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Airport guide

Pleiku Airport

Pleiku Airport is the principal aviation gateway to Pleiku and the western Central Highlands side of post-2025 Gia Lai. The operating domestic, joint civil–military airport uses IATA code PXU, is ICAO Code 4C, and currently has a 2,400 m × 45 m runway and a passenger terminal of about 3,174.53 m² with design capacity around 600,000 passengers per year. Airport-specific planning approved in 2024 envisages a new terminal, a 3,000 m runway and capacity around 4 million passengers per year by 2030, while the revised national airport-system framework issued in 2026 lists an indicative 5-million-passenger design capacity for Pleiku.

PXU
Overview

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

Only a few kilometres from central Pleiku, the airport is unusually close to its principal urban catchment and gives direct access to the volcanic plateau, coffee country and western highlands. ACV records one 2,400 m × 45 m runway, five aircraft stands and a two-level passenger terminal of approximately 3,174.53 m² designed for around 600,000 passengers per year. The airport-specific master plan approved under Decision 1108/QĐ-BGTVT in September 2024 calls for a new passenger terminal, runway extension to 3,000 m and a 14-stand apron toward 2030. The May 2026 revision of Vietnam's national airport-system plan subsequently lists Pleiku as a domestic Code 4C airport with an indicative 5-million-passenger design capacity. VietnamWaving therefore distinguishes today's infrastructure, the airport-specific development plan and the newer national-system planning context.

Key things to understand

  • Primary aviation gateway to Pleiku and the western highlands of Gia Lai.
  • Operating domestic, joint civil–military ICAO Code 4C airport.
  • IATA code PXU.
  • Current runway measures 2,400 m × 45 m.
  • Existing terminal capacity is approximately 600,000 passengers/year.
  • Airport-specific plan calls for a new terminal and 3,000 m runway toward 2030.
  • Pleiku and Phu Cat form complementary highland and coastal gateways in post-2025 Gia Lai.
Why it matters

Read the airport as a system, not just a terminal

Strategic role

Pleiku Airport is the fast aviation gateway to Gia Lai's volcanic plateau, coffee economy, Indigenous highland culture and western border-facing economy.

What makes it distinctive

Post-merger Gia Lai now has both a highland airport at Pleiku and a coastal airport at Phu Cat, making airport choice part of itinerary design.

What users often miss

The current airport is much smaller than its future planning figures: about 600,000 passengers/year today versus multi-million-passenger design targets.

In one sentence

PXU is Gia Lai's highland airport: a compact Code 4C gateway close to Pleiku, with major terminal and runway expansion planned but not yet equivalent to today's operating infrastructure.

Airport identity

What role does this airport actually play?

Role
Highland aviation gateway for Pleiku and the western plateau of post-2025 Gia Lai.
Airport Type
Domestic, joint civil–military airport.
Iata
PXU
Icao Class
4C
Current Runway
One runway, 2,400 m × 45 m.
Current Terminal
Existing two-level passenger terminal, approximately 3,174.53 m².
Current Capacity
Approximately 600,000 passengers/year.
Current Apron
ACV records five aircraft parking positions.
Planning Baseline
Decision 1108/QĐ-BGTVT (September 2024) approved the airport-specific 2021–2030 plan with vision to 2050; the 2026 revised national airport-system plan should also be tracked.
Airport essentials

Navigate the terminals without guesswork

Terminals

Current terminal

Existing Passenger Terminal

Operating domestic passenger terminal

Use this terminal for
Current arrivals and departures
Connection
Single current passenger-terminal operation; onward travel is by road.
Capacity
Approximately 600,000 passengers/year
Expanded area
Approximately 3,174.53 m²
This is the operating terminal. Do not confuse its capacity with the much larger planned terminal.
Future terminal

Planned New Passenger Terminal

Planned main passenger terminal under the airport master plan

Use this terminal for
Future passenger processing
Connection
Planned within a new civil-aviation area north of the runway.
Capacity
Approximately 4 million passengers/year by 2030, expandable toward 5 million/year by 2050
Planned infrastructure; not an operating terminal.
Passenger journey

From check-in to the city — follow the flow

Arrival and departure flow

Departure
  • Confirm flight and airline
  • Check in and drop baggage
  • Pass aviation security
  • Proceed to gate
  • Board
Arrival
  • Disembark
  • Collect baggage
  • Exit terminal
  • Continue by road into Pleiku or the wider highlands
Current Terminal Rule
Current passenger processing uses the existing compact terminal.
Editorial Rule
Airline counters, routes and procedures are time-sensitive and should be checked live.

