Dien Bien Airport (IATA:DIN,ICAO:VVDB) is located atĐiện Biên Phủ inVietnam.

Dien Bien Airport Sân bay Điện Biên
Dien Bien Phu Airport old terminal
IATA:DIN ICAO:VVDB
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Airports Corporation of Vietnam
Location	Điện Biên Phủ,Điện Biên,Vietnam
Elevation AMSL	483 m / 1,585 ft
Coordinates	21°23′50″N103°00′28″E / 21.39722°N 103.00778°E /21.39722; 103.00778
Website	www.vietnamairport.vn/dienbienairport
Map
DIN/VVDB Location of airport in Vietnam
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 17/35 2,400[1] 7,874 Concrete

Điện Biên Phủ Airport was established in 1954 asMường Thanh Airfield. The main purpose of it is to serve the French HQ in Điện Biên Phủ at the time of theFirst Indochina War.

4 years after the French left Điện Biên Phủ, in 1958, commercial flights to the airport started, operated by theAir Force, but only for a while due to the low demand at the time. In 1984, along with the 30th Anniversary of theBattle of Dien Bien Phu, flights fromHanoi to Điện Biên Phủ resumed, operated by theAntonov An-24. 10 months later, in January 30, 1995, this route is once again suspended because of the runway needed to be repaired. After the repair, flight resumed, this time being operated by theATR 72. In 2004, the airport's apron is extended to 12000 square meters, with 4 parking stands for ATR 72 aircraft.

Today, Điện Biên Phủ Airport is the largest and only commercial airport serving the city ofĐiện Biên Phủ in particular and the entire Northwest region of Vietnam, after the closure ofNà Sản Airport in 2004. It is located in the middle of a basin at an altitude of 1.611 meters above sea level. The apron and taxiway is 7500 square meters wide, with 4 parking stands for aircraft. The terminal is 2500 square meters wide and is capable of serving 4 flights per day. In 2023, the airport was upgraded with a new 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) × 45 metres (148 ft) runway and associated facilities to make it compatible with bigger-sizednarrow-body airliners such as theAirbus A320/A321 andBoeing 737.^[2]

Dien Bien province People's Committee has approved the temporary closure of the airport following an expansion proposal by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. The closure will start from 1 April 2023 and lasts 6 months. The expansion includes building a new security fences, upgrading terminal's facilities and the lengthening and widening of the runway.

The runway will be extended to 2400 m (7874 ft) and widened to 45 m, enabling the airport to accommodate A320/A321 or equivalent aircraft. The terminal will be upgraded to receive up to 500 thousand passengers per year. On 30 November 2023, the expansion project was completed and the airport resumed all operations on 2 December.^[1]

The project cost is estimated to be aroundVND 1.467 trillion (US$ 62 million), all paid for by ACV.^[3][4]

• List of airports in Vietnam