On June 30, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) said it had received operational plans from three domestic airlines and was also working with several international carriers to prepare for the launch of Long Thanh International Airport.
According to ACV, Vietravel Airlines plans to begin commercial operations at Long Thanh in late 2026 before increasing flight frequencies from the 2027 summer schedule. Vietjet Air has committed to operating at least two international routes during the airport's initial phase. Vietnam Airlines has proposed transferring selected international services from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Long Thanh, accounting for around 12 per cent of its international flights.
For foreign carriers, the Long Thanh Airport Project Management Board has held discussions with the association representing airlines operating at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and representatives of 34 airlines, including Korean Air, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines, to discuss future operations.
At the same time, ACV has signed a consultancy contract with a consortium led by Incheon Airport to develop the airport's operational model. Planning for operational procedures, commercial policies, business operations and financial strategy has now been completed.
Alongside relocating some existing services from Tan Son Nhat, ACV expects market development initiatives and the launch of new direct international routes to attract an additional 2 million passengers annually by 2030. Target markets include North America, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia.
Long Thanh International Airport covers approximately 5,000 hectares and has a total investment of nearly USD 16 billion. The first phase is scheduled to begin operations in late 2026 and is expected to ease congestion at Tan Son Nhat while supporting the growth of aviation logistics, trade, services, finance, hospitality and conference businesses around the airport.
The airport's first phase includes one runway and one passenger terminal, with an annual design capacity of 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo.
