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Airport guide

Ca Mau Airport

Ca Mau Airport (CAH) is the principal aviation gateway to Vietnam's far south, but it is temporarily closed in September 2026 for a major ACV expansion and upgrade. The project replaces the former small-aircraft constraint with a new 2,400 m × 45 m runway for A320/A321-class aircraft, a three-stand apron and an expanded passenger terminal designed for 500,000 domestic passengers per year, expandable to 1 million. The adjusted 2026 national airport plan retains Ca Mau as a domestic airport and sets a larger 2030 planning horizon of Code 4C and about 3 million passengers per year.

CAH
Overview

Understand the airport as a journey, a gateway and a regional transport system.

The defining fact about Ca Mau Airport in 2026 is construction status, not normal operations. The airport was officially closed from 30 October 2025 through 31 October 2026 so ACV could rebuild the airfield and expand the terminal. VietnamWaving therefore separates the pre-upgrade airport, the infrastructure actually under construction, the expected post-project capability and the broader national 2030 planning envelope.

Key things to understand

  • Principal airport serving Ca Mau and Vietnam's far south.
  • Temporarily closed for major construction in September 2026.
  • Approximately VND 2.4 trillion ACV upgrade project.
  • New 2,400 m × 45 m runway designed for A320/A321 operations.
  • Three-stand A320/A321-class apron.
  • Expanded terminal designed for 500,000 domestic passengers/year.
  • National 2030 plan sets a larger Code 4C / 3-million-passenger planning horizon.
Why it matters

Read the airport as a system, not just a terminal

Strategic role

The project can transform aviation access to a far-southern province whose seafood, energy, tourism and public-service economy has long been constrained by distance.

What makes it distinctive

In 2026 the airport is not merely being refurbished: its aircraft capability is being fundamentally changed from a short-runway regional-aircraft facility toward A320/A321 operations.

What users often miss

The airport is closed, and the 500,000-passenger construction project and 3-million-passenger 2030 national planning figure describe different layers.

In one sentence

CAH is closed for reconstruction now; when the project is commissioned it is intended to handle A320/A321 aircraft and a larger passenger terminal.

Airport identity

What role does this airport actually play?

Role
Principal aviation gateway to Ca Mau, Vietnam's far-southern province.
Iata
CAH
Status
Temporarily closed for major expansion and upgrade works as of September 2026.
Closure Window
07:00 on 30 October 2025 to 23:59 on 31 October 2026, local time, under the official temporary-closure decision.
Pre Upgrade Runway
Approximately 1,500 m; the former airfield was limited to small regional aircraft such as ATR 72.
Project Runway
New 2,400 m × 45 m cement-concrete runway designed for A320/A321 and equivalent aircraft.
Core Insight
Ca Mau Airport should not be described as an operating passenger airport in September 2026: it is in a full temporary closure while its airfield, apron and terminal are being rebuilt or expanded.
Airport essentials

Navigate the terminals without guesswork

Terminals

Passenger terminal

Passenger journey

From check-in to the city — follow the flow

Arrival and departure flow

Current
No normal passenger flow while the airport is temporarily closed for construction.
After Reopening
  • Arrive at upgraded terminal
  • Check in / baggage drop
  • Security screening
  • Gate
  • Board
Rule
Reopening date and airline schedules must be confirmed from live official sources before travel.

Transfer strategy

Getting connected

Reach the city, the region and the wider air network

Surface access

Urban Setting
Airport site is within the Ca Mau urban area, giving it unusually close access to the provincial administrative and commercial centre.
Road
Local urban roads connect the airport with Ca Mau's road network.
Regional
The Can Tho–Ca Mau expressway programme is improving wider Mekong Delta access; opening status of individual sections should be checked at publication.
Construction Rule
Access arrangements can change during the airport construction period.

Air connectivity

Current
Scheduled airport operations are suspended during the temporary closure.
Pre Closure Role
Domestic regional aviation gateway, historically constrained by the short runway and small-aircraft capability.
Post Upgrade Potential
A320/A321 capability materially expands the range of commercially viable domestic services.
National2026 Plan
Ca Mau remains classified as a domestic airport in the adjusted national airport-system plan.
Route Rule
Do not publish future routes or frequencies until airlines and aviation authorities confirm them.
At the airport

Services, accessibility and practical preparation

Passenger services

Current
Passenger terminal services are unavailable during the airport closure.
Project
The existing terminal is being renovated and expanded as part of the approximately VND 2.4 trillion project.
Future Rule
Retail, food, check-in, baggage and other passenger-service details should be reverified after commissioning.

