Plan your trip
Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR)
Short answer
Yes. Nha Trang has no commercial airport of its own. Every flight advertised to Nha Trang lands at Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR), around 35 km south of the city.
Almost everyone who says they are going to Nha Trang lands here instead. CXR sits at the south end of the resort strip, which makes it one of the rare airports that is closer to the beach than the city is.
| Name | Cam Ranh International Airport |
|---|---|
| Vietnamese name | Cang hang khong quoc te Cam Ranh |
| IATA | CXR |
| ICAO | VVCR |
| Operator | Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV); international terminal T2 operated by Cam Ranh International Terminal JSC (CRTC) |
| Coordinates | 11 59 53 N, 109 13 10 E |
| Elevation | 12 |
| News 2025 2026 |
|
Runways
| Designation | Length M | Width M | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02L/20R | 3048 | 46 | original runway |
| 02R/20L | 3048 | 46 | second parallel runway, commissioned 10 October 2019 |
Terminals
T 1
| Use | Domestic |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 2009-12-12 |
| Floor area | 14,000 |
| Capacity M pax/yr | 2.7 |
| Note | Construction began 2007; capacity upgraded to 2.7 million passengers/year in 2015-2016 |
T 2
| Use | International |
|---|---|
| Opened | 2018-06-30 |
| Floor area | 50,500 |
| Investment (VND) | 3,735,000,000,000 |
| Aerobridges | 4 |
| Gates | 10 |
| Check In Counters | 80 |
| Note | Architecture inspired by a swallow's nest; built by Turner Construction; Skytrax 4-star rated |
T 3
| Status | Planned, not under construction as of the master plan approval |
|---|---|
| Capacity M pax/yr | 14 |
| Target Year | by 2050 |
| Note | New T3 to be built on the southern side under the approved 2021-2030/vision-2050 master plan |
General Aviation
| Status | Planned |
|---|---|
| Note | A plot of nearly 1.6 ha between T1 and T3 designated for a general-aviation/private-jet terminal, plus a VIP/government terminal and helicopter facilities |
Master Plan 2050
| Decision | Decision No. 872/QD-BXD, Ministry of Construction |
|---|---|
| Period | 2021-2030 with vision to 2050 |
| Capacity 2030 M pax/yr | 19 |
| Capacity 2050 M pax/yr | 36 |
| Cargo 2030 Tonnes | 50,000 |
| Cargo 2050 Tonnes | 100,000 |
| Total Investment (VND) | 39,376,000,000,000 |
| Investment 2021 2030 (VND) | 24,311,000,000,000 |
| Investment 2030 2050 (VND) | 15,065,000,000,000 |
| Land Area Ha | 628.41 |
| Terminal Capacities | T1 to 11 million pax/yr by 2030 and 14 million by 2050; T2 to 8 million pax/yr; new T3 14 million pax/yr by 2050 |
| Access Road | 6-lane trunk road from Nguyen Tat Thanh Street to the terminal areas |
| Reported Date | 2026-06-06 |
Distances
| Item | km | Drive (minutes) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| To Bai Dai Beach Strip | 10 | about 10-15 | Bai Dai resort strip begins a few km north of the airport on the Cam Ranh peninsula; roughly 15 km of resorts line the beach |
| To Cam Ranh Town | n/a | n/a | Airport lies on the Cam Ranh peninsula north of the former Cam Ranh city centre (Ba Ngoi) |
| To Nha Trang | 35 | 40-60 | Wikipedia states 30 km; Vietnam Airlines and travel guides state about 35 km to Nha Trang city centre |
Passengers
| Latest Year | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Rank | Fourth busiest airport in Vietnam; the only Vietnamese airport that handles more international than domestic passengers |
| Year | Total | International |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 683,000 | n/a |
| 2015 | 2,722,833 | 889,820 |
| 2016 | 4,858,362 | 2,244,786 |
| 2017 | 6,400,000 | 3,650,903 |
| 2018 | 8,250,000 | 5,211,987 |
| 2019 | 9,747,172 | 6,500,000 |
| 2020 | 3,305,057 | n/a |
| 2021 | 972,817 | 17,963 |
| 2022 | 3,860,541 | 335,118 |
| 2023 | 5,700,000 | 2,400,000 |
| 2024 | 6,800,000 | 4,200,000 |
| 2025 | 7,300,000 | 4,700,000 |
