Phu Cat Airport is the principal commercial aviation gateway for Quy Nhon and the coastal half of post-2025 Gia Lai. The operating airport has IATA code UIH, a 3,048 m × 45 m runway and a passenger terminal opened in 2018 with design capacity of about 1.5 million passengers per year. Its defining 2026 development story is the second-runway programme and associated airfield works, which must remain clearly distinguished from infrastructure already commissioned.
UIH
Overview
Understand the airport as a journey, a gateway and a regional transport system.
Phu Cat serves Quy Nhon, the province's political-administrative centre, and the wider coastal economy inherited from former Binh Dinh. ACV describes the operating airport with one 3,048 m × 45 m runway, an approximately 8,397 m² passenger terminal and 24-hour service capability. The 2018 terminal was designed for about 1.5 million passengers annually with potential expansion to 2.4 million. The airport-specific master plan for 2021–2030 targets Code 4C, 5 million passengers and 12,000 tonnes of cargo annually, including a second parallel runway. In 2026 that runway programme is an active strategic project. VietnamWaving therefore separates the existing airport, the works under implementation and long-term planning rather than collapsing all three into one capacity figure.
Key things to understand
Principal commercial air gateway for Quy Nhon and coastal Gia Lai.
IATA code UIH.
Existing runway 15/33 measures 3,048 m × 45 m.
Passenger terminal opened in 2018 and covers approximately 8,397 m².
Current terminal design capacity is approximately 1.5 million passengers per year.
A second 3,048 m × 45 m runway is the airport's defining expansion project in 2026.
Airport-specific planning targets 5 million passengers/year by 2030 and 7 million/year in the 2050 vision.
Phu Cat and Pleiku form complementary coastal and highland aviation gateways for enlarged Gia Lai.
Why it matters
Read the airport as a system, not just a terminal
Strategic role
Phu Cat gives Quy Nhon and coastal Gia Lai direct national aviation access and supports tourism, business, logistics and investment.
What makes it distinctive
Its 2026 transformation toward a two-runway configuration coincides with the creation of a much larger Gia Lai linking the Central Highlands directly to the East Sea.
What users often miss
The airport's current terminal capacity, airport master-plan capacity and second-runway construction status are three different things.
In one sentence
Phu Cat is Quy Nhon's airport: an operating coastal gateway with a 3,048 m runway and 2018 terminal, now undergoing a major second-runway expansion.
Airport identity
What role does this airport actually play?
Role
Principal commercial air gateway for Quy Nhon and coastal Gia Lai.
Airport Type
Domestic airport and joint civil-military airfield.
Iata
UIH
Status
Operating while major airfield expansion is being implemented.
Planning Class
ICAO Code 4C under the current airport master plan.
Existing Runway
Runway 15/33, 3,048 m × 45 m.
Terminal
Passenger terminal opened in 2018; approximately 8,397 m².
Terminal Design Capacity
1.5 million passengers/year, designed with expansion potential to 2.4 million.
Core Insight
Phu Cat is already the main aviation gateway to Quy Nhon, but its strategic story in 2026 is the transition from a one-runway airport toward a two-runway, higher-capacity gateway.
Airport essentials
Navigate the terminals without guesswork
Terminals
Passenger terminal
Primary domestic passenger-processing facility for Quy Nhon and coastal Gia Lai.
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Passenger journey
From check-in to the city — follow the flow
Arrival and departure flow
Departure
Arrive at the passenger terminal
Check in and drop baggage
Complete security screening
Proceed to departure lounge
Board
Arrival
Disembark
Collect baggage
Enter arrivals area
Continue by road toward Quy Nhon or other Gia Lai destinations
Planning Advice
Allow extra time during holiday peaks and while construction activity continues around the airfield.
Transfer strategy
Getting connected
Reach the city, the region and the wider air network
Surface access
Quy Nhon
The airport is roughly 35 km northwest of central Quy Nhon according to ACV's airport information.
Road Network
Road access links the airport with National Highway 1 and the Quy Nhon urban/coastal area.
Regional Role
The enlarged Gia Lai now extends from the East Sea to the Cambodian frontier, so Phu Cat is the coastal aviation gateway rather than a uniformly convenient airport for the entire province.
Future Context
The Quy Nhon–Pleiku expressway and other strategic road projects can strengthen airport catchment when officially commissioned.
Editorial Rule
Do not present under-construction expressway infrastructure as already operating.
Air connectivity
Market Role
Domestic gateway for Quy Nhon tourism, business and the former Binh Dinh coastal economy.
Network Rule
Airline routes and frequencies are time-sensitive and must be checked against live airline schedules.
International Status
Do not describe Phu Cat as an international airport unless its legal/operational status is officially changed.
