The flight suspension at Lien Khuong airport is to serve the construction, repair and upgrading of runways and taxiways. This is considered the longest closure period ever at Da Lat's gateway airport. All flights to and from the city of thousands of flowers were interrupted for nearly 6 months, coinciding with the summer tourist peak and the cool plateau season favored by many tourists.
According to announcements from airlines and functional agencies, all regular domestic and international flights to Da Lat during the above period will be temporarily suspended.
Passengers are forced to adjust their travel plans, especially resort tours, honeymoons and family tours that have been booked months in advance.
Policy on ticket exchange and refund for customers
Immediately after receiving information about the temporary closure of the airport, airlines simultaneously launched policies to support passengers.
Accordingly, Vietnam Airlines said it will stop all routes to and from Da Lat from March 4 to August 25, 2026, and at the same time support passengers to change flight dates or itinerary once for free.
In case passengers need ticket refunds due to no longer having travel plans, the airline accepts the entire ticket price and accompanying support services without charge, applicable until the end of August 31, 2026. If a ticket price difference arises when changing the itinerary, the difference will be calculated according to regulations at the time of ticket re-issuance.
Similarly, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways and Vietravel Airlines also issued flight schedule adjustment notices and guided customers to proactively check emails, messages or contact switchboards, ticket offices, and agents to get the fastest support.
On tourism forums and social networks, many passengers shared that they had received automatic flight cancellation notifications and were advised to switch to flying to nearby airports or reserve tickets for the time after the airport resumes operation.
Alternative route to Da Lat
During the time Lien Khuong airport is temporarily closed, tourists can choose alternative transportation options to go to Da Lat. The most common is flying to Cam Ranh International Airport, about 105 km from the center of Da Lat, then continuing to travel by car through Khanh Le Pass for about 3 hours. This is considered the most convenient option due to the high frequency of flights to Cam Ranh, especially from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
In addition, passengers can also fly to Buon Ma Thuot Airport or Tan Son Nhat International Airport, then continue by passenger car, limousine or personal vehicle. The Ho Chi Minh City - Da Lat route currently has many high-quality sleeper bus companies operating continuously throughout the day, travel time is about 6 - 8 hours.
For tourists from the Central and Northern provinces, changing the flight direction to Ho Chi Minh City and traveling by road to Da Lat is also a choice advised by many travel companies.
Lien Khuong International Airport is currently ranked as a 4D-class airport according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, with an operating capacity of about 2.5-3 million passengers per year.
The airport can receive aircraft such as B757, A300 and equivalent types. This is an important aviation hub of Lam Dong province as well as the Central Highlands region, serving both domestic and international, regular and charter flights.
According to the plan for the 2021-2030 period, the airport will be upgraded to 4E standard, aiming for a capacity of 5 million passengers and 20,000 tons of cargo per year. Orientation to 2050, the expected operating output will reach about 7 million passengers and 30,000 tons of cargo/year.
In the coming time, Terminal T1 will still be maintained with a capacity of 2 million passengers/year, and at the same time, Terminal T2 will be built with a scale of about 3 million passengers/year, creating a foundation for further expansion steps to meet long-term growth needs.