| 2026 forecast | n/a | 5,200,000 |
Airlines And Routes
| Base Airline | VietJet Air (operating base) |
|---|---|
| Airline Count | More than 30 airlines operate at CXR; 17 new international airlines added since 2024, 13 of them in 2025 |
| Destination Count | Around 29 non-stop destinations in about 10 countries (secondary source) |
| Domestic |
|
| Domestic Carriers |
|
International
| Item | Served | Destinations | Airlines | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | Yes | Seoul-Incheon, Busan, Daegu, Cheongju | Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Air Busan, Jeju Air, T'way Air, Eastar Jet, Jin Air, Parata Air, Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air | Largest international market; about 19 flights/day from Korea to Cam Ranh as of June 2025 |
| China | Yes | Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing, Tianjin, Kunming, Xining, Shenzhen | China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Lucky Air, VietJet Air | n/a |
| Russia | Yes | Moscow, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg | Aeroflot, Azur Air, Ikar (Pegas Fly), Nordwind Airlines, IrAero, Red Wings, VietJet Air | Aeroflot resumed Moscow-Cam Ranh on 23 March 2025 with 292 passengers, initially 3x weekly; Nordwind returned after a five-year gap; over 30 direct flights weekly from Russian cities as of 2025. Many Russian services are seasonal charters. |
| Kazakhstan | Yes | Almaty | Air Astana, Sunday Airlines | n/a |
| Uzbekistan | Yes | Tashkent | Uzbekistan Airways, Centrum Air, Qanot Sharq | n/a |
| Thailand | Yes | Bangkok-Don Mueang | Thai AirAsia | n/a |
| Malaysia | Yes | Kuala Lumpur | AirAsia | n/a |
| Singapore | Yes | Singapore | Scoot | n/a |
| Taiwan | Yes | Taipei | n/a | Listed on Wikipedia; carrier not confirmed on the fetched page |
| Hong Kong | Yes | Hong Kong | n/a | Also Macau per Vietnamese Wikipedia |
| Cambodia | Yes | Phnom Penh | n/a | n/a |
| Japan | No | n/a | n/a | No scheduled direct service. CRTC hosted a Japanese FAM trip 24-28 August 2026 with Narita International Airport Corporation, Jetstar Japan, Vietnam Airlines Japan, JTB, HIS, REIWA and JATM to build momentum for direct flights. Not yet announced. |
| India | No | n/a | n/a | Identified as a target long-haul market in CRTC's strategy; no route announced on any fetched page |
| Australia | No | n/a | n/a | Identified as a target long-haul market in CRTC's strategy; no route announced on any fetched page |
Ground Transport
| Published Fixed Taxi Fares Note | No official published fixed taxi tariff was found on the airport's own website. Figures below are from airline and travel-guide sources and are indicative ranges, not official tariffs. |
|---|
Taxi
| Companies |
|
|---|---|
| Fare To Nha Trang (VND) | 250,000-400,000 (guides differ; Vietnam Airlines quotes 350,000-400,000, Vietnam Discovery quotes 250,000-350,000). Some sources report official airport taxis charging up to 600,000. |
| Journey time (minutes) | 45-60 |
| Extra Luggage (VND) | 50,000 |
| Pickup | Directly outside the arrivals halls of both terminals; use marked, metered company taxis |
Grab
| Available | Yes |
|---|---|
| Apps |
|
| Fare To Nha Trang (VND) | 200,000-350,000 |
| Note | Fixed in-app fares and GPS tracking; pickup arrangements at the airport can vary |
Bus 18
| Route | Cam Ranh International Airport <-> Nha Trang city centre (terminates at 86 Tran Phu Street) |
|---|---|
| Operator | Dat Moi (Line 18 airport bus) |
| Fare (VND) | 65,000 |
| Fare VND Alternate | 20,000-50,000 per Vietnam Discovery; 65,000 per Vietnam Airlines and other guides. Sources conflict. |
| Fare (USD) | 2.7 |
| Frequency (minutes) | 30 |
| Operating (hours) | 05:30-21:30 daily |
| Journey time (minutes) | 60-90 |
| Pickup | Outside the airport terminals |
Shuttle Bus
| Fare (VND) | 50,000-100,000 |
|---|---|
| Journey time (minutes) | 60-90 |
| Operators | Dat Moi Bus |
