Wattay International Airport began operations in 1999. Using grant money from the Japanese government, the airport renovated its international terminal in 2005. The airport opened in June 2011 a cargo terminal which was constructed from July 2010 to April 2011. The cargo terminal was designed by the Azusa Sekkei Company, and built by the Lao-Japan Airport Terminal Building Service with ₭9.6 billion of funding from the Bank of Japan.[4]
In July 2011, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport initiated a new expansion project in association with China CAMC Engineering Company. The project saw the expansion of the single asphalt runway by 260 meters to its current 3,000 length; development of parking lots; renovation of its road and drainage system; expansion of two aprons to accommodate larger aircraft; and the construction of new offices for the LAA and Lao Civil Aviation Department. Japan provided ¥1.9 billion in funding to the project through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, making up 2 thirds of the total cost of ₭302 billion. The project began in December 2011 and was completed in November 2012. In February 2012, $3 million was provided by the Bouathip Lao Company to expand the domestic terminal.[4]
In December 2015, the airport launched another expansion project, which took until August 2018 to be completed.[5] The project saw the expansion of the international terminal, the construction of a new domestic terminal, and the improvement of several facilities. The project was again funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency under a January 2014 loan, contributing ¥9 billion.[4]
The airport has a bonded warehouse building for air cargo passing through the airport. The facility is operated by Lao-Japan Airport Terminal Building Service Co. Ltd.
^"Laos" (Archive). Federal Aviation Administration. p. 2/10. "Ministry of Public Works and Transport Department of Civil Aviation Vientiane/Wattay International Airport P.O. Box 119 Vientiane, Lao PDR."
^"Contact Us." Lao Air. Retrieved on 19 September 2010. "Lao Air Company Asiane Road, Ban Akat, Wattay Airport"