Dawei Airport is undergoing infrastructure upgrades to enable operations by large cargo aircraft, a move expected to strengthen trade logistics, tourism flows, and regional development in southern Myanmar. The project focuses on runway reinforcement and widening, along with associated airside and landside improvements.
The existing airfield covers around 364.7 acres and currently has a runway measuring 12,000 feet in length and 100 feet in width, with three aircraft parking bays. While the airport can already handle domestic and international aircraft such as the Airbus A320, upgrade works are under way to accommodate heavier cargo aircraft by increasing runway width and load-bearing capacity.
According to sources familiar with the project, the runway is being widened by 25 feet on each side to reach a total width of 150 feet, with new pavement layers totalling about three feet in thickness laid using asphalt concrete. The runway upgrade is expected to be completed within the year, while plans for new airport buildings are still being finalised. Construction activities, including earthworks and concrete preparation, are already in progress.
A key challenge facing the project is the supply of crushed stone required for concrete works. Quarrying and transport constraints, compounded by local security conditions and the temporary closure of nearby stone-crushing facilities, could affect the construction timeline if not resolved.
Once completed, the upgraded airport is expected to improve the efficiency of import and export operations, support increased tourist arrivals, and complement the planned development of the Dawei Special Economic Zone and deep-sea port. The project is seen as a critical step toward positioning Dawei as an important logistics and tourism gateway in southern Myanmar.