Private Transfer
| Fare (VND) | 350,000-500,000 |
|---|---|
| Note | Hotel pickup, English-speaking driver, name sign. Hotel airport pickup ranges from free to about 500,000 VND. |
Facilities
| ATMs | ATMs in the arrival and departure halls of both T1 and T2; the airport's own facilities page lists a 24/7 ATM in international terminal T2. Visa and Mastercard widely accepted, UnionPay at some machines. |
|---|---|
| Currency Exchange | Currency exchange in T2 (hours subject to flight schedule) and in the arrivals halls |
| SIM Counters | SIM card counters in the arrivals halls on the ground floor of both terminals, close to the exit; Viettel and Vinaphone among the providers |
| Wi-Fi | Free Wi-Fi throughout the terminals, 24/7 |
| Other | Medical clinic on the 1st and 2nd floors (24/7), baby care rooms, children's playground on the 2nd floor, free drinking water, free baggage trolleys, phone charging stations, duty free and restaurants, lost and found in the baggage claim area |
Lounges
The Champ Lounge
| Name | The Champ Lounge |
|---|---|
| Terminal | T1 |
| Operator | ASG |
| Location | Airside, domestic departures near Gate 8 |
| Hours | 05:30-21:30 |
| Walk In (USD) | 18 |
| Access | Priority Pass, Dragonpass, select cards, pay-per-use |
SH Premium Lounge
| Name | SH Premium Lounge |
|---|---|
| Terminal | T1 |
| Operator | SH Premium |
| Location | After security, toward Gates 5-6 |
| Hours | 05:00-22:00 |
| Walk In (USD) | 17 |
| Access | Priority Pass, Dragonpass, select cards, pay-per-use |
Sun Coast Lounge
| Name | Sun Coast Lounge |
|---|---|
| Terminal | T2 |
| Operator | SASCO |
| Location | Airside international departures, opposite Gates 1-3 |
| Hours | 08:00-02:30 |
| Walk In (USD) | 26 |
| Access | Priority Pass, Dragonpass, select cards, pay-per-use |
SH Premium Lounge
| Name | SH Premium Lounge |
|---|---|
| Terminal | T2 |
| Operator | SH Premium |
| Location | 2nd floor near Gates 4-5 |
| Hours | 08:00-03:00 |
| Walk In (USD) | 33 |
| Access | Priority Pass, Dragonpass, select cards, pay-per-use |
Vietnam Airlines Lotus Lounge
| Name | Vietnam Airlines Lotus Lounge |
|---|---|
| Terminal | T2 |
| Operator | Vietnam Airlines |
| Location | 2nd floor, opposite Gates 8-10 |
| Hours | 24 hours |
| Walk In (USD) | 24 |
| Access | Business class, Lotusmiles Gold/Platinum, SkyTeam Elite Plus, Dragonpass, walk-in |
History
| 1965 | After the February 1965 Vung Ro Bay weapons-smuggling incident, the United States rapidly developed Cam Ranh into a major installation; a 10,000-foot runway was completed in about 50 days by October 1965. It served as an airlift hub, Army supply depot and naval operations centre. |
|---|---|
| 1972 | US facilities transferred to South Vietnam in May 1972 |
| 1975 | Base captured by North Vietnamese forces on 3 April 1975; military-only use follows |
| 2004 | Civil operations began on 19 May 2004 |
| 2009 | New domestic passenger terminal (T1) inaugurated 12 December 2009; airport upgraded to international status |
| 2018 | International terminal T2 opened 30 June 2018 |
| 2019 | Second parallel runway commissioned 10 October 2019; record 9.75 million passengers |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cam Ranh airport the same as Nha Trang airport?
Yes. Nha Trang has no commercial airport of its own. Every flight advertised to Nha Trang lands at Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR), around 35 km south of the city.
How early should I arrive at CXR?
Two hours for domestic flights and three for international is the usual advice. The international terminal queues badly when several charter flights depart together early in the morning.
Is there an ATM at Cam Ranh airport?
Yes, there are ATMs and currency exchange in the terminals, though airport rates are poor. Withdraw a small amount on arrival and change the rest in town.
Sources
13Every figure on this page was checked against these pages.