Accessibility

Current
Normal passenger access is suspended during construction.
Future
Accessibility provisions should be assessed from the commissioned terminal rather than inferred from project renderings.
Rule
Passengers needing assistance should coordinate with their airline after services resume.

Family travel

Current Advice
  • Do not plan to fly through CAH while the official closure remains in force.
  • Use road or alternative-airport arrangements.
  • Recheck reopening notices before booking.
Future Strength
A320/A321 operations and a larger terminal should make family access to the far south substantially easier after commissioning.

Before you travel

  • Use CAH as the IATA code.
  • Treat the airport as temporarily closed in September 2026.
  • Official closure window runs through 31 October 2026 unless changed by a newer decision.
  • Do not present the new 2,400 m × 45 m runway as operational before commissioning.
  • Do not present the 500,000-passenger terminal capacity as current operating throughput.
  • Verify reopening and airline schedules before travel.
Operating conditions

Plan for peaks, weather and disruption

Peak periods

Current
Not applicable to airport passenger operations while closed.
Future
Tet, national holidays, business travel and tourism to Dat Mui / U Minh can create stronger demand after reopening.
Rule
Future peak patterns should be reassessed after the upgraded airport establishes a stable flight schedule.

Weather and disruption

Climate
Ca Mau's tropical monsoon climate brings heavy wet-season rain, thunderstorms and localized flooding risk.
Construction
The dominant disruption in September 2026 is the planned full airport closure for construction.
Future Rule
Check aviation weather and operational notices after reopening.

Security and processing

Current
Airport closed to normal civil passenger operations during construction.
Project Airfield
New 2,400 m × 45 m runway, connecting taxiway 128 m × 15 m, and new apron.
Project Apron
Approximately 182 m × 112.5 m, designed for three A320/A321 or equivalent stands.
Systems
Project includes synchronized safety, perimeter, lighting, drainage and precision-landing-related infrastructure.
Rule
Project specifications must not be represented as commissioned operational capability before official reopening.
Airport intelligence

Capacity, growth and the airport's next chapter

Recent capacity development

Pre Upgrade Constraint
Existing 1,500 m runway limited the airport mainly to small regional aircraft.
Current Project
Approximately VND 2.4 trillion expansion and upgrade led by ACV.
New Runway
2,400 m × 45 m, A320/A321 capable.
Terminal
500,000 domestic passengers/year, expandable to 1 million.
National2030 Planning
The May 2026 national airport-system adjustment lists Ca Mau as Code 4C with indicative design capacity of 3 million passengers/year and about 244.43 ha by 2030.
Status Rule
The national 3-million-passenger planning figure is a system-planning horizon, not the capacity of the terminal currently under construction.

Current operations

Status
Temporarily closed for construction.
Closure
30 October 2025 through 31 October 2026 under the published closure period.
Project Progress
CAAV reported in July 2026 that the new passenger-terminal works were visibly taking shape.
Target
Official project communications target completion and return to operation around October 2026.
Critical Rule
Until an official reopening notice is issued, do not describe CAH as currently handling scheduled passenger flights.

Long-term airport planning

Investment Decision
Decision 1188/QĐ-TTg dated 15 October 2024 approved investment policy for the airport expansion and upgrade.
Project
New A320/A321-capable runway, taxiway, three-stand apron, expanded terminal and synchronized supporting infrastructure.
National Plan2026
Ca Mau is one of the domestic airports in the adjusted 2021–2030 national airport system.
2030 Indicator
Code 4C, indicative 3 million passengers/year and 244.43 ha in the May 2026 national planning table.
Status Rule
Separate the ACV construction project from the larger national 2030 planning envelope.
Cargo and investment

See the airport as part of its regional economic network

Cargo gateway

Current
Normal airport operations are suspended during construction.
Future Role
Improved aircraft capability can support time-sensitive cargo serving seafood, high-value products, business and public-service needs.
Constraint
Ca Mau's bulk seafood and industrial logistics remain primarily road, waterway and port oriented.
Rule
Do not assign an airport cargo throughput figure without an authoritative current source.

