Vietnam's largest airport Long Thanh set to begin commercial operations on December 24

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) on Friday that the airport is scheduled to open at 12:00 am on December 24.

During the initial phase, the airport is expected to handle up to 322 domestic and 44 international flights per week.

The passenger terminal's western wing and central section will be prioritized for completion, with four check-in islands planned.

Vietnam Airlines is expected to operate flights between Long Thanh and Hanoi, along with several international routes, while Vietjet will focus on domestic connections to major economic and tourism hubs.

As of October 30, neither airline had opened ticket sales for flights to or from Long Thanh.

The Ministry of Construction has set passenger service charges at VND90,909 (US$3.52) for domestic departures and $25 for international departures, excluding value-added tax. The rates apply to tickets issued from October 1, 2026.

The domestic charge is equivalent to those at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, while the international charge is $5 higher than at Tan Son Nhat and equal to that at Noi Bai.

Passengers whose flights are transferred from Tan Son Nhat to Long Thanh after booking will not have to pay any additional passenger service charges.

To improve airport access, ACV is developing bus and shuttle services connecting Long Thanh with Ho Chi Minh City and Tan Son Nhat, while proposing priority traffic arrangements on major routes.

Construction enters final stretch

As of October 9, construction of ACV-managed facilities had reached approximately 86 percent of the total contract value, with four of 16 major construction packages completed.

Contractors are accelerating work on the remaining 12 packages, most of which are expected to be completed in December, according to aviation authorities.

Priority projects include the passenger terminal, cargo terminal, parking facilities, internal roads, and technical infrastructure.

Meanwhile, ACV is working to complete construction inspections, environmental and aviation security procedures, operational permits, and airport certification.

Key facilities are scheduled to undergo final acceptance procedures in November, while preparations for staffing, security, and environmental compliance are expected to be completed in early December.

ACV is also conducting three rounds of operational readiness and airport transfer (ORAT) trials from September through December to assess infrastructure, systems, personnel, and potential risks ahead of the opening.