At inter airport Europe 2025; Senior Specialist of Airport Operations at the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), Huyen Dien Do, provided an insight into the future of Vietnam’s airport system and provided a general introduction to some of the strides the company has taken in recent years.
Founded in 2012, ACV handles general aviation duties, airport management and ground support supply at its 22 airports across Vietnam.
Serving more than 200 destinations from its country-wide network, the company also develops and provides its own range of aviation technology – ACV iCute, ACV DCS and its flagship piece of software – the A-CDM PORTAL, which aims to improve both the efficiency and resilience of all airport operations through the optimisation of resources, as well as the improvement of the predictability of air traffic.
With a strong foundation throughout Vietnam; ACV plans to develop the country’s aviation system through extensive infrastructure expansion and investments in five key areas: policy and regulatory updates to support growth, the adoption of modern technology and green solutions, extensive human resource training for aviation crews and the strengthening of international cooperation and investments.
In 2024, the company saw over 100 million passengers pass through its airport, and with 41 million of those being international travellers, it’s clear to see that ACV wants this number to expand. Currently, the country provides international travel from a total of 9 airports, but future plans are set to see this number increase to 14 by 2050 – even eclipsing the number of projected domestic airports at 13.
In order to achieve such growth; ACV is looking to expand its overall operations over the next 25 years. By 2030, it will introduce eight new airports (14 international, 16 domestic), allowing the country’s aviation industry to process more than 275.9 million passengers. By 2050, the company expects to grow this number to 33, providing 97% of its population with direct airport access.
Further infrastructure plans currently include a brand-new airport at Dien Bien, an expansion of T2 at Noi Bai International Airport to handle 15 million passengers (as well as a new T3 in the works, which will handle 10 million passengers), and a new terminal at Dong Hoi Airport, which will handle 3 million passengers, amongst a wide range of additional projects.
However, the jewel in MCV’s expansion plan is, without question, its brand new airport in Ho Chi Minh City: Long Thanh International Airport. With construction on the second of its three phases now underway; the new airport will offer a total of four terminals in total.
The 5,000 hectare airport, which will be located 40km east of the city itself, will serve as the central hub for Vietnam, and be designed to mimic the look of a lotus flower when viewed from above. Inside, the building will feature 40 boarding gates and 16 baggage carousels.
The airport recently carried out its first test flight from Tan Son Nhat International Airport, which included runway approaches on Runway 1. Commercial operations at Long Thanh International Airport are expected to commence in 2026, with an official date yet to be determined.
With planned investments of roughly 16.4 billion USD through a combination of state budget, PPP and private sources, the expansion of Vietnam’s airport network is set to be one of the largest projects Asia has seen to date, and with a plan for complete emission free network by 2050, ACV is on its way to a green, comprehensive and crucial International transportation destination.
