Long Thanh Airport: A "launchpad" to usher Dong Nai into new era

After nearly 30 years of being nurtured in national strategic plans and nearly 2,000 days of construction, the Long Thanh International Airport Project “marked” a historic moment at the end of 2025 as it welcomed the first civilian flight landing on runway number 1.

Party General Secretary To Lam and the Central working delegation visit and work with agencies and units at the Long Thanh Airport Project construction site in November 2025. Photo: Pham Tung

Realizing the Long Thanh "flying dream"

At 4:00 p.m. on December 15, 2025, when flight coded VN5001 and operated by Vietnam Airlines using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, landed on runway number 1 at Long Thanh Airport, a historic milestone at the nation's "project of the century" was marked. This event signifies a crucial turning point in the progress of one of the nation's particularly important infrastructure projects.

After decades of waiting, true to the name of the first aircraft to land at Long Thanh Airport on a civilian flight, the "flying dream" at Long Thanh has officially come true.

On October 24, 1997, the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 911/1997/QD-TTg approving the national airport system development plan. Under the plan, Long Thanh Airport, along with Cat Bi and Chu Lai airports, was planned for investment and construction with the goal of becoming domestic airports and serving as backup international airports.

More than 10 years later, in June 2011, the Prime Minister issued a decision approving the Long Thanh Airport Project plan with the goal of becoming a transit airport for the Southeast Asian region.

After more than 20 years existing as a blueprint in the plan, Phase 1 of the Long Thanh Airport Project was officially put under construction in early 2021. Then, nearly 5 years later, with nearly 2,000 days of sweat and tireless effort by thousands of engineers, workers, and laborers, a “mega” airport has taken shape on what was once vast rubber forests and residential areas.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, leader of Dong Nai province, and delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the facilities and launch the first official flight at Long Thanh Airport on December 19, 2025. Photo: Pham Tung

Speaking at the Ceremony on inaugurating the facilities and welcoming the official first commercial flight to Long Thanh Airport on December 19, 2025, a representative of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) leadership stated: To reach this moment today, we have gone through many years of preparation, many difficult stages, and accumulated pressures, with times when it seemed impossible to overcome. Therefore, it can be said that every meter of runway, every terminal, every construction item here contains the sweat, hard work, and pride of countless people.

In reality, during its implementation, the project faced many unprecedented difficulties and obstacles. These included site clearance with a very large volume, directly affecting the lives of dozens of thousands of people; and the years of the Covid-19 pandemic, when the construction site sometimes grappled with labour shortage, a lack of experts, disrupted supply chains, volatile material prices, and scarce supplies. At the same time, the project was under immense pressure to meet tight deadlines, ensure quality, and comply with the most stringent standards.

However, under the close and specific guidance of the Party, State, Government, and Prime Minister, the difficulties and obstacles were resolved. Many special mechanisms and timely decisions were issued, with a clear spirit: not to let difficulties hinder development, nor allow prolonged obstacles to delay the project’s progress or the nation’s momentum of advancement. It is this resolute, consistent, and highly responsible spirit that enabled the project to accelerate toward “the finish line."

The successful reception of the first flights landing at Long Thanh Airport is not an end point but a new beginning. There is still much work to be done to complete Long Thanh Airport, operate it safely and efficiently, and transform it into a smart, green, five-star airport aiming to become an international transit hub in the region.

"Long Thanh Airport must not only serve as an airport but also act as a strategic driving force for the country's socio-economic development, especially for the Southern key economic region."

Party General Secretary To Lam spoke during his visit and working session with agencies and units at the Long Thanh Airport Project construction site on November 13, 2025.

Entering an era of national rise with a century-defining project

According to the plan, Long Thanh Airport Phase 1 will be put into commercial operation in the first half of 2026. To meet this requirement, ACV is committed to ensuring that all project packages are managed under the principle of “placing the June 2026 operational milestone at the center," prioritizing the definitive resolution of interface and overlap issues to ensure synchronicity.

Long Thanh Airport, the country's largest aviation infrastructure project, is expected to create a "century-defining boost" for the nation's development once it becomes operational. Dong Nai, home to the Long Thanh Airport, has also identified it as the "nucleus" for the locality's development in the coming period.

Comrade Nguyen Van Ut, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, stated: Dong Nai province is currently developing the Adjusted Provincial Planning Project for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. Recognizing planning as a key issue, Dong Nai province will implement zoning in the planning to ensure synchronous implementation. In parallel, Dong Nai province is identifying the main growth axes of the province, especially exploiting the potential and advantages of Long Thanh Airport.

Meanwhile, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Director of the Department of Finance, Truong Thi Huong Binh, said: To achieve the double-digit growth target in 2026 and the 2026-2030 period, Dong Nai province has developed an action program, in which Long Thanh Airport urban area is identified as one of the province's main growth drivers.

According to Truong Thi Huong Binh, when Long Thanh Airport officially comes into operation, it will create momentum for the formation of a value-added service chain around the airport, such as: aviation logistics, distribution centers, free trade, financial - banking services, hotels, conferences, and smart cities. Dong Nai province will have new economic development drivers, creating a significant transformation for its growth and international integration.

The first technical flight lands on runway 1, Long Thanh Airport on December 15, 2025. Photo: Pham Tung

To realize the potential and advantages brought by Long Thanh Airport, in recent times, Dong Nai province has implemented the planning of Long Thanh Airport urban area and the Dong Nai Provincial Free Trade Zone (FTZ) associated with Long Thanh Airport. According to the planning orientation, the Long Thanh Airport urban area, with a scale of 43,000 hectares, linked to the Dong Nai River development corridor and the Dong Nai Riverfront Boulevard, will be an important growth pole in the southern part of the province. This area will form an aviation service, logistics, international trade, finance, conference center, and modern urban areas, contributing to expanding urban - industrial - service development space, closely linked with Ho Chi Minh City.

Meanwhile, the FTZ, with a scale of nearly 7,500 hectares, will become an international logistics, distribution, and commercial - financial, aviation service center. This is an important driving force to promote the development of high-tech industries, supporting industries, and enhance Dong Nai's role in the global supply chain.

By Pham Tung – Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha