In the context of Long Thanh International Airport scheduled to begin operations in 2026, Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has reported and sought feedback from State management agencies and domestic and international airlines regarding the operational division plan between Long Thanh International Airport and Tan Son Nhat.
TWO OPERATIONAL SCENARIOS PROPOSED
According to ACV, the Incheon Airport Consortium (IAC), currently serving as the consulting unit for the management and operation of Long Thanh Airport, has conducted analysis, assessment, and proposed plans for dividing operations between Long Thanh International Airport and Tan Son Nhat.
Option 1: Transfer all international flights to Long Thanh International Airport.
It is expected that from the commencement of Phase 1 operations at Long Thanh International Airport in 2026, the operational arrangement will be as follows: Tan Son Nhat Airport will focus entirely on domestic flights, handling an estimated 29.5 million passengers per year, while all international flights will be transferred and consolidated at Long Thanh, with an estimated annual capacity of 19.1 million international passengers.
In addition, Long Thanh Airport will also handle a small portion of domestic traffic, estimated at around 1.5 million passengers per year, to serve connecting and transit needs.
Under this scenario, Tan Son Nhat would retain 95% of total domestic traffic, while Long Thanh would handle 100% of international traffic, thereby laying the foundation for establishing an international air transit hub in southern Vietnam.
The main advantages of this option include the centralization of international operations, which increases system efficiency and reduces costs. It clearly defines Long Thanh’s role as the primary international hub. Moreover, it minimizes the need for passengers to travel between the two airports—a journey that takes at least 4.5 hours and carries risks of missed connections—thus avoiding confusion about departure locations.
However, a drawback of this option is that passengers in Ho Chi Minh City taking short-haul international flights may face inconvenience, as Long Thanh Airport is located farther from the city center than Tan Son Nhat.
Option 2: Divide international flight operations between Long Thanh International Airport and Tan Son Nhat.
Under this option, Tan Son Nhat Airport is expected to continue operating domestic flights and a portion of short-haul international routes, with an estimated international passenger volume of about 3.8 million per year, mainly on regional routes within a 1,000-kilometer radius.
Long Thanh Airport will handle all long-haul international flights, along with a portion of domestic traffic to support transfer and transit needs, with international passenger volume estimated at around 15.3 million per year (total throughput of 16.8 million passengers/year).
The operational split would be 20% of international traffic at Tan Son Nhat and 80% at Long Thanh.
This option has the advantage of better serving passengers in central Ho Chi Minh City traveling within the region (e.g., Thailand, Laos, Cambodia) thanks to easier airport access. It also leverages existing infrastructure at Tan Son Nhat, reducing investment costs and easing short-term capacity pressure on Long Thanh.
However, a major drawback is the significantly higher operational cost due to the need to maintain international operations at both airports. Transit passengers (short-haul international to long-haul international, or domestic to international) would face longer travel times and higher expenses when transferring between the two airports.
Additionally, this option could fragment the international route network, disrupt passenger transfer flows, and weaken Long Thanh Airport’s competitiveness as a regional air transit hub.
RESULTS TO BE REPORTED IN SEPTEMBER 2025
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) strongly agrees with the proposal to transfer all regular international flights from Tan Son Nhat to Long Thanh International Airport to streamline management, operations, and resource optimization.
International airlines also agreed with the plan to transfer 100% of scheduled international flights from Tan Son Nhat to Long Thanh Airport to ensure operational efficiency and resource optimization.
As for domestic carriers, Vietnam Airlines proposed that Vietnamese airlines operate domestic and Southeast Asian regional international flights at Tan Son Nhat. At Long Thanh, Vietnamese carriers would operate international flights outside Southeast Asia, and other domestic and international routes at their discretion. Foreign airlines would operate all flights from Long Thanh Airport.
In the long term, adjustments to the division of operations between the two airports will be considered based on passenger volumes, handling capacity at each airport, and connectivity between Long Thanh and Ho Chi Minh City.
Bamboo Airways also supports the early operation of international flights at Long Thanh and prioritizing domestic flight operations for Vietnamese carriers at Tan Son Nhat. However, the airline emphasized that the implementation should follow a clear transition roadmap.
Based on projected growth data and international experience, ACV noted that dispersing international flight operations across multiple airports may weaken transfer capabilities and reduce competitiveness compared to other regional hubs.
Regarding this issue, the Ministry of Construction has requested the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to coordinate with ACV and urgently work with airlines to conduct detailed studies, assess the operational impact, and define a transition roadmap for moving international flights from Tan Son Nhat to Long Thanh, with official results to be reported in September 2025.
Source: vneconomy.vn
