HCMC – The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has asked the prime minister for approval to accelerate construction of the third runway and act as the investor of phase two of the Long Thanh International Airport project.
In its proposal, ACV recalled that in mid-August the PM tasked the Ministry of Construction and ACV with studying plans for the third runway. Under the approved master plan, phase two of Long Thanh Airport is to be completed by 2030 with three runways and two passenger terminals, designed to handle 50 million passengers a year.
The National Assembly’s resolution specifies that the third runway will be 4,000 meters long and 60 meters wide, capable of accommodating large aircraft such as Airbus A380. Along with the second passenger terminal, the runway will enable the airport to serve 50 million passengers and 1.5 million tons of cargo annually.
ACV emphasized that early implementation of the third runway and related facilities is vital to meet the 2030 deadline. The corporation noted that the first runway was completed and ready for calibration flights on September 26, while the second runway, which started construction in June, is slated for completion in December. Phase one of the airport is scheduled to welcome its first flight on December 19, 2025, and begin commercial operations in the first half of 2026.
The corporation argued that mobilizing the current workforce, machinery, and equipment to begin work on the third runway immediately after the second is finished in the dry season of 2025-2026 would help cut costs and shorten the construction period. Early execution of phase two would also minimize dust, noise, and traffic impacts once phase one becomes operational.
ACV proposed serving as the investor of the third runway project, with an estimated investment of VND12 trillion from its own capital, without government guarantees. Construction could begin in the first quarter of 2026.
The corporation also sought approval to act as the investor of the entire phase two project. It pledged to quickly allocate capital to select international consultants, prepare and appraise the feasibility study, submit reports to the Government, and present key issues to the National Assembly for approval before the PM makes a final decision in line with regulations.
