tl;dr – This is the Southeast Asian country’s second big airport opening in the last 3 years.
Last year, Cambodia debuted its brand new airport, a project that is said to have cost $2 billion. Techo International Airport (KTI) replaces the now-deactivated Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) in the country’s capital.
A 4F class airport – capable of handling the largest commercial aircraft like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-800 – Techo International is a bet that Cambodia can attract visitors in similar numbers to its neighboring countries, Vietnam and Thailand. Much of the airport’s funding came via a bank loan with the China Development Bank.
The centerpiece of the airport is its 9-meter-tall, 9-ton bronze and metal Buddha statue in a “blessing” pose, which dominates the departure terminal.
As of now, Techo International is capable of supporting up to 15 million passengers, and capacity is expected to grow significantly over the next few decades. Notably, Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport (SAI) opened in 2023 providing the country (and international visitors) with a more-modern, more-convenient option for accessing Angkor Wat.
