Da Lat airport reopens after major runway upgrade

Lien Khuong International Airport, the main air gateway to Da Lat and Vietnam’s Central Highlands, is scheduled to reopen on 19 August after a six-month closure for a VND1.032 trillion runway upgrade.

The reopening will restore domestic services and support the return of an international route as Lam Dong province seeks to strengthen Da Lat’s position as a regional tourism destination.

Concrete runway increases airport capacity

The 3,250-metre-long and 45-metre-wide runway has been converted from asphalt concrete to a more durable concrete surface. The project was funded by Airports Corporation of Vietnam.

Before the closure, Lien Khuong handled an average of 34 to 36 flights and about 5,900 passengers daily. After reopening, traffic is expected to increase to 36 to 40 flights and roughly 6,800 passengers a day.

Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways, Pacific Airlines and AirAsia are due to restore services. Vietjet alone has announced as many as 91 weekly return flights linking Da Lat with Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Vinh and Da Nang.

International links remain limited

AirAsia’s Da Lat–Kuala Lumpur service is scheduled to resume on 2 September with four flights a week. It is currently the airport’s only scheduled international route.

Potential connections with South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Japan and Hong Kong remain under consideration. By 2030, the airport is intended to meet Code 4E standards, allowing wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.

Planned capacity is around five million passengers annually by 2030 and seven million after that. Lam Dong still received nearly 12 million visitors during the first half of 2026 despite the airport closure, including 825,000 international arrivals.

What it means for foreigners in Vietnam

The reopening should make Da Lat substantially easier to reach and reduce reliance on lengthy road transfers from other airports. Travellers holding bookings around 19 August should nevertheless reconfirm flight times because airlines will be rebuilding schedules after a long closure.

The Kuala Lumpur route provides a useful direct option for international visitors, but most overseas travellers will still need a domestic connection. Further international growth depends on airlines deciding that demand can support the routes now being studied.

31 July 2026