The International Airports of Laos: Gateways to a Fascinating Culture

Laos has four international airports: Wattay (Vientiane), Luang Prabang, Pakse and Savannakhet. All four are small by regional standards, which makes knowing which one fits your route worth sorting out before you fly.

Wattay International Airport, Vientiane: the main gateway

Wattay (IATA: VTE) is Laos’s busiest international airport and the one most arriving foreign airlines use. Vientiane Airport’s own site lists connections to regional hubs including Bangkok, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, served by carriers such as Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines, AirAsia and Lao Airlines.

A capacity upgrade is already underway. On 21 August 2026, Japan signed an additional grant of JPY 1 billion through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), on top of an existing JPY 3.863 billion commitment, specifically for Wattay. The Star reports the funds cover an expansion of the international passenger terminal, rehabilitation of the taxiway and apron, and a new airfield lighting system, part of Laos’s 10th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2026-2030). No completion date has been announced yet.

Lao Airlines also resumed direct Vientiane–Đà Nẵng flights from 29 March 2026, this time on a Comac C909 with 90 economy seats, a step up from the smaller ATR-72 and A320 used on earlier, shorter-lived attempts at the same route. Việt Nam News reports two flights a week on Thursdays and Sundays, a flight time of about 1 hour 20 minutes, and round-trip fares listed from US$290 at launch. The airline is betting on Đà Nẵng’s own tourism boom (projected around 19 million visitors in 2026) and on Korean and Chinese travellers increasingly using it as a hub to reach Luang Prabang and Vientiane.

Luang Prabang International Airport

The second-busiest international airport, serving the UNESCO World Heritage old town directly. It connects to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Siem Reap and Seoul, the natural choice if Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng or northern Laos are your main stops. See our Luang Prabang connectivity guide for SIM/eSIM options on arrival.

Pakse International Airport

In the south, Pakse is the usual entry point for the Bolaven Plateau and the Wat Phou archaeological site, with direct flights from Bangkok and Siem Reap. We cover connectivity there in our Pakse internet guide.

Savannakhet International Airport

Laos’s newest international airport, serving the country’s second city and the central Mekong corridor, with direct flights from Bangkok. See our Savannakhet connectivity guide for what’s changed there in 2026.

Getting connected on arrival

All four airports have SIM/eSIM counters, currency exchange and taxi or car-rental desks, though counter prices and tourist-SIM availability vary by airport and by season, so treat on-the-ground pricing as something to confirm at the counter rather than a fixed number. If you’d rather not queue at arrivals, install a Laos eSIM before you fly and land already connected, which also sidesteps the passport and KYC registration some counters require on the spot.

Whichever airport you land at, Laos offers a unique culture, rich history, spectacular natural landscapes and a cuisine worth the trip on its own. The international airports are simply the door in.