Louang Namtha Airport (also spelled Luang Namtha Airport) is a public domestic airport serving the town of Luang Namtha, the capital of Luang Namtha Province in northern Laos.
Identifiers
- IATA code: LXN
- ICAO code: VLNL
Location and ownership
The airport is situated approximately 3 km southwest of the town centre, within Luang Namtha Province. It is owned and operated by the Lao Civil Aviation Authority, the governmental body responsible for civil aviation in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
Facilities
- Runway: One runway designated 16/34, surfaced with asphalt. The runway length is reported as 1,800 m (5,905 ft); the exact measurement varies between sources, and official documentation is not publicly available.
- Terminal: A small passenger terminal provides basic check‑in and waiting facilities.
Air services
Scheduled passenger service is limited. As of the most recent publicly available timetable, Lao Airlines operates a domestic route between Louang Namtha Airport and Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Additional charter or unscheduled flights may occur, but regular commercial service beyond the Vientiane corridor is not documented.
History
The airport was originally constructed in the early 1990s to improve regional connectivity. It underwent a period of limited operations and was subsequently closed for refurbishment. The facility was reopened in 2018 after upgrades to the runway and terminal infrastructure. Details regarding the exact dates of closure and reopening are not comprehensively recorded in publicly accessible sources.
Ground transportation
Ground access to the airport is primarily by road. Taxis and local minibuses (songthaews) provide transport between the airport and the town centre, as well as to surrounding districts within the province.
Operational status
Louang Namtha Airport remains a modestly sized airport focused on domestic air travel. It does not currently host international flights, cargo operations, or significant ancillary aviation services.
Note: While the airport is recognized in aviation databases and appears in official Lao civil aviation publications, certain operational details—such as precise passenger statistics, runway specifications, and the full list of airlines—are not extensively documented in publicly available encyclopedic sources.
