The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV)'s Da Nang branch said the expanded construction area will add more than 42,000 sq.m to create 96,000 sq.m of standard floor area for the domestic and international passenger service zones.

This expanded area will include key infrastructure, such as a high-storey parking section, wastewater treatment, a flyover bridge, inner traffic routes and a mechanical and electrical zone, turning the airport into a smart international logistics center in Vietnam and Asia, ACV Da Nang said.

Passengers at Da Nang International Airport in early April 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

The 12.2-ha T1, which was built at a cost of VND1.34 trillion (US$51 million), has been overloaded since its inauguration in 2011. With the new planned area, increasing demand for passenger and cargo services will be met within the next few years.

According to ACV Da Nang, a fund of more than VND9.9 trillion ($377 million) will be used for developing the expanded area at T1 from the third quarter of 2027 to the first quarter of 2029.

ACV has already started construction on a new cargo terminal at the airport to handle 100,000 tonnes of cargo per year, with an investment of $24 million.

The airport authority also said it will upgrade and expand six new parking areas capable of storing ICAO Aerodrome reference Code C aircraft later this year.

Da Nang International Airport is Vietnam’s third largest after Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat and Hanoi’s Noi Bai.

It is the first in Vietnam with completely automated services for passengers from check-in to boarding, including the Auto Gate, an automatic immigration declaration system, self-service bag drop, self-check-in kiosks, auto boarding gate, video call kiosks and multi-language information search screens.

The airport has 24 direct air routes, of which 16 are international, with around 112 flights hosted per day.

Last year, ACV Da Nang, in conjunction with the local Military Hospital C17, also provided emergency medical services for urgent transport and response actions on flights at Da Nang International Airport.

Da Nang has proposed a $10 billion investment to upgrade the current Chu Lai International Airport, 90 kilometers south of the downtown, to serve the city increasing demand due to tourism, investment and logistics growth through 2050.