Southeast Asia Airport Report (2025 Edition)

Phnom Penh’s future architectural marvel, Indonesia opens 2 new airports but demotes 17 international airports, a new airport in Laos, Manila’s multiple airport projects, Bangkok plans for 200 million pax p.a, Ho Chi Minh City’s 2 airport projects, and more new airport proposals in Vietnam.

Welcome to the 2025 edition of the Southeast Asia Airports Report. This is a summary of airports planned, under construction, and other airport news in Southeast Asia over the past year.

🇰🇭 Cambodia

Techo International Airport (KTI)

Techo International Airport is the under-construction future airport of Phnom Penh. I keep seeing reports that it will be the 9th-largest airport in the world by land size, but I am not sure of this. The land size is reported at 2,600 hectares (26 sq km), which wouldn’t put it in the top 10. For a regional comparison, Suvarnabhumi Airport is 3,240 ha. Top 10 or not, KTI (the official IATA code) will be a big airport.

The airport construction has received positive international coverage, partly because Foster + Partners designed it. The airport was featured in the CNN list of 11 architecture projects set to shape the world in 2025.

Techo International Airport

The most recent report states that the airport will open in July this year, making it the largest new airport opening for 2025 in Southeast Asia.

The new airport is 24 km from the city centre, but the proposed airport rail link has not been finalised.

Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport

Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport has been open for over a year now. Chinese state media reported that the airport handled more than 14,000 flights in its first year.

Australian media remarked that it is “cavernously empty”.

Like the new Phnom Penh Airport, this new airport is far outside the city centre with no airport rail link.

Dara Sakor International Airport

Dara Sakor International Airport in Koh Kong Province began trial operations with the arrival of a chartered flight from Phnom Penh International Airport.

Koh Rong International Airport

Koh Rong is an island off the coast of Sihanoukville. Construction of the airport began in January 2024, though there haven’t been any updates since. 

There are big development plans for the island, and the builder of the airport is also building most of the new developments on the island.

Sihanoukville International Airport

The construction of a new terminal at Sihanoukville International Airport is expected to be completed by 2026.

Battambang Airport

There is still talk of reviving Battambang Provincial Airport, which has not been in service for more than three decades.

Mondulkiri Airport

A new airport is planned for Mondulkiri province, and a private firm was selected to study the construction. This project appears to have stalled, with no updates from local media.

🇮🇩 Indonesia

The biggest airport news of 2024 in Indonesia was the revocation of the international status of 17 airports, from 34 previously international airports.

Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport

The plan to construct a fourth terminal at Soekarno-Hatta Airport has been shelved.

Nusantara International Airport

The new capital of Indonesia has its own airport. Nusantara International Airport was initially meant for “very, very important persons” (VVIPs), but it is now designated for commercial flights as well. Building a single airport is expensive, so having two separate airports for a small city seems extra wasteful.

The airport received an ICAO registration code WALK, though no 3-letter IATA code yet. The airport now has public operational status, but it is not officially open.

Bali  I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport

Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport is increasing its capacity to 32 million annual passengers, up from the current 24 million annual passengers.

North Bali International Airport

The proposed North Bali Airport had been put on hold, but the project has been revived with the election of President Prabowo. The airport proposal got more attention when Prabowo said (or was misquoted as saying) that he wanted the new airport to help Bali become the next Singapore or Hong Kong.

Indonesia was trying to promote tourism beyond Bali with the 10 New Balis program (now truncated to 5 New Balis), but in the last year, this objective has been abandoned. With the removal of international status for 17 airports and proposing to build a second international airport in Bali, Indonesia is going all in on sending more tourists to an island that is already straining from overtourism.

Singkawang Airport

President Jokowi inaugurated West Kalimantan’s Singkawang Airport in March 2024.

Dhoho Airport

Dhoho Airport in Kediri (East Java) was inaugurated in April 2024, making it the second new airport in Indonesia for 2024. The airport is designated as international (serving flights to Jeddah), so it avoided the international airport cull.

Sorong Airport

Sorong Airport in Southwest Papua is looking to be elevated to an international airport with flights from China. I am still baffled as to why Indonesia would revoke its international status of Silangit Airport near Lake Toba in North Sumatra, which has more potential for international tourism.