Transfer strategy

Pleiku city tripAirport → Pleiku

The airport is only a few kilometres from central Pleiku, making road transfer short.

Volcanic landscape tripAirport → Bien Ho / Chu Dang Ya

Use road transport; combine nearby plateau sights by geography rather than returning to the terminal.

Coastal tripPXU vs UIH

For Quy Nhon and the East Sea side of the enlarged province, compare Phu Cat Airport instead of crossing the province by road.

Getting connected

Reach the city, the region and the wider air network

Surface access

City
ACV places the airport approximately 3 km southwest of central Pleiku.
Road
Road transport is the normal airport access mode.
Highland Backbone
National Highway 14 / Ho Chi Minh Road supports north–south Central Highlands movement.
East West
National Highway 19 is the established east–west road toward An Khe and Quy Nhon.
Future Expressway
The Quy Nhon–Pleiku Expressway is under implementation in 2026 and must not be represented as an operating expressway before official commissioning.

Air connectivity

Market Role
Domestic gateway to Pleiku, the western highlands, coffee country and Cambodia-facing trade geography.
Aircraft
A320, A321 and equivalent-or-smaller Code C aircraft.
Two Airport Province
Pleiku and Phu Cat form complementary highland and coastal aviation gateways in post-2025 Gia Lai.
Network Rule
Airlines, destinations and frequencies change; do not use ACV's older airline list as a current route inventory.
At the airport

Services, accessibility and practical preparation

Passenger services

Terminal
The existing terminal has check-in, security, flight-information, baggage and passenger-service facilities.
Documented Facilities
ACV records 10 check-in counters, 22 flight-information displays, Wi-Fi, baggage trolleys and wheelchairs in its airport introduction.
Service Hours
ACV's published airport profile states 12/24-hour service; verify current operating hours before presenting them as live information.
Editorial Rule
Retail tenants, opening hours and airline service desks require current verification.

Accessibility

Terminal
ACV's airport introduction specifically lists wheelchairs among passenger facilities.
Assistance
Passengers needing boarding, wheelchair or other special assistance should coordinate with the airline before travel.
Ground Transport
Pre-arrange suitable vehicles when accessibility requirements are important.

Family travel

Advantages
  • Very short transfer to Pleiku
  • Compact current terminal
  • Direct gateway to nearby highland landscapes
Planning
  • Check flight status
  • Allow holiday buffers
  • Arrange child seats if required
  • Pre-plan longer transfers to forests, passes or coastal Gia Lai

Before you travel

  • Use PXU as the IATA code.
  • Treat Pleiku Airport as an operating domestic, joint civil–military Code 4C airport.
  • Use 2,400 m × 45 m for the current runway.
  • Use approximately 600,000 passengers/year for the current terminal design capacity.
  • Treat the planned 3,000 m runway, new terminal and 14-stand apron as future development.
  • For Quy Nhon and the coast, compare Phu Cat Airport.
  • Do not present the Quy Nhon–Pleiku Expressway as already open.
Operating conditions

Plan for peaks, weather and disruption

Peak periods

Tourism
Dry-season highland travel, major holidays, gong and cultural events, and seasonal volcanic-landscape trips can increase demand.
Tet
Tet and national holidays can create strong domestic peaks.
Weather
Highland rain, thunderstorms and fog or low cloud can affect aviation and road journeys.
Planning Advice
  • Book early around major holidays
  • Check live flight status
  • Allow road buffers in wet weather

Weather and disruption

Highland Climate
Pleiku's plateau setting brings distinct wet and dry seasons, with seasonal rain and thunderstorms.
Road Travel
Weather can materially affect mountain-pass and forest journeys beyond Pleiku.
Rule
Check both flight status and road/weather conditions when connecting onward.

