Da Nang International Airport, the gateway to central Vietnam, is making a major expansion to its chronically crowded domestic terminal (T1). The expansion plan, approved by the Da Nang City People's Committee, will invest more than 9.9 trillion dong (over $377 million, about 56.5 billion yen) to expand the terminal's floor area to 96,000 square meters. Construction will run from Q3 2027 through Q1 2029. For Japanese travelers and business visitors who use Da Nang as a base for Hoi An, Hue, or Ba Na Hills, the operational changes during this construction period aren't something to ignore.
Floor Area to Expand to 96,000 sqm, Investment of About 56.5 Billion Yen
The plan adds more than 42,000 square meters to the existing T1, bringing the standard floor area — including domestic and international passenger flow — to a combined 96,000 square meters. The project is being carried out by the Da Nang branch of Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the state-owned airport operator. The investment exceeds 9.9 trillion dong, equivalent to more than $377 million as cited alongside the dong figure in reporting.
Working backward from the dong and dollar figures gives an exchange rate of roughly 1 dollar = 26,300 dong, which is close to the actual rate as of August 2026. For the yen conversion, this article uses 1 dollar = 150 yen, arriving at about 56.5 billion yen (9.9 trillion dong ÷ 26,300 ≒ $377 million, × 150 yen). For the expansion of a single terminal building, this is a large-scale investment.
T1, Opened in 2011, Has Chronically Exceeded Its Design Capacity of 14 Million Passengers
The reason for the expansion is simple: the existing building has long exceeded its capacity. The 12.2-hectare T1 opened in 2011 at a cost of 1.34 trillion dong ($51 million, about 7.7 billion yen at 1 dollar = 150 yen), but it has been crowded from the start against its designed capacity of 14 million passengers a year. Da Nang serves as a gateway to beach resorts and World Heritage sites (the Hoi An Ancient Town, Hue, and My Son Sanctuary), and as demand for both domestic and international flights has grown, long lines at check-in and security during morning and evening peaks have become the norm.
How much this expansion will raise annual processing capacity isn't specified in the publicly released details of the approved plan. This article limits itself to the facts as confirmed: a terminal that had long exceeded its designed capacity of 14 million passengers is being expanded to a floor area of 96,000 square meters.
Construction Runs Q3 2027 to Q1 2029, With a New Multi-Story Parking Structure and Traffic Flow Also Being Built
Construction is scheduled to begin in Q3 2027 and be completed by Q1 2029. The expanded facilities include not just the passenger terminal itself but a multi-story parking structure, wastewater treatment facilities, an overpass (flyover), on-site traffic circulation, and electrical and mechanical equipment areas. In other words, the construction's impact may extend beyond the terminal building itself to the parking and access roads around the airport.
Since construction begins in the latter half of 2027, visits to Da Nang in 2026 through the first half of 2027 are unlikely to see major disruption. The impact will kick in for travel and business trips overlapping the construction period, from late 2027 through early 2029.
Using Da Nang Between 2027 and 2029? Build In Extra Time and Room to Move
Here are the practical points worth knowing if you're using Da Nang Airport during the construction period.
- Allow extra time at the airport. During the expansion work, check-in and security lines may switch to temporary arrangements. For itineraries with a domestic connection, it's safer to allow more connection time than usual.
- Confirm parking and pickup locations in advance. With the new multi-story parking structure under construction, parking spots and pickup/drop-off areas for transfer vehicles may change. When using a hotel transfer or Grab, it's worth confirming the meeting point closely with your driver.
- The airport's closeness to the city stays the same. Da Nang Airport's key advantage is being about 15 minutes from the city center by taxi, and this convenience is basically maintained during construction. Even for early-morning or late-night flights, the travel burden stays light.
- Check the latest operational announcements before you leave. Since construction spans a year and a half, the entrances and counters in use will shift depending on the phase of work. It's a good idea to check airline and airport announcements right before you travel.
Japan Routes to and From Da Nang, and Planning With the Expansion in Mind
From Japan, direct flights to Da Nang mainly depart from Narita and Kansai, while travelers from other regions generally connect via Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. For travelers and business visitors headed to central Vietnam's resorts, the boost to Da Nang Airport's processing capacity points toward more future flight slots and less congestion, which works in your favor when planning trips from 2029 onward.
That said, airport development in Vietnam isn't limited to Da Nang. Near Ho Chi Minh City, international flights are gradually shifting to the newly built Long Thanh Airport, and carriers like Vietjet are also expanding their Japan routes. Both central and southern Vietnam are in the middle of overhauling their air gateways, and over the next few years it will pay off to get in the habit of checking, for each destination, which airport and which terminal you'll actually be using when you plan your itinerary. For Da Nang specifically, the approach is simple: allow extra time during construction, and expect less congestion once it's done.
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- Vietjet Launches Two New Routes: Ho Chi Minh City–Nagoya and Ho Chi Minh City–Fukuoka