Regional investment impact

Far South
The upgrade reduces the aviation-access penalty of Vietnam's southernmost mainland economic region.
Seafood
A320/A321 capability strengthens passenger and time-sensitive logistics access to a nationally important shrimp and seafood-processing base.
Tourism
Improved air access can support Dat Mui, U Minh, cultural and coastal tourism.
Energy
The airport also serves a province with major renewable-energy and gas–power–fertilizer investment.
Network
Its value rises alongside expressway, port and coastal-infrastructure investment.
Economic reach

Industrial catchment

01

Ca Mau urban economy

Administration, services and business

Primary passenger catchment.
02

Shrimp and seafood economy

Aquaculture, processing, cold chain and exports

Business travel and time-sensitive logistics.
03

Energy economy

Gas, power, fertilizer and renewable energy

Technical and investment travel.
04

Far-south tourism

Dat Mui, U Minh, wetlands and cultural travel

Visitor gateway after reopening.

Investor checklist

  • Standalone id/slug: ca-mau-airport.
  • provinceSlug: ca-mau.
  • entityRef: ca-mau-airport.
  • IATA code: CAH.
  • Airport is temporarily closed in September 2026.
  • New runway project: 2,400 m × 45 m.
  • Project aircraft capability: A320/A321 and equivalents.
  • Terminal project capacity: 500,000 domestic passengers/year, expandable to 1 million.
  • National 2030 planning indicator: Code 4C / 3 million passengers/year; do not confuse this with the terminal now being built.
Business and investment

Use the airport as a regional decision-making lens

Business travel

Current
CAH cannot currently be relied upon for scheduled business travel because of the construction closure.
Alternatives
Use road transport and other regional airports based on origin and schedule.
Future
The upgrade is strategically important because A320/A321 capability can restore and broaden direct aviation access to the provincial economy.
Rule
Reassess after official reopening and airline schedule publication.

Air vs road vs rail vs sea

Air
Potentially fastest access after reopening, but unavailable during the current closure.
Road
Primary practical access during closure; regional expressway investment is improving connectivity.
Waterway
Important for local and freight movement across the delta and coastal economy.
Sea
Ports are more important for bulk and industrial freight than the airport.
Decision Rule
During closure, plan around road and alternative airports; after reopening compare total journey time and schedule.
Know before you assume

Common airport misconceptions

Airport evolution

How the gateway has changed

Small regional-aircraft airport

The approximately 1,500 m runway limited operations mainly to small regional aircraft such as ATR 72.

Investment policy approved

Decision 1188/QĐ-TTg approves the approximately VND 2.4 trillion expansion and upgrade project.

Major upgrade project launched

ACV begins the expansion and upgrade programme.

Airport closes temporarily

Normal airport operations are suspended so construction can proceed.

New terminal takes shape

CAAV reports visible construction progress inside the new/expanded passenger-terminal works.

National plan confirms larger 2030 horizon

The adjusted national system lists Ca Mau as a domestic Code 4C airport with an indicative 3-million-passenger annual design capacity by 2030.

Published closure endpoint

Official notices set the temporary closure through 31 October 2026, subject to any newer operational decision.

Connections

Explore Vietnam's aviation network

Can Tho–Ca Mau ExpresswayA strategic expressway improving Ca Mau's road connection with Can Tho and the national highway network.
Ca Mau–Dat Mui ExpresswayA major road project intended to connect the provincial centre with Dat Mui and strengthen access to the far-south coastal zone.
Ca Mau Coastal Road NetworkA network of coastal roads and planned links supporting economic zones, wind-energy sites, fisheries, tourism and climate-resilience works.
Port and Logistics EconomyHighways, airport upgrades and the planned Hon Khoai port system are intended to reduce Ca Mau's historic logistics disadvantage.
Seafood Processing and Cold ChainA large seafood-processing base handles shrimp, crab, fish and other marine products for domestic and international markets.
Understand aviation

Airport terms worth knowing

A compact reference for the terminology used throughout this dashboard.

CAH

IATA code used for Ca Mau Airport.

Code 4C

The airport classification used for Ca Mau in the 2030 national airport-system planning table.

A320/A321 capable

The upgrade project's runway, taxiway and apron are designed to support Airbus A320/A321-class aircraft and equivalents.

Temporary closure

Formal suspension of normal airport operations while major construction is underway.

Sources

Where this airport guide comes from

Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam

Temporary closure of Ca Mau Airport

Closure dates and project status.

Airports Corporation of Vietnam

Temporary Closure of Ca Mau Airport from October 30, 2025

Project scope, closure and target completion.

Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam

Ca Mau Airport project site handover

Runway, taxiway, apron and terminal project specifications.

Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam

Inside the new terminal — July 2026

Current construction progress.

Ministry of Construction

Adjusted national airport-system plan 2021–2030, vision 2050

Code 4C and 2030 planning capacity.