Security and processing

Classification
ICAO Code 4C; joint civil–military airport.
Current Runway
2,400 m × 45 m.
Current Aircraft
A320/A321 and equivalent or smaller aircraft.
Ils
ACV records investment in an ILS precision-landing system in 2016.
Planning
Airport-specific planning retains Code 4C and military-airfield functions while expanding civil capacity.
Airport intelligence

Capacity, growth and the airport's next chapter

Recent capacity development

Current
Existing passenger terminal approximately 3,174.53 m² with capacity around 600,000 passengers/year; current runway 2,400 m × 45 m.
Airport Specific2030
Decision 1108/QĐ-BGTVT planning: approximately 4 million passengers/year, 4,500 tonnes cargo/year, new passenger terminal, runway extended to 3,000 m × 45 m and apron around 14 stands.
Airport Specific2050
Approximately 5 million passengers/year, 12,000 tonnes cargo/year and apron around 18 stands; expand the new passenger terminal as demand requires.
National2026 Context
Decision 657/QĐ-BXD dated 6 May 2026 lists Pleiku as a domestic Code 4C airport in Gia Lai with an indicative design capacity of 5 million passengers/year in the revised national system framework.
Status Rule
Planning/design capacity must not be presented as current throughput or commissioned infrastructure.

Current operations

Status
Operating.
Iata
PXU.
Classification
Domestic, joint civil–military, ICAO Code 4C.
Runway
One runway, 2,400 m × 45 m.
Terminal
Approximately 3,174.53 m²; capacity around 600,000 passengers/year.
Apron
Five positions documented by ACV.
Role
Primary aviation gateway to Pleiku and the western highlands of Gia Lai.

Long-term airport planning

2030
Code 4C; approximately 4 million passengers/year and 4,500 tonnes cargo/year; extend runway 09/27 by 600 m to 3,000 m × 45 m; build a new passenger terminal and apron for about 14 stands.
2050
Maintain Code 4C; approximately 5 million passengers/year and 12,000 tonnes cargo/year; expand passenger terminal and apron toward about 18 stands.
Airport Specific Plan
Decision 1108/QĐ-BGTVT approved the Pleiku Airport plan for 2021–2030 with vision to 2050.
National Revision2026
Decision 657/QĐ-BXD lists Pleiku at an indicative 5-million-passenger design capacity in the revised national airport-system plan.
Implementation
In 2025 the Ministry of Construction said investment arrangements for the expansion were still being studied; state capital for airfield works had not yet been approved at that time and civil facilities required coordination with ACV or other financing mechanisms.
Status Rule
Separate approved planning from funded, under-construction and commissioned works.
Cargo and investment

See the airport as part of its regional economic network

Cargo gateway

Current Role
Regional belly-cargo and time-sensitive logistics serving the Central Highlands economy.
2030 Airport Specific Plan
Approximately 4,500 tonnes/year.
2050 Airport Specific Plan
Approximately 12,000 tonnes/year.
Planned Facility
A new cargo terminal is included in the airport planning framework.
Regional Fit
  • Coffee and agricultural products
  • Express shipments
  • Business cargo
  • Selected high-value and time-sensitive goods

Regional investment impact

Highland Gateway
Provides fast access to Pleiku and the western plateau.
Agriculture
Supports business connectivity for coffee, forestry, renewable-energy and highland agricultural value chains.
Tourism
Gateway to Bien Ho, Chu Dang Ya, gong culture, Kon Ka Kinh and wider highland landscapes.
East West Integration
The airport complements National Highway 19 and the future Quy Nhon–Pleiku Expressway in the province's border-to-port development logic.
Two Gateway Province
Pleiku and Phu Cat can serve distinct highland and coastal catchments within the enlarged province.
Economic reach

Industrial catchment

01

Pleiku

Highland services, administration, commerce and tourism

Primary passenger and business catchment.
02

Coffee and agricultural plateau

Coffee, rubber, pepper, fruit and processing

Business travel and selected time-sensitive cargo.
03

Western border economy

Cambodia-facing trade and logistics

Air access for business and administration linked to the border corridor.
04

Eastern highland corridor

An Khe, forests, industry and east–west road movement

Road-fed catchment toward the coast.

