Van Don International Airport to open on December 30

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will start its services at the newly-built airport the same day, operating one return flight between Ho Chi Minh City and Van Don per day. 

The flight will depart from the southern hub at 2:00pm and from Van Don at 4:00pm. The airfare will start at VND800,000 per flight for economy class.

Meanwhile, budget airline Vietjet Air will launch its first flight from Van Don International Airport on January 20, 2019. The return service will also connect Ho Chi Minh City and Van Don daily.

All flyers from/to the airport from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021 will receive free admission to the Complex of Yen Tu Monuments and Landscape, Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay.

Construction on Van Don International Airport started in 2015 on 288 hectares in Doan Ket Commune, Van Don District. It is the first airport in Vietnam to operate under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model.

The airport is expected to have annual capacity of 2-2.5 million passengers by 2020, which will increase to five million by 2030. The airport is set to receive 500,000 passenger arrivals/departures in the first year of operation.

A cargo terminal is expected to be built by 2030 with a capacity of at least 51,000 tonnes. 

On July 11, the US$330-million airport received the first aircraft landing on its runway as a test flight.

As Van Don District is among the three special economic zones planned in Vietnam, the airport is expected to boost the local economy, including tourism at Ha Long Bay. The airport is located roughly 50km northeast of the world heritage site.