🇱🇦 Laos

Bokeo International Airport

Bokeo International Airport was inaugurated in February 2024, only to be overshadowed by flight cancellations.

I couldn’t find flights on Skyscanner, but there are flights available on the Lao Airlines website. I’m waiting to see which city in China will be the first international flight.

🇲🇾 Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) is planning to add a fourth runway and new terminals at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The planned terminal expansion will almost double KLIA’s capacity.

Subang Airport (Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport)

Subang Airport was the main airport for Kuala Lumpur from 1965 to 1998. The airport is still used for turboprop aircraft for regional flights. In 2024, the airport was allowed to serve narrow-body jets for the first time in 26 years

TransNusa Airlines was the first foreign airline confirmed to fly from Subang, with daily trips to Jakarta. Scoot is also serving flights to Singapore.

Penang International Airport

Penang is finally going ahead with its airport expansion. They were thinking of doing this during the pandemic, which would have been less disruptive. 

The airport expansion will cater for 12 million passengers per annum (compared to an estimated 7.8 million passengers in 2024), and it is expected to be completed by 2028.

While they fumbled an opportunity to be less disruptive during the pandemic, they are now planning to build the light rail infrastructure for the airport at the same time.

Kota Kinabalu International Airport 

There was continued debate during the year about moving KK airport to Kimanis. 

The government has now settled on expanding the current airport. Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminal 1 is set to be expanded to handle 12 million passengers per annum, from its current 9 million passengers per annum. The upgrade is expected to be completed in mid-2028.

Miri Airport 

Miri Airport expansion is set to start this year.

Kota Baru Airport 

The runway at Kota Baru Airport will be extended to accommodate international flights.

New Kuching Airport

There are plans for a new airport for Kuching, though the government has not revealed where it will be.

Melaka Airport

Melaka is cursed by being too close to KUL to have a viable airport, and the city is still waiting to be connected by high-speed rail to KL.

Melaka Airport reopened in October 2024 with the introduction of flights to Singapore. This route wouldn’t exist if the KL-Singapore HSR had been built by now.

Senai Airport (Johor)

Further expansion and upgrading of the airport to handle up to 7 million passengers is being considered (up from its current  5 million per year).

Tawau Airport

Tawau Airport is set to be upgraded, and the airport is being considered for international status.

Proposed Kulim International Airport Project

Kedah State is persisting with the Kulim International Airport project.

Kedah already has an underused airport in its capital (Alor Setar), and Penang International Airport is nearby.

Proposed Kuantan International Airport

The Transport Ministry has not received any application for an aerodrome licence for the proposed Kuantan International Airport (KIA) in Gebeng.

🇵🇭 Philippines

NAIA Airport (Manila)

The rehabilitation of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) began in September when the San Miguel-led group took over airport operations. 

NAIA is often listed among the world’s worst airports, and the new operator is promising to turn the airport into a world-class facility.

New Manila International Airport (Bulacan)

The construction of the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan is facing delays. SMC (the same company that has taken over NAIA) said the New Manila International Airport might be operational by the first quarter of 2028, instead of 2027 as initially planned.

The airport is being partially built on reclaimed land, and there are concerns about land subsidence.

Sangley Point International Airport 

The Sangley Point International Airport development has been cleared by the antitrust watchdog Philippine Competition Commission.

The private concessionaire is looking to start construction within the next two years.

The redevelopment of Sangley Point Airport into an international gateway would be the third airport in the Metro Manila area, and fourth if you count Clark International Airport. Local media have pointed out that tourism numbers do not support four airports.

Clark International Airport

The Clark International Airport is set to have a second runway, costing P7 billion to P10 billion.

Bohol-Panglao International Airport 

Bohol-Panglao International Airport in Panglao will commence upgrading works in 205. The work will increase the airport capacity from 2 million passengers per annum to 2.5 million passengers per annum.

Caticlan Airport (Boracay)

San Miguel (yes, that company again) plans to build a passenger terminal building with a capacity of seven million, with eight passenger boarding bridges.

Davao International Airport

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is targeting to open the bidding for the Davao International Airport by the first half of 2025.

Laguindingan International Airport

A Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project Concession Agreement has been approved to modernise and rehabilitate Mindanao’s second busiest airport.

