Long Thanh International Airport is an international airport currently under construction in Long Thanh, Dong Nai, Vietnam. Located approximately east of Ho Chi Minh City, it has been approved to start construction by the Vietnamese government on April 1, 2021. And the Vietnamese government has decided to begin construction in May 2021 and it will be finished by 2025. It will serve over 100 million passengers annually when built to the maximum designed capacity.
History
Urgent necessity for a new airport
is the only international airport in the planned Ho Chi Minh City Metropolitan Area. Tan Son Nhat airport was built during the Vietnam War to support war transportation, hence its location inside the crowded Saigon where growth is limited. Due to location and safety issues, it is difficult to expand to meet the increasing annual growth of passengers. The maximum capacity of Tan Son Nhat is 25 million passengers per annum but in 2016 it handled 32.5 million. The flow of international tourists to the South of Vietnam is increasing dramatically, by 15 to 20 percent annually. Promoting the domestic market by building a new airport that can adapt to future needs is necessary. Tan Son Nhat airport will serve the international and domestic flights until the completion of the new Long Thanh International Airport. The airport will be able to handle the world's biggest commercial aircraft, Airbus A380. Under current plans by the Vietnamese government, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam will be the main investor and operator of the airport.
Master Plan
The Master Plan for Long Thanh International Airport was approved by the Prime MinisterPhan Văn Khải in 2006 and several adjustments have been made through time. The project faced mixed public reaction for its expensive cost and far distance from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. Based on the demand of transportation, the investment will be divided in phases. The Southern Airports Corporation is in charge of development of this project.
According to the original plan, the airport would handle 25 million passengers per year after this phase is completed; however, the proposed capacity was later lowered to 17 million passengers per year to reduce construction cost. US$5.6billion will be allocated to this phase. One terminal will be built along with a single runway.
Phase 1B (2023 – 2025)
Another runway will be built and increase the total capacity to 25 million passengers per annum.
Phase 1C (2025)
The rest of necessary facilities will be built and land-clearance for future phases will be made. The airport will begin operating in 2025.
The capacity will be doubled to 50 million passengers per annum and the third runway will be added when the phase is finished, which is scheduled to be in 2035.
The airport will reach its maximum designed capacity at 80-100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo per year. Four runways will be operational after the third phase.
A new high-speed railway service is proposed to be connected to the new airport as part of the Ho Chi Minh City–Nha Trang section of the North-South high-speed railway line. Airport planners propose a high-speed railway line be built to the airport as it will give passengers a more direct and efficient transit option to Ho Chi Minh City than by road which is already congested closer to the city centre. There are also future plans for a light metro line connecting the airport to Thu Thiem.
