Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai is entering its final preparations to welcome its first flights in December 2026. Under Official Dispatch No. 11272/VPCP-CN dated 5 November 2026, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc requested a review of the conditions for putting phase 1 into operation before 31 December 2026.

Airside works nearly complete

For component project 3, invested by Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), production value reached about VND73,870 billion, or 85.55% of contract value, with disbursement of about VND47,055 billion (54.49%) by mid-October 2026. Of 16 main packages, 4 are complete; the runway, taxiways and apron are 99.5% complete.

The passenger terminal has finished basic construction and is moving into installing and testing baggage, security screening, electrical and IT systems. The parking garage aims to finish one wing by 30 November 2026, while the internal traffic package has mobilised over 2,000 workers and 186 pieces of equipment, targeting completion in December 2026. Cargo terminal 1 is about 50% complete and its automated handling system is expected on site in early February 2027, so partial and manual operation is being considered.

A cautious capacity ramp-up

ACV is working with Incheon Airport Consulting (South Korea) on 55 operating scenarios. The initial phase prioritises the west wing and central area, with four check-in islands serving 20–30 flights a day. The roadmap: 6–10% capacity from December 2026 to March 2027, about 50% from April to October 2027, and 100% from October 2027.

Contractor payments remain an issue to resolve: ACV has made seven payment rounds totalling about VND6,300 billion since May 2026, while about VND18,000 billion remains unpaid.

A long-term growth driver

The project covers about 5,000 ha with total investment of over US$16 billion across three phases; phase 1 costs over US$5.4 billion with annual capacity of 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo, rising to 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes at full build-out. It is key infrastructure for tourism, logistics and connectivity in the Southeast region.

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