Long Thanh Airport is a new lever on Vietnam's economic map.

Regional aviation center

Sharing at the seminar "Enterprises in the digital age: Marks of creation and global integration" , Mr. Pham Quang Hieu - Deputy Head of the Technology and Environment Department, Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) - said that Long Thanh International Airport is the project with the largest total investment in the history of Vietnam's aviation industry, ACV is speeding up the completion progress.

With its scale, technology and strategic vision, Long Thanh is not only a key infrastructure project but also a symbol of the aspiration to make Vietnam a new aviation transit hub in Southeast Asia.

Mr. Pham Quang Hieu - Deputy Head of Technology and Environment Department, Vietnam Airports Corporation.

According to Mr. Hieu, aviation has long been considered the “blood vessel” connecting the world, contributing to promoting trade, tourism, investment and integration. Every 1% growth in aviation can lead to 0.5-1% GDP growth, especially in the fields of logistics, trade and services. In that picture, Long Thanh is expected to be a new “lever” of the Vietnamese economy , contributing to reducing the load on Tan Son Nhat airport and expanding international connectivity.

When phase 1 is completed, Long Thanh airport will serve 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo per year. In the final phase, the expected capacity will reach 100 million passengers and 5 million tons of cargo per year - a scale equivalent to the "super airports" in the region.

Strategically located, only about 40km from Ho Chi Minh City, Long Thanh is located in the largest logistics triangle in the country, conveniently connected by road, rail and in the future, an inter-regional metro system.

ACV representative informed that Long Thanh airport completed the technical calibration test flight on September 26 and is expected to be handed over and put into operation on December 19, 2025.

Long Thanh Airport completed its technical calibration test flight on September 26 and is expected to be handed over and put into operation on December 19, 2025. Photo: ACV.

Towards a regional "smart airport"

Mr. Pham Quang Hieu said that to operate a national-scale project, ACV is synchronously implementing three strategic pillars: Technology infrastructure, commercial exploitation and human resource management.

Regarding the technology and design pillars, Long Thanh is oriented as a “green and smart airport”, applying modern technology in air traffic management, process automation and energy saving. Environmentally friendly design solutions help reduce carbon emissions, optimize operating costs and create flexible space for future expansion.

Regarding commercial exploitation, ACV's goal is to attract major international airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, etc. to form a regional transit flight network. Commercial areas, hotels, conference centers and logistics services will be developed synchronously, turning Long Thanh into a modern "airport city" - a place where global logistics, tourism and trade activities converge.

In addition, ACV focuses on training a professional team that meets international standards, aiming for an operational model according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Level 2 standards. This not only enhances competitiveness but also helps Long Thanh prepare to join the group of leading modern airports in the region.

Long Thanh helps open the door for Vietnam to become a regional logistics, trade and tourism center. Illustration photo: AI.

To become a regional aviation hub, Long Thanh must compete directly with “giants” such as Changi (Singapore), Suvarnabhumi (Thailand) or Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) - airports that have shaped the regional transit position for decades.

ACV representative said that the biggest challenge now lies in infrastructure connectivity. Road, railway, metro and expressway systems to the airport must be deployed synchronously to avoid “isolating” Long Thanh from major economic centers.

Key transport projects such as the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway, Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 or the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway are being prioritized to speed up progress, to ensure Long Thanh operates effectively from the first day of operation.

"More than just an airport, Long Thanh is considered a symbol of the country's aspirations to rise, integrate and digitalize. The project is not only modern in technology and environmentally sustainable, but also opens up new opportunities for aviation, logistics, tourism and international investment," Mr. Hieu said, emphasizing that with a long-term vision, ACV expects Long Thanh to become the leading aviation transit hub in Southeast Asia, contributing to positioning Vietnam on the global aviation map, realizing the dream of "Vietnam - the destination of the future".

Source: https://tienphong.vn/san-bay-long-thanh-la-don-bay-moi-tren-ban-do-kinh-te-viet-nam-post1785215.tpo