As the plan, its first phase will be implemented from 2021 which will be built with 4C standard of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the class 2 military airport with its capacity of 1.5 million passengers per year.
The second phase of the project will be carried out after 2028 with a capacity of three million passengers a year.
After being put into operation, Sa Pa airport will be the largest airport in the Northwest region which could serve modern aircrafts such as Airbus A320, A321.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Vice Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Trong Hai said that the airport project will be a great breakthrough in the development of transport infrastructure of Lao Cai Province in particular and the Northern midland, mountainous areas in general, contributing to accelerating the local socio-economic growth, especially tourism sector.