According to ACV, the Prime Minister has currently directed the unit to research and implement the investment and construction of the third runway of Long Thanh Airport.

Early implementation of phase 2 to avoid impact on operations

According to ACV leadership, the phase 1 passenger terminal of Long Thanh Airport has a designed capacity of 25 million passengers per year. When phase 1 of the airport enters operation, the number of international passengers is forecast to reach 20 million annually. Therefore, phase 2 of the Long Thanh Airport Project needs to be implemented immediately after phase 1 is put into operation. Accordingly, it is necessary to invest in the construction of an additional passenger terminal and a third runway to meet demand.

During a recent on-site inspection of the project on August 20, Vu Hong Thanh, Member of the Party Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, remarked that phase 1 of the Long Thanh Airport Project has made clear progress. At the same time, he urged relevant units to make greater efforts to achieve the goal of substantially completing the project by the end of 2025.

To ensure the operation of phase 1 of Long Thanh Airport in the first half of 2026, Vu Hong Thanh requested that Dong Nai province and related units promptly complete the connecting roads. Currently, traffic congestion occurs frequently, especially along National Highway 51 and the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway. “In the future, when Long Thanh Airport begins operations, if these issues are not addressed in time, traffic will be severely impacted,” emphasized National Assembly Vice Chairman Vu Hong Thanh.

Regarding the proposal to immediately implement phase 2 of the Long Thanh Airport Project, National Assembly Vice Chairman Vu Hong Thanh recommended that ACV, in coordination with relevant agencies, submit a report to the National Assembly for consideration and approval to proceed without delay. This undertaking is to avoid a situation where, once phase 1 becomes operational, construction of subsequent phase packages would disrupt airport operations. “Some components of the next phase need to be invested in immediately to prevent construction activities and dust dispersion from affecting the operation of Long Thanh Airport during phase 1,” proposed National Assembly Vice Chairman Vu Hong Thanh.

By: Pham Tung

Translated by: Mai Nga-Minho