An ACV representative said the proposals remain at a preliminary stage, with investment scale, design and implementation timeline to be determined after the Ministry of Construction approves an updated master plan for the airport covering the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050.
Tan Son Nhat currently operates three terminals. Terminals 1 and 3 serve domestic flights, while Terminal 2 handles international services. Terminal 3, which opened in 2025, is located about 1 km from the older terminal complex.
Most Vietjet Air domestic flights continue to operate from Terminal 1, while Vietnam Airlines, Sun PhuQuoc Airways, Pacific Airlines, VASCO, Bamboo Airways and several other carriers have moved their domestic operations to Terminal 3.
Terminal 1, which has undergone several expansions, has a floor area of nearly 41,000 square metres and a designed capacity of 15 million passengers a year. However, ageing infrastructure and outdated operational systems no longer meet growing demand, prompting plans for a larger, more modern replacement.
Under a draft revision of Vietnam's airport master plan, Tan Son Nhat will retain its ICAO Category 4E international airport status and continue serving as southern Vietnam's main domestic aviation hub.
The airport's capacity will remain at 50 million passengers a year through 2050, while cargo throughput is projected to rise from 1.3 million tonnes in 2030 to 1.6 million tonnes by 2050. Investment through 2030 is estimated at more than VND 12.23 trillion (USD 470 million).
