New airport near Hanoi courts airlines at Routes World 2026

Vietnam's Gia Binh International Airport appeared internationally for the first time at Routes World 2026, held in Frankfurt from 21 to 23 October. The event gathers aviation decision-makers from over 120 countries and more than 240 airlines.

The airport, being developed in Bac Ninh province about 40 kilometres east of central Hanoi, held more than 30 meetings with carriers and other industry figures. Talks covered development plans, passenger links, possible cargo work and cooperation with tourism bodies.

The developers say more than 30% of northern Vietnam's possible international travel demand still lacks direct flights, which they put at four to five million passengers a year. Initial plans allow for about 30 million passengers annually, with longer-term growth towards 50 million. The main terminal is targeted to open in 2029, with a smaller VIP facility set for 2027 ahead of the APEC summit.

What it means for travellers from India

• India is named among the early network priorities for the future airport, alongside major Vietnamese cities and destinations in Northeast and Southeast Asia.
• The meetings are early-stage talks, not confirmed route agreements, so no new flights or connections have been finalised as reported on 22 Oct 2026.
• The main passenger terminal is scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2029, meaning direct services from India would not be available before then.