The Minister of Construction has just approved the adjustment of the National Airport System Plan for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.
According to the plan, Cao Bang Airport is identified as one of 19 international airports and is being studied to increase its scale from level 4C to level 4E.
According to the decision approving the adjustment of the plan, in the period 2021-2030, the whole country will focus on managing, investing and effectively exploiting existing airports, and at the same time study planning and form 36 airports.
In the list of 19 international airports, Cao Bang Airport is planned with airports such as Van Don, Cat Bi, Noi Bai, Gia Binh, Ninh Binh, Tho Xuan, Vinh, Phu Bai, Da Nang, Chu Lai, Van Phong, Cam Ranh, Lien Khuong, Long Thanh, Tan Son Nhat, Can Tho, Phu Quoc and Con Dao.
Previously, in June 2026, a working delegation of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam led by Director Uong Viet Dung surveyed the actual locations planned for airport construction in Cao Bang province.
Through surveying and analyzing the options, the working group oriented the selection of location No. 6 in Tan Giang ward as a more feasible option thanks to the advantage of connecting with the Bac Kan - Cao Bang expressway and the Dong Dang - Tra Linh expressway.
According to the People's Committee of Cao Bang province, after the survey, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam will have an assessment document sent to the locality to complete the planning dossier, and at the same time consider adjusting the scale of Cao Bang Airport from level 4C to level 4E.
Previously, Cao Bang province proposed to the Ministry of Construction to study, comprehensively assess and consider adjusting the scale of the airport. According to the locality, the scale of level 4C determined in the current plan does not meet long-term development requirements.
Level 4C airports are capable of receiving narrow-body aircraft such as Airbus A320, A321 or Boeing 737, mainly serving short-haul domestic and international routes.
Meanwhile, the 4E-class airport can operate wide-body aircraft such as Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Airbus A330 and Airbus A350 with runways over 3,000 m long, meeting international routes as well as large-scale freight transport.
Cao Bang provincial leaders believe that investing in airports according to 4E standards right from the initial stage will contribute to improving inter-regional connectivity capacity, expanding international intermodal capacity and synchronization with the expressway system being deployed in the area.
According to local assessments, this option also has long-term advantages in limiting costs of upgrading and expansion in the future, while creating conditions for cross-border logistics development and effectively exploiting tourism potential.
Preliminary research by the province shows that the areas planned for airport planning have sufficient land fund and terrain conditions to arrange runways from 3,000-3,500 m long, meeting airport standards of level 4E without significantly increasing site clearance costs compared to level 4C plan.
