DAWEI, Myanmar – Expansion work at Dawei Airport in Myanmar’s Tanintharyi Region is expected to resume in late October after a temporary pause during the monsoon season, with the project now 75% complete and scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. The Global New Light of Myanmar, the country’s state-run newspaper, reported on Sept. 10 that construction had been temporarily suspended because of monsoon conditions. Work is expected to restart in late October.
The airport upgrade is designed to transform Dawei Airport from a small domestic facility capable of handling aircraft such as the ATR 72 into an airport able to accommodate larger passenger and cargo aircraft.
Under the expansion plan, the runway will be widened by 25 feet on each side along its full length, with additional pavement work to strengthen the runway surface. The upgraded facility is expected to handle larger aircraft including the Airbus A300 and Boeing 767 and 747.
Plans also include additional facilities such as an aircraft maintenance centre and cargo warehouses.
The airport is located east of Dawei city at an elevation of about 26 metres above mean sea level. Its existing runway is 2,135 metres long and runs parallel to Highway 8, an important transport route in southern Myanmar.
The airport expansion is being linked to wider plans to develop Dawei as a transport and economic centre in southern Myanmar. The Global New Light of Myanmar said the upgraded airport could provide important transport and logistics support for economic development in Tanintharyi Region, particularly by handling larger passenger and cargo aircraft.
The project is also expected to support the planned Dawei deep-sea port and special economic zone.
In February 2025, Myanmar’s central government reached an agreement with Russia to grant a concession to a Russian business organisation to develop the Dawei deep-sea port and special economic zone at Nabule Beach, northwest of Dawei.
The large-scale project has faced lengthy delays over the years. The airport upgrade is now being presented as part of efforts to improve infrastructure supporting the region’s future development.
Plans to expand Dawei Airport were reportedly assigned by Min Aung Hlaing when he was serving as acting president and chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission. During a visit to Dawei on Sept. 18, 2025, he instructed the Tanintharyi Region chief minister and Dawei authorities to pursue the airport expansion.
According to the state-run report, completion of the airport upgrade by the end of 2026 would give Dawei a larger aviation facility capable of supporting both passenger and cargo operations.
The project is expected to become increasingly important if plans for the Dawei deep-sea port and special economic zone progress, potentially creating a wider transport link between the airport, port facilities and economic development projects in southern Myanmar.