Two Airport Province
Post-merger Gia Lai has two commercial aviation gateways: Phu Cat for the coast and Pleiku Airport for the plateau.
At the airport
Services, accessibility and practical preparation
Passenger services
Terminal Facilities
Check-in facilities
Baggage handling
Security screening
Departure lounges
Commercial services
VIP/business lounge areas
Passenger boarding equipment
Terminal Systems
ACV describes modern passenger-processing, baggage, security, information, fire-safety and building-service systems.
Service Hours
ACV's airport information lists 24/24 service capability.
Editorial Rule
Specific retail tenants and opening hours should be verified before publication.
Accessibility
Terminal
The 2018 terminal includes lifts and escalators among its building systems.
Assistance
Passengers needing mobility or boarding assistance should coordinate with their airline in advance.
Ground Transport
Pre-arrange suitable transport when accessibility requirements are important.
Editorial Rule
Do not claim a specific accessibility certification without authoritative verification.
Family travel
Strengths
Single passenger terminal
Direct gateway for Quy Nhon
Modern 2018 terminal
Road access to coastal tourism areas
Planning
Confirm the live flight schedule.
Arrange onward transport.
Allow additional time during holiday peaks.
Account for construction-related traffic or access changes.
Before you travel
Use UIH as the IATA code.
Confirm live airline schedules.
Remember that Phu Cat is the coastal gateway of enlarged Gia Lai.
Allow road-transfer time to Quy Nhon.
Do not treat the second runway as operating until officially commissioned.
Do not confuse future master-plan capacity with current terminal capacity.
Operating conditions
Plan for peaks, weather and disruption
Peak periods
Tourism
Quy Nhon's beach season and major events can concentrate demand.
Holidays
Tet and national holidays can produce strong domestic peaks.
Construction
Airfield expansion works may require operational coordination even while the airport remains open.
Planning Advice
Book early in peak periods.
Check flight status.
Allow buffer time for road access.
Weather and disruption
Climate
South Central Coast weather includes seasonal heavy rain, thunderstorms and tropical-weather risk.
Storm Season
Coastal storms and heavy rain can affect flights and surface access.
Construction Context
Airfield construction is being coordinated with continuing civil and military operations.
Passenger Rule
Use live airline and airport information during adverse weather.
Security and processing
Joint Use
Phu Cat is a joint civil-military airfield.
Existing Runway
Runway 15/33 is 3,048 m × 45 m.
Existing Apron Baseline
ACV's airport information describes eight A320/A321 parking positions in the referenced operating configuration.
Planning Aircraft
The current master plan focuses on Code C aircraft such as A320/A321 and equivalents, with Code E reception possible when required.
Editorial Rule
Aircraft capability does not mean a specific aircraft type is currently scheduled.
Airport intelligence
Capacity, growth and the airport's next chapter
Recent capacity development
Existing Terminal
1.5 million passengers/year design capacity; expansion potential to approximately 2.4 million under the 2018 terminal design.
Current Master Plan
The airport-specific 2021–2030 master plan targets 5 million passengers/year and 12,000 tonnes cargo/year, with 16 aircraft parking positions.
Long Term Master Plan
The airport-specific vision to 2050 targets 7 million passengers/year and 27,000 tonnes cargo/year, with 20 aircraft parking positions.
National2026 Plan
A 2026 national airport-system planning document lists Phu Cat at Code 4C with projected design capacity of 7 million passengers/year and approximately 948.56 ha by 2030.
Status Rule
Planning targets are not current operating capacity.
Current operations
Status
Operating in 2026.
Iata
UIH.
Terminal
Approximately 8,397 m²; 1.5 million passengers/year design capacity.
Existing Runway
One operating runway, 3,048 m × 45 m.
Second Runway
A second runway and synchronized airfield works are under active development in 2026; official commissioning must be verified before describing it as operational.
Joint Use
Civil-military operations continue during the expansion programme.
Long-term airport planning
Master Plan2021 2030
Code 4C; 5 million passengers/year; 12,000 tonnes cargo/year; second parallel runway 3,048 m × 45 m; apron planned for 16 positions.
Vision2050
Code 4C; 7 million passengers/year; 27,000 tonnes cargo/year; apron planned for 20 positions.
Runway Configuration
The airport-specific plan retains the existing 3,048 m × 45 m runway and adds runway 2 of the same dimensions, approximately 215 m west of the existing runway.
Approach
CAT II is the airport-specific planning target.
Editorial Rule
Use the latest official project status for runway 2 and never infer commissioning from construction completion alone.
