Da Lat airport to reopen next month

The airport suspended operations in early March to repair its runway and taxiways and revamp international operational procedures.

Once reopened, it will handle up to 40 flights a day, including six domestic routes and one international service, according to the Lam Dong provincial government.

Six domestic routes to resume

Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways and Pacific Airlines are expected to operate six domestic routes linking Da Lat with Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Vinh, Can Tho and Hai Phong.

The airport is forecast to handle about 6,800 arriving and departing passengers a day, or around 816,000 passengers during the final four months of 2026.

Specifically, the Da Lat-Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat-Hanoi routes will each operate seven to eight flights a day.

The Da Lat-Da Nang route will have two daily flights, while services to Vinh and Can Tho will each operate once a day. Flights between Da Lat and Hai Phong will run four times a week.

For international services, AirAsia will resume flights between Da Lat and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on September 2, with four weekly services on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Lam Dong authorities aim to keep the average passenger load factor on domestic routes at 75% or higher during the first 90 days after the reopening.

Routes with a load factor below 65% will be reviewed for demand-stimulus measures or adjustments to flight frequency.

The province has also asked airlines to consider discounted domestic fares for Lam Dong residents, tour groups and passengers attending conferences and other events through December 31.

More routes under consideration

After the initial phase, Lam Dong Province aims to restore or launch one or two additional domestic routes to Thanh Hoa, Hue or Phu Quoc by December 31.

It also plans to introduce at least two package-tour programs jointly offered by airlines and travel companies.

For international services, the province will seek formal cooperation with one or two priority markets, particularly South Korea, Singapore and Thailand, while maintaining stable operations on the Kuala Lumpur route.

According to the airport, flights between Da Lat and Incheon, South Korea, are expected to begin in December 2026, with four flights a week. A new Da Lat-Singapore route is also planned for the same month, operating three times a week.

In the longer term, Lam Dong is considering resuming or introducing routes from Da Lat to Bangkok in Thailand; Taipei and Kaohsiung in Taiwan; Jeju and Muan in South Korea; as well as destinations in mainland China, Japan and Hong Kong.

Some routes may initially operate as seasonal charter services before being converted into regular scheduled flights once passenger demand is sufficient.

The province is also seeking to attract Singapore-based airline Scoot to operate international services to Da Lat.