As of March 2026, Phu Quoc International Airport, the gateway to the southern Vietnamese island resort of Phu Quoc, is in the midst of a major $47 million (about ¥7 billion) renovation project. The plan includes accommodating large aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350, cutting immigration processing time from 18 minutes to 6 minutes through biometric gates, and adding new direct flights to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong. Runway renovation is expected to be completed around June–August 2026, with the goal of boosting annual passenger handling capacity by 40% within 24 months.
News overview — the full scope of the expansion and new features
The main details of this expansion project are as follows.
| Item | Before renovation | After renovation |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft handled | Narrow-body aircraft only (A320/B737 class) | Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 compatible |
| Immigration time | 18 minutes on average | 6 minutes on average (target within 4 minutes) |
| Check-in counters | Existing counters | 6 added |
| Security lanes | Existing lanes | 3 lanes added |
| Daily passenger capacity | Compared to before | Expanded to a scale of 4,500 people per day |
The biometric gates work with state-of-the-art scanning equipment to process passport scans, facial recognition, and fingerprint verification all at once. A multilingual support system covering 14 languages has also been introduced, providing announcements and signage in major languages, including Japanese.
Singapore's Changi Airports International (CAI) is cooperating on airport operations, bringing in world-class operational expertise. A plan is also underway to further boost passenger handling capacity by 40% within the next two years.
On the route side, daily direct flights to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong have newly launched. A plan has also been announced to add 15 routes within the year, expanding from the current 32 destinations to 47. Sun PhuQuoc Airways has ordered up to 40 Boeing 787s, making long-haul direct flights from Phu Quoc increasingly realistic.
Reactions from Vietnamese readers — voices from local media and social media
"Now Phu Quoc has finally become a true international resort. If foreign tourists can come on direct flights from Singapore or Bangkok, their numbers will surge all at once."
— A Ho Chi Minh City tourism industry figure (interviewed by VietnamPlus)
"Immigration used to take an hour of waiting sometimes. If it's now 6 minutes, I think it'll be really comfortable. I'm looking forward to my next trip."
— A Vietnamese traveler's Facebook post
"Sun Group teaming up with Changi to run the airport is a big change. The quality of Vietnam's airport infrastructure could change from the ground up."
— A comment from a Vietnamese aviation industry analyst (local economic paper)
"Phu Quoc was already popular with international tourists, but if large aircraft can operate, charter flights from Europe, the U.S., and Japan will likely increase too. I do worry that prices on the island might rise too much, though."
— A social media post by a Phu Quoc Island resident
Impact and key points for Japanese tourists
More options for direct flights and connecting routes: With new direct flights to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong, access to Phu Quoc from Japan has improved significantly. For example, by using a Phu Quoc flight via Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi), you can build an itinerary with shorter connection times.
Immigration dramatically shortened: With the introduction of biometric gates, wait times have dropped from 18 minutes to 6 (target within 4 minutes). The stress of standing in long lines after a long flight is gone, letting you enjoy the resort right after arrival. Japanese passport holders may be able to use the e-gates, so check the latest information from Vietnam's immigration authorities before entering.
Larger aircraft raise hopes for more seats and price competition: With wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and A350 operating, seat supply increases, potentially spurring competition in airfare prices. More premium economy and business class options are especially expected.
Enhanced airport facilities: With 22 new duty-free shops and an airport shuttle service (about 12 USD to the beach areas), convenience inside and outside the airport has improved. Duty-free shopping to make use of your time before departure is also more comfortable.
For more on the Phu Quoc airport expansion,see the earlier article on the expansion plan.as well.