Cargo and investment
See the airport as part of its regional economic network
Cargo gateway
Current Role
Regional air-cargo opportunity linked to seafood, agriculture, express logistics and high-value products.
Master Plan2030
12,000 tonnes/year under the airport-specific 2021–2030 plan.
Vision2050
27,000 tonnes/year under the airport-specific long-term vision.
Regional Fit
The airport can complement Quy Nhon Port and road logistics for time-sensitive cargo.
Editorial Rule
Planning capacity is not actual cargo throughput.
Regional investment impact
Tourism
Supports direct access to Quy Nhon, Ky Co, Eo Gio, Phuong Mai, Champa heritage and the wider coast.
Industry
Strengthens access to Nhon Hoi Economic Zone and coastal industrial development.
Logistics
Complements Quy Nhon Port and the province's east–west logistics strategy.
Post Merger Role
Together with Pleiku Airport, Phu Cat creates a two-airport system inside a province stretching from Cambodia to the East Sea.
Expansion Effect
The second-runway programme can improve resilience and support future traffic growth after commissioning.
Economic reach
Industrial catchment
01
Quy Nhon metropolitan coast
Services, tourism, commerce and government
Primary passenger and business market.02
Nhon Hoi Economic Zone
Industry, logistics, urban and tourism development
Strategic business and investment catchment.03
Quy Nhon Port system
Maritime logistics and Central Highlands gateway
Potential multimodal business and time-sensitive cargo demand.04
Coastal Gia Lai
Tourism, fisheries, manufacturing and services
Core regional catchment.05
Central Highlands corridor
Agriculture, processing, trade and logistics
Longer-range catchment strengthened by future high-speed road connectivity.
Investor checklist
Use phu-cat-airport as Province Profile entityRef.
Use phu-cat-airport as standalone slug and id.
Use gia-lai as provinceSlug.
Use UIH as IATA code.
Treat Phu Cat as operating.
Treat runway 2 as a development/commissioning project until official operational confirmation.
Use 3,048 m × 45 m for the existing runway.
Use approximately 8,397 m² for the 2018 passenger terminal.
Use 1.5 million passengers/year as current terminal design capacity.
Keep 5 million/12,000 tonnes and 7 million/27,000 tonnes clearly labelled as planning targets.
Business and investment
Use the airport as a regional decision-making lens
Business travel
Strengths
Closest commercial airport for Quy Nhon
Modern passenger terminal
Direct access to the coastal economic corridor
Proximity to Nhon Hoi and Quy Nhon business activity
Limitations
Primarily domestic network
Road transfer still required to central Quy Nhon
Western Gia Lai is better served by Pleiku Airport for many journeys
Major airfield works remain a 2026 operational context
Decision Rule
Use Phu Cat for Quy Nhon and coastal Gia Lai; compare Pleiku Airport for highland destinations.
Air vs road vs rail vs sea
Air
Best for long-distance domestic access to Quy Nhon when nonstop flights are available.
Road
Essential for airport transfers and for movement across enlarged Gia Lai.
Rail
North–South railway access in the coastal corridor can be competitive for some intercity trips.
Port
Quy Nhon Port is complementary for freight, not a passenger substitute.
Decision Rule
Compare total door-to-door time, destination within the enlarged province and live flight availability.
Know before you assume
Common airport misconceptions
Phu Cat Airport is now in post-merger Gia Lai province, although older sources correctly place it in former Binh Dinh.
The airport is not the only commercial airport in enlarged Gia Lai; Pleiku Airport serves the highland side.
The second runway should not be described as operational merely because construction or calibration milestones have been reached.
The current passenger terminal's design capacity is 1.5 million passengers/year; higher figures belong to planning horizons.
Code E reception capability does not make Phu Cat a Code 4E airport under the current airport-specific master plan.
Phu Cat should not be called an international airport unless official status changes.
Airport evolution
How the gateway has changed
New passenger terminal opens
The current passenger terminal entered operation in May 2018 with design capacity of approximately 1.5 million passengers per year.
Current airport-specific master plan approved
The 2021–2030 plan with vision to 2050 set a two-runway development framework and higher passenger and cargo targets.
Phu Cat becomes part of enlarged Gia Lai
The merger of former Gia Lai and Binh Dinh places the airport inside a province stretching from the Cambodian frontier to the East Sea.
Second-runway programme advances
Construction and commissioning preparation for runway 2 and synchronized airfield works are a major provincial infrastructure priority.
Higher-capacity two-runway airport
The airport-specific master plan targets 5 million passengers and 12,000 tonnes of cargo annually, with 16 aircraft parking positions.
Long-term coastal gateway
The airport-specific vision targets 7 million passengers and 27,000 tonnes of cargo annually, with 20 aircraft parking positions.