The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has submitted the proposal to the Ministry of Construction as part of revisions to the national airport development plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050.
The proposal would reverse a 2023 plan that designated Bien Hoa as a dual-use airport serving both civilian and military operations.
Under the current plan, Bien Hoa was expected to handle 5 million passengers a year by 2030 and 10 million by 2050.
However, the report cited a government conclusion endorsing the Ministry of National Defence's proposal that the airport should be used exclusively for military purposes.
CAAV said the southern region already has three nearby airports, Bien Hoa, Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh, and adding civil flights at Bien Hoa would increase pressure on regional airspace
The report also noted that the airport is located in a densely populated area with limited transport connections.
Based on those factors, the consulting unit recommended removing Bien Hoa from the national civil airport plan in line with the defence ministry's orientation.
The 2023 airport master plan added five new civil airports, including the dual-use Bien Hoa and Thanh Son airports. It envisaged 32 airports by 2030 and 35 by 2050, with Bien Hoa included in both phases.
Built during the French colonial period, Bien Hoa Airport was later expanded into one of the largest US air bases in South Vietnam during the war. Since 1975, it has been managed by the Ministry of National Defence and has primarily served military operations.