Khanh Hoa province has Cam Ranh International Airport already, in addition to Van Phong Airport plan

Van Phong Airport would cover more than 497 hectares of nearshore sea area, according to a draft revision of the national airport system master plan for 2021-2030.

The Ministry of Construction submitted this draft revision to the prime minister for review and approval on April 14. The move forms part of a broader effort to reshape Vietnam’s aviation infrastructure into a more synchronised, flexible network aligned with global industry trends.

A key focus of the revision is the proposed addition of two new airports, Mang Den and Van Phong, to the national plan. At the same time, Quang Tri Airport is set to be upgraded from category 4C to 4E to meet long-term operational demand.

Under the proposal, Van Phong Airport would be located in Van Thang commune, Khanh Hoa province (formerly part of Van Ninh district), about 65 km from the former Nha Trang city centre. Notably, the airport is planned entirely on coastal waters, covering approximately 497 ha, marking a completely new infrastructure model for Vietnam’s aviation sector.

The airport is expected to meet ICAO 4E standards, with an initial capacity of around 1.5 million passengers per year by 2030, rising to 2.5 million by 2050. Total investment is estimated at VND9.2 trillion ($360 million). If realised, this would be the first airport in Vietnam built entirely on water.

Globally, however, water-based airports are not unprecedented. One of the most well-known examples is Kansai International Airport in Japan, a $20 billion project constructed on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, about 40 km from Osaka city. First conceived in the 1980s and launched in 1987, the project faced major engineering challenges, particularly unstable seabed clay and the need for materials that are both lightweight and resilient enough to withstand storms and earthquakes.

Other notable offshore or reclaimed-land airports include Chek Lap Kok International Airport in Hong Kong, opened in 1998; Incheon International Airport in South Korea, inaugurated in 2001; and Hamad International Airport in Qatar. These projects demonstrate both the feasibility and the technical complexity of building aviation infrastructure on water, offering valuable lessons as Vietnam explores this ambitious direction.