Investor checklist

  • Use pleiku-airport for id, slug and Province Profile entityRef.
  • Use gia-lai as provinceSlug.
  • Use PXU as IATA code.
  • Treat the airport as domestic, joint civil–military and Code 4C.
  • Use 2,400 m × 45 m for the operating runway.
  • Keep the existing 600,000-passenger terminal separate from the planned new terminal.
  • Treat 3,000 m runway, 14 stands and 4-million-passenger scale as airport-specific 2030 planning.
  • Track the 2026 national-system revision separately, which gives Pleiku an indicative 5-million-passenger design capacity.
  • Do not mark expansion works as operating without verified commissioning.
Business and investment

Use the airport as a regional decision-making lens

Business travel

Strengths
  • Very close to Pleiku
  • Direct highland gateway
  • A320/A321 capability
  • Joint civil–military Code 4C infrastructure
  • Approved expansion framework
Limitations
  • Domestic network
  • Current terminal capacity only about 600,000 passengers/year
  • One current runway
  • Major expansion remains future/implementation-stage infrastructure
Decision Rule
Use PXU for Pleiku and the western plateau; compare Phu Cat for Quy Nhon and the coast.

Air vs road vs rail vs sea

Air
Fastest long-distance access to Pleiku when suitable domestic flights operate.
Road
Essential for onward distribution across the highlands and for east–west travel.
Nh19
National Highway 19 is the established operating corridor between Pleiku, An Khe and Quy Nhon.
Expressway
The Quy Nhon–Pleiku Expressway is a strategic project under implementation in 2026, not yet an operating substitute for NH19.
Coastal Air
Phu Cat Airport is the complementary gateway for the coastal side of Gia Lai.
Decision Rule
Choose PXU or Phu Cat based on the final destination in the very large post-merger province.
Know before you assume

Common airport misconceptions

Airport evolution

How the gateway has changed

Military-era airfield

ACV records the airport's origins as a primarily military airfield.

Civil aviation network develops

Post-war civil services connect Pleiku with other Vietnamese aviation centres.

New civil-aviation area enters service

ACV records the newer civil aviation facilities entering operation in March 2003.

Major runway and terminal upgrade

ACV upgrades and extends the airfield and passenger terminal; the synchronized project enters service in September 2015.

ILS and apron investment

ACV invests in a precision-landing system and additional apron capability.

Airport-specific master plan approved

Decision 1108/QĐ-BGTVT approves the 2021–2030 plan with vision to 2050.

Gia Lai becomes a mountains-to-sea province

The merger with former Binh Dinh places Pleiku and Phu Cat airports inside one enlarged province.

National airport-system framework revised

Decision 657/QĐ-BXD lists Pleiku as a domestic Code 4C airport with an indicative 5-million-passenger design capacity.

Connections

Explore Vietnam's aviation network

Phu Cat AirportThe province's main commercial airport serves Quy Nhơn and the wider region.
Ho Chi Minh Road / National Highway 14A major road corridor connects Pleiku with other Central Highlands provinces.
National Highway 19The road links Quy Nhơn through An Khê and Pleiku toward the Cambodia frontier.
Quy Nhon–Pleiku ExpresswayThe strategic expressway is a priority project intended to transform travel and freight between the plateau and coast.
Bien HoA crater-related freshwater lake and one of the old Gia Lai highlands' most recognisable landscapes.
Chu Dang Ya VolcanoA striking extinct volcanic cone surrounded by fields and famous for seasonal wild-sunflower scenery.
Understand aviation

Airport terms worth knowing

A compact reference for the terminology used throughout this dashboard.

PXU

IATA airport code for Pleiku Airport.

Code 4C

ICAO aerodrome reference classification applying to Pleiku's operating/planned civil-airport role.

ILS

Instrument Landing System; ACV records an ILS investment at Pleiku in 2016.

Airport-specific plan

The detailed Pleiku Airport plan approved in 2024 under Decision 1108/QĐ-BGTVT.

National-system plan

The wider national airport-network planning framework, revised in 2026.

Sources

Where this airport guide comes from

Airports Corporation of Vietnam

General information — Pleiku Airport

Current/basic airport infrastructure, terminal capacity and development history.

Source ↗
Ministry of Construction

Decision 657/QĐ-BXD dated 6 May 2026

Revised national airport-system planning context.

Source ↗
Government News

Viet Nam releases revised national airport system development plan

Current 2026 domestic/international airport-network classification.

Source ↗
Government News

Study expansion of Pleiku Airport under PPP

Airport-specific 2030/2050 capacity and implementation/financing context.

Source ↗