Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued instructions to expedite the completion of Long Thanh Airport by the first half of 2026 and Tan Son Nhat’s third terminal by April of the following year.
The Prime Minister has directed the state-owned Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), responsible for managing and operating all civil airports in Vietnam, to accelerate progress. All relevant units, officials, engineers, and workers are urged to intensify their efforts this year and next to ensure that Long Thanh International Airport is finished and operational by the first half of 2026, according to a notice released by the Government Office.
The Prime Minister’s decision, signed on Feb. 18, follows his on-site inspection of the two projects: Long Thanh Airport in Dong Nai Province and the T3 domestic terminal at Tan Son Nhat Airport in neighboring Ho Chi Minh City on Feb. 12 and 13.
Construction of Long Thanh Airport, slated to replace Tan Son Nhat as Vietnam’s largest airport, has been progressing rapidly since the end of 2022.
Long Thanh Airport is estimated to require around VND336.63 trillion (US$13.8 billion) in state budget funds. Planners aim to eventually enable the facility to handle 100 million passengers and 5 million tons of cargo annually.
In its initial phase, the airport will have a capacity of 25 million passengers. Regarding the T3 passenger terminal project, PM Chinh commended ACV for its efforts in adhering to the project schedule.
However, there is an urgent need to operationalize the project sooner to alleviate pressure on the existing domestic terminal T1. Thus, it is imperative to expedite the progress to ensure the new terminal is operational by the end of April next year.
With a total cost of VND11 trillion funded by the state budget, T3 will be the larger domestic passenger terminal at Tan Son Nhat, capable of accommodating 20 million passengers annually.
It will have the capacity to handle 7,000 passengers per hour during peak times and will be equipped to accommodate all types of aircraft.
The terminal is designed with four floors, one basement, 90 counters, 27 boarding gates, and 25 security gates.
Currently, Tan Son Nhat is Vietnam’s busiest airport, serving an average of 60,000-70,000 passengers per day. Last year, it served 40.7 million passengers, surpassing its designed capacity of 28 million and marking an 18.85% increase over 2022.
