The Renovation of a Decade: The First International Airport in the Central Highlands Gets a Makeover

Upgrading Lien Khuong Airport

Lien Khuong International Airport, located in Duc Trong district, Lam Dong, serves as a crucial gateway connecting travelers to the city of Da Lat. It is also the first international airport in the Central Highlands region.

During a meeting with Lien Khuong International Airport and the Departments of Construction, Finance, Agriculture, and Environment, along with Duc Trong District’s People’s Committee on May 18, the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province announced that after 18 years of operation since its last upgrade in 2007, Lien Khuong International Airport is expected to temporarily close for at least six months for upgrades and repairs. The exact timing of the airport’s closure for repairs has not yet been determined.

The project entails repairing the runway and taxiways with a total investment of approximately VND 1,045 billion, carried out by the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV).

ACV proposes replacing the asphalt runway with cement concrete to enhance the airport’s long-term operational capacity.

The Lam Dong People’s Committee has requested that ACV consider a temporary, localized repair solution to ensure safe and secure operations in the immediate future.

Additionally, Lam Dong has proposed that ACV invest in a second runway in the coming years to facilitate uninterrupted airport operations during the maintenance and upgrade of the current runway.

A Key Project for Lam Dong’s Development

Lien Khuong International Airport is designed as a 4E-grade airport with an expected capacity of approximately 5 million passengers per year. From July 2024, the airport will handle 42 take-offs and landings per day, including 38 domestic and 4 international flights.

Five domestic airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietjet Air, and Vasco, operate an average of 34-36 flights per day, serving approximately 6,700 passengers and connecting Da Lat with Hanoi, Hai Phong, Vinh, Hue, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Regarding international flights, the airport serves several scheduled and charter flights connecting Da Lat with South Korea (operated by Jeju Air and Korean Air) and Malaysia (AirAsia), according to the Lam Dong People’s Committee.

Upgrading Lien Khuong Airport is one of Lam Dong’s key projects in the coming years. The total investment for the project is estimated at VND 7,748 billion, including VND 4,591 billion until 2030 and VND 3,157 billion until 2050.

According to the plan, by 2030, Lien Khuong International Airport will construct a T2 passenger terminal with a capacity of 3 million passengers per year east of the existing T1 terminal. Both terminals will be operated simultaneously, serving a total of 5 million passengers annually.

By 2050, the T2 passenger terminal will be expanded to accommodate 5 million passengers per year, while the T1 terminal will continue to operate, bringing the total capacity to 7 million passengers annually.

With the expansion of the runway and the construction of a new terminal, the airport will soon be capable of receiving international flights from South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and beyond.

Currently, Lien Khuong has increased the frequency of domestic flights from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang, reducing road traffic pressure and meeting the growing demand for tourism.

In 2025, Lam Dong aims to attract 11 million tourists, including 850,000 international visitors. According to a report by the Provincial Culture, Sports, and Tourism Department, during the recent April 30 and May 1 holiday, tourist arrivals in Lam Dong surged.

The province is estimated to have welcomed approximately 240,000 visitors for sightseeing and recreation, a 14.3% increase compared to the same period in 2024. International visitors accounted for 14,000, a 75% jump from 2024, while domestic tourists reached 226,000, an 11.9% rise. The number of staying visitors was estimated at 160,000, up 23% from the previous year.