U-Tapao International Airport (UTP)
Your guide to Thailand's emerging third Bangkok gateway in the Eastern Economic Corridor
U-Tapao International Airport, listed under the codes UTP and VTBU, sits in the Ban Chang district of Rayong province on Thailand's Gulf coast, near Sattahip and around fifty kilometers south of Pattaya. It is a dual-use facility, home to the Royal Thai Navy's First Air Wing as well as scheduled and charter civilian flights, and it hosts one of Thailand's largest aircraft maintenance bases, operated by Thai Airways. What sets U-Tapao apart today is what is being built around and on top of it: under a fifty-year concession that began in April 2026, the airport is being transformed into Eastern Aviation City, a project intended to make it Bangkok's third major international gateway. This page gives a general orientation to the airport and the project around it; the sections below link to dedicated pages covering ground transport, the Eastern Aviation City development, and the expansion plan in more detail.
Airport Facts at a Glance
U-Tapao currently operates with a single runway, 18/36, supporting both Royal Thai Navy operations and civilian air traffic. A second runway, 3,500 meters long, is under construction by the Royal Thai Navy and is scheduled for completion by late October 2028, built in parallel with the airport's new passenger terminal so that both can be tested and commissioned together.
As a dual-use airport, U-Tapao has historically served general aviation, charter routes, and military operations rather than the scheduled long-haul traffic typical of Bangkok's two main airports - though that is exactly what the current expansion is designed to change.
From Military Airfield to Bangkok's Third Gateway
U-Tapao was originally built by the United States between 1965 and 1966 to support B-52 operations during the Vietnam War, and it has remained a Royal Thai Navy airfield ever since, alongside limited civilian use. A second passenger terminal opened in 2019 as early demand for civilian flights grew.
In 2022, the Thai government approved a six-phase expansion plan intended to grow the airport's annual passenger capacity toward 60 million, with the explicit goal of relieving pressure on Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports. After several years of delay, that plan moved into its delivery phase in April 2026.
The Eastern Economic Corridor Megaproject
U-Tapao's transformation is being carried out under a roughly 290-300 billion baht concession awarded to U-Tapao International Aviation Co., Ltd. (UTA), with construction firm Italian-Thai Development (ITD) selected as contractor. The Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO) issued the formal notice to proceed on April 3, 2026, marking the start of a 50-year concession running to 2076.
Beyond the airport itself, the project includes Eastern Aviation City, a surrounding commercial and tourism development covering hotels, a shopping centre, MICE facilities, and more - covered in detail on the Eastern Aviation City page linked below.
Visiting U-Tapao Today
While the expansion is underway, U-Tapao continues to operate as a working dual-use airport, with domestic and regional routes connecting to destinations such as Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Udon Thani. Expect construction activity around the airfield over the coming years as Runway 2 and the new terminal take shape.
For anyone flying in or out during this period, the Transfers page below covers how to get to and from Pattaya, Rayong, and Bangkok, including what to expect while construction is ongoing.