Other Mindanao airports

In addition to Davao and Laguindingan, seven Mindanao airports will get funding for upgrades. The airports include Bukidnon Airport, Central Mindanao M’lang Airport, New Zamboanga International Airport, Tandag Airport, Jolo Airport, Mati Airport, and Surigao Airport.

Vigan Airport

Vigan Airport is expected to be converted from a community airport to an international airport.

Tacloban Airport

The Tacloban Airport development is expected to be completed by 2026.

Laoag International Airport

The ongoing redevelopment of Laoag International Airport is expected to be completed by August 2025.

Iloilo International Airport

The privatisation of the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo, may push through by the first quarter of 2025.

Baler Airport

The government is working to start the Baler Airport Development Project in Aurora province.

🇸🇬 Singapore

Changi Airport

Construction of Changi Airport Terminal 5 is expected to start in the first half of 2025.

T5 will be able to handle up to 50 million passengers a year, making this single terminal bigger than most airports in Southeast Asia.

In addition to the new terminal project,  Terminal 3 will be upgraded, and more Skytrain cars will be added.

🇹🇭 Thailand

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

The third runway at Suvarnabhumi International Airport opened on 1 November 2024. The new runway increases the airport’s capacity from 68 to 94 flights per hour and increases capacity to 65 million passengers per year.

There is also an expansion plan for the next decade, including a new passenger terminal called South Terminal and a fourth runway. The expansion will increase the airport’s capacity to 80 million passengers per year.

The long-term goal is to increase capacity to 150 million passengers per year.

Bangkok Don Muang Airport

A new terminal is also planned for Don Muang, expanding the capacity to accommodate 50 million passengers a year.

There is also talk of acquiring the Air Force golf course between the runways.

Chiang Mai International Airport

Airports of Thailand (AoT) announced a five-year plan to increase the passenger handling capacity to 20 million passengers a year. The feasibility study is expected to be ready after March.

2nd Chiang Mai Airport (Lanna Airport)

In addition to expanding the current airport, the government hasn’t ruled out building a second airport for Chiang Mai.

Read more about the Lanna Airport proposal.

Hua Hin Airport

The Transport Ministry aims to upgrade Hua Hin Airport to an international airport in 2025.

Phayao Airport

A feasibility study was ordered for Phayao Airport in upper northern Thailand.

Phuket International Airport

Phuket Airport is planning to build a new terminal for international flights to expand its passenger handling capacity from 12.5 million per year to 18 million per year.

U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport 

U-Tapao plans to build a second runway.

Nakhon Ratchasima Airport

Nakhon Ratchasima is considering using the Air Force base for commercial flights.

Samui Airport

Samui Airport is studying an expansion to accommodate A320/737 aircraft. The airport owner (Bangkok Airways) is in the process of acquiring more land for the expansion.

Narathiwat Airport

In the deep south, the upgrading of Narathiwat Airport is due for completion by mid-2025. 

Betong Airport

Narathiwat Airport is 104 km from Betong Airport, which opened in 2022 and has no flights operating there. Betong Airport is now calling for the runway to be extended to accommodate larger aircraft.

Krabi Airport

A new terminal and parallel taxiway are under construction at Krabi Airport. This will increase the airport capacity from 8 flights per hour to 24 flights per hour.

Trang Airport

The new terminal has been delayed after the contractor abandoned construction (and lost its security deposit in the process).

Trat Airport

Trat Airport (another airport owned by Bangkok Airways) will extend the runway from 1,800 to 2,100 metres, enabling larger aircraft and international flights. 

Phatthalung Airport

A site near Songkhla Lake has been selected as the location for a new airport in Phatthalung province.

🇹🇱 Timor-Leste

Dili Airport

The government of Timor-Leste plans to expand and modernise President Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili.

🇻🇳 Vietnam

Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport

Work began on the expansion of Terminal T2 at Noi Bai International Airport to increase its designed capacity from 10 million to 15 million passengers per year.

The long-term plan is to expand the airport capacity to handle 100 million passengers per year.

Hanoi Second International Airport

A second airport is still in the early planning stages, with the location most likely being south of the city.

Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City)

SGN is the busiest airport in Vietnam and has been chronically over capacity for years. After many delays and false starts, the construction of Terminal 3 is nearing completion.

The government want the terminal ready by Reunification Day on 30 April 2025 (the 50th anniversary of Liberation Day).

Long Thanh International Airport

Long Thanh International Airport will be the second airport of Ho Chi Minh City. Construction is ongoing, and there have been frequent updates with construction photos.

The most recent update said that it will be ready by the end of 2026, while the PM is urging it to be ready by the end of 2025.

Long Thanh will be one of the furthest airports from the city centre in Southeast Asia, so it is concerning that they are taking so long to plan an airport rail link. This should have been built at the same time, but they are still studying the light rail proposal.

Lien Khuong Airport  (Da Lat)

Vietnam plans to more than double the annual capacity of Lien Khuong Airport in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong to 5 million passengers.

Cam Ranh International Airport  (Nha Trang)

Cam Ranh International Airport will install automatic check-in and value-added tax refund systems by Changi Airports International.

Cat Bi International Airport (Hai Phong)

A new cargo terminal is expected to be operational by January 2026.

Dong Hoi Airport

A second passenger terminal (T2) and the expansion of the aircraft apron are underway at Dong Hoi Airport.

Bien Hoa Airport

Approval has been given to turn Bien Hoa Airfield into a dual-use military and civilian airport. Bien Hoa Airport is 32 km from Long Thanh International Airport, both of which are in Dong Nai province. Bien Hoa Airport is about 30 km from Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCMC. 

Bien Hoa Air Base is still undergoing cleanup of dioxin-contaminated soil (Agent Orange was stored here during the war).

Dat Do Airport

Dat Do Airport is a proposed airport in  Ba Ria – Vung Tau province to serve the Ho Tram resort coast. This is a proposal from a property developer.

Like Bien Hoa, Dat Do is close to the mammoth Long Thanh Airport project, so they would be better off putting the money towards building a railway to connect to Long Thanh.

Chu Lai Airport

India’s Adani Group is involved in a pre-feasibility study on expanding Chu Lai Airport in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam.

Vinh International Airport 

Vinh International Airport will be expanded by more than 2.5 hectares, and the number of aircraft stands will be increased from six to nine.

Mang Den Airport (Kon Tum)

The proposed Mang Den Airport in the Central Highlands (approximately 60 km from Kon Tum City) requires an estimated investment of US$193.3 million.

Buon Ma Thuot Airport

There are plans to expand the airport and eventually upgrade it to an international airport.

Phan Thiet Airport

The under-construction Phan Thiet Airport continues to be delayed. There was an update at the start of last year about the bidding procedure for the terminal construction.

Sa Pa Airport

Site clearance work for the airport is finished, and Lao Cai Province is actively calling for investment in the project

Quang Tri Airport

Construction of a new airport in Quang Tri province got underway in July 2024. Dong Ha is the capital of Quang Tri province, though they are naming the airport after the province. Dong Ha is about 70 km northwest of Hue.

Van Phong Airport

Van Phong Airport is a new proposal to build an airport on reclaimed land 65 km north of Nha Trang City. They would be better off adding a high-speed railway station in this area instead of building a new airport.

Gia Binh Airport

Gia Binh Airport in Bac Ninh province (to the east of Hanoi) began construction at the end of 2024. This is primarily a military airport, which is not listed in this report. Some news articles are saying it is a dual-use military/civilian airport, while other reports are saying it is for emergency civilian use (e.g., flights that need to be diverted from Hanoi. The terminal building looks like a civilian airport, so I will check back on this.

Gia Binh Airport

Phu Cat Airport (Quy Nhon)

A second runway, along with connecting taxiways and other necessary infrastructure, has been proposed for Phu Cat Airport.

Ca Mau Airport

Ca Mau Airport will lengthen its runway to accommodate A320/737 aircraft.

Con Dao Airport

Con Dao Airport will also be upgraded to accommodate A320/737 aircraft.

Tay Ninh Airport

Tay Ninh is another new airport proposal that wasn’t included in the national master plan. Tay Ninh province is part of the Greater Ho Chi Minh City Metropolitan region, so it might be better served by building a commuter railway to HCMC.