A Fresh Proposal for Buon Ma Thuot Airport

According to the draft by the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority (VCAA), Buon Ma Thuot Airport is a dual-use domestic airport, serving both civil and military aviation purposes. It plays a crucial role in connecting the Central Highlands with the country’s major economic centers.

During the period of 2021-2030, the airport is planned to be upgraded to a 4C category airport according to ICAO standards, with 19 aircraft parking positions. It will be capable of accommodating narrow-body aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and A321, and their equivalents or smaller.

In this phase, Buon Ma Thuot Airport will continue to utilize the existing T1 terminal and undergo improvements to handle approximately 2 million passengers annually.

Additionally, there are plans to construct a new T2 passenger terminal with a capacity of approximately 3 million passengers per year. A cargo terminal, combined with an aircraft parking area, will be built on the west side of the passenger terminal, spanning an area of approximately 13,100 square meters, with a capacity of 10,000 tons of cargo per year.

The planning for this phase clearly outlines the investment items, including upgrading the existing runway to a size of 3,000m x 45m, adding a parallel taxiway 172.5m south of the runway, and constructing connecting taxiways.

Looking ahead to 2050, Buon Ma Thuot Airport is projected to accommodate around 7 million passengers annually, handle 15,000 tons of cargo, and provide 27 aircraft parking positions.

During this period, the T2 passenger terminal is envisioned to be expanded to handle 5 million passengers annually, and the cargo area will undergo further investment to increase its capacity to 15,000 tons per year.

The airport’s master plan also includes the construction of a second runway, designated as Runway 2, measuring 2,400m in length and 45m in width. It will be located approximately 275m north of the existing Runway 1, along with four connecting taxiways that will be built when the need arises.

According to the VCAA, the total land area allocated for the development of Buon Ma Thuot Airport during the 2021-2030 period and the vision towards 2050 spans over 518 hectares. This includes a shared airfield area of more than 267 hectares, a civil aviation area of nearly 140 hectares, and a security and defense zone of over 111 hectares.

Currently, the Buon Ma Thuot Airport master plan has been reviewed and finalized in collaboration with consulting units, taking into account the feedback from relevant agencies and the guidance provided by the Ministry of Construction.

The VCAA has proposed that the Ministry of Construction promptly organize an appraisal and approval process. Additionally, they have requested the People’s Committee of Dak Lak province to incorporate the airport development plan into the province’s socio-economic development planning, land use planning, and public transportation planning.

Buon Ma Thuot Airport is one of the three airports in the Central Highlands region. It currently serves as a military airport and a national civil airport with a 4C category. The airport has one passenger terminal with a capacity of 1 million passengers per year and can accommodate Code C aircraft such as the Airbus 320, Airbus 321, Boeing 737, and their equivalents.

Strategically located on the country’s most important air route connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the airport also offers convenient connections to major tourist destinations like Da Nang, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, and Hai Phong. However, the airport has experienced rapid growth, leading to the overloading of several key facilities, and the actual volume of operations has far exceeded previous estimates.