Viet Nam set to get ‘mega’ Gia Binh airport project, aiming for world top 10

Thứ 6: 16:26 ngày 26/12/2025

The Gia Binh International Airport project, recently approved by the National Assembly (NA), is expected to deliver Viet Nam’s first five-star “green and smart” international airport, putting it in the world’s top 10 under Skytrax criteria.

The investor selected with the trust of the Government and the Ministry of Public Security is Masterise Group – a multi-sector firm that has continued to deliver breakthrough projects for more than a decade, with years of experience in developing internationally benchmarked landmark works.

Gia Binh International Airport – the largest private airport project in Viet Nam, whose investment policy has been approved by the NA – is set to reinforce Viet Nam’s standing on the regional and global aviation map.

A new investment magnet

Gia Binh International Airport (in Bac Ninh Province) is set to cover about 460,000 sq m by 2050, including a VIP terminal of roughly 5,900 sq m.

Built to international standards, it is envisioned as a next-generation, smart, green and sustainable airport, targeting Skytrax’s top 10 five-star airports worldwide and aiming to be among airports recognised for outstanding passenger experience (AQS).

Invested to 4F standards under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Gia Binh International Airport is intended to support socio-economic development and serve dual-use purposes – ensuring national defence and security operations and major external affairs events – while meeting demand of around 30 million passengers a year and 1.6 million tonnes of cargo a year by 2030; and about 50 million passengers a year and 2.5 million tonnes of cargo a year under the 2050 vision.

According to Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh, the project will play an important role in driving a new growth pole to the east of Ha Noi; meeting the rapidly rising air-transport demand of the Northern key economic region; and easing pressure on Noi Bai International Airport, which is overloaded yet cannot be expanded to increase capacity at present.

At the same time, Gia Binh International Airport will be synchronously connected to national-, regional- and provincial-level transport networks. Ha Noi, in particular, will be linked directly via an expressway, an urban rail line and the national railway.

“The project is also of special significance to national defence and security and to serving major external affairs events, especially the APEC 2027 Leaders’ Meeting,” the minister stressed.

During NA discussions, many deputies voiced support for the investment policy to build the project.

Deputy Tran Van Khai (Ninh Binh delegation) said the Gia Binh project embodies a “dual-centre” vision for the capital region. The new airport is planned under a “twin hub” model, similar to London and Tokyo, serving as a strategic complement to Noi Bai.

He added that, with an international-standard five-star airport scale, Gia Binh International Airport would leverage the north-eastern space of Ha Noi and open up new development room for the capital.

It would not only relieve pressure on the overloaded Noi Bai, but also deliver a strong boost to industry, logistics, e-commerce, tourism and services across the region.

Masterise Group – the investor selected with the trust of the Government and the Ministry of Public Security – is expected to help shape Gia Binh International Airport to global standards, affirming a pioneering role in ushering in a new era for Viet Nam’s aviation infrastructure.

Notably, the group has committed to delivering the Gia Binh International Airport project on schedule with specific milestones, including the APEC 2027 deadline.

A key driver for national infrastructure development

To ensure progress in time for APEC 2027, the Government has proposed that the NA allow a special mechanism enabling the Bac Ninh Provincial People’s Committee to relocate historical and cultural relics (at various levels) during compensation, support and resettlement, and throughout project implementation.

Deputy Tran Van Khai said this reflects a spirit of bold, decisive action in the public interest, helping remove entrenched bottlenecks in land clearance and investment procedures so the project can move forward as quickly as possible.

Regarding concerns over the project’s financial feasibility given its huge capital requirement, he said: “We have broken the project down into reasonable components: the core airport works are entirely the investor’s responsibility, while supporting parts such as resettlement areas and connecting roads will be developed under BT arrangements, exchanging land for infrastructure. This approach reduces budget pressure while making effective use of local land resources.”

Sharing the same view, Deputy Ta Van Ha (Da Nang delegation) said a special mechanism should be considered because the airport site lies in the northern region, where “every inch of land and every roof” is steeped in cultural and historical value.

People are willing to make sacrifices and support major policies, he said, so implementation requires an appropriate approach and commensurate policies.

In its appraisal report, the NA’s Economic and Financial Committee asked the Government to assess the feasibility of completing the project to meet the APEC 2027 schedule.

Earlier, at a recent plenary session of the committee, questions raised by NA bodies and experts regarding the investment policy for Gia Binh Airport were further clarified by leaders from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Construction and the Bac Ninh Provincial People’s Committee.

Explaining why Gia Binh International Airport is necessary given Noi Bai Airport is only 43 km away, Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Xuan Dung said Viet Nam needs a modern international airport with supporting facilities that, “beyond serving transport, also serve the economy and tourism – VIP passengers domestically and internationally – with the nearest major requirement being APEC 2027,” he said.