The development of the Nation's international airports is the most visible improvement in civil aviation in recent years. The modernization and development of the Phnom Penh International Airport since 1995 by the private sector concessionaire SCA (Société Concessionnaire de l’Aéroport) has upgraded the image and capacity of the airport (such as new passengers and cargo facilities, extensions of the apron, widening of the runway, new ground handling equipment, training of staff etc.) and benefited international and domestic passengers.

      Similarly, rehabilitation and improvement to the Siem Reap Airport under the Asian Development Fund has vastly improved the experience and convenience for passengers visiting Angkor Wat. Since then the management, the operation and the development of the Siem Reap Airport was "transferred" to the SCA under the same scheme as Phnom Penh Airport. In addition Sihanoukville International Airport, which has no traffic today, was transferred as well to SCA in March 2006.

       An extensive investment programme has been set up to upgrade and improve those three airports, especially the building, the upgrading and the extension of a airways facilities and the training of the staff. It will allow to meet the ever growing demands of tourist arrival.

        Seven domestic airports (Rattanakiri, Stung Treng, Mondulkiri, Battambang, Koh Kong, Preah Vihear and Kratie) and a number of other airfields are the direct responsibility of the SSCA, which operates and maintains these airports, and is responsible for their development. Upgrading of the seven airports is an objective of the SSCA, and upgrading of Rattanakiri Airport under ADB-Finance is in process as a sub-project of the Mekong Tourism and Triangle Development Project. Public Private Participation, and associated investment, will hopefully also enable upgrading of the other selected domestic airports.