Vietnam is building one of the world's largest airports to break a bottleneck
In short: Ho Chi Minh City's primary airport is so choked by urban growth that it can no longer expand. To solve this, Vietnam is constructing Long Thanh International Airport—a massive infrastructure project designed to handle 100 million passengers annually, effectively reshaping the nation's logistics and travel landscape.
The project serves as a critical relief valve for Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Vietnam's busiest hub. Because Tan Son Nhat is entirely surrounded by dense urban growth, physical expansion is impossible. In 2023 alone, Tan Son Nhat handled 40.7 million passengers, significantly exceeding its maximum design capacity of 30 million. Long Thanh, located approximately 40 km east of Ho Chi Minh City, is designed to operate in tandem with the existing hub to manage this overflow.
Long Thanh is being developed in four phases with a total estimated investment of US$18.7 billion, making it the most expensive infrastructure project in Vietnam's history. Phase 1, which involves a single terminal and runway, was approved in 2020 with a cost of about US$4.66 billion. By the time all four phases are completed by 2035, the airport will cover more than 10,000 hectares and have the capacity to serve 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo annually, making it the largest airport in Southeast Asia.
The project has faced significant hurdles, including land acquisition issues, environmental concerns in forested areas, and the discovery of unexploded mortar shells from the Vietnam War during site clearing in January 2021. To ensure connectivity, the government is also planning a light rail line of 37.35 km connecting the airport to Ho Chi Minh City's new financial district, as well as a high-speed railway station positioned just 220 meters from Terminal 1 to provide a direct transit alternative to congested roads.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Long Thanh International Airport
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