Cambodia and the United States have signed their first bilateral air transport agreement, which will open skies between the two countries and mark a new chapter in their growing relationship.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau signed the Air Transport Agreement with H.E. Mao Havannall, Minister-in-Charge of Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, in Washington D.C. on 30 June.
This Agreement follows the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s recent Board approval to provide US$100 million in support for Cambodia’s new Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh, underscoring the growing breadth of the U.S.-Cambodia commercial relationship.
Open Skies agreements
With this Agreement, Cambodia joins a network of nearly 140 U.S. Open Skies partners, expanding rights for airlines to offer international passenger and cargo services. Pending the Agreement’s entry into force, both sides’ aeronautical authorities intend to permit operations consistent with the terms of the Agreement on the basis of comity and reciprocity.
Open Skies Agreements allow air carriers to provide more affordable, convenient, and efficient air services to travellers and shippers, promoting tourism and commerce. The Agreement with Cambodia will further expand the U.S.’s economic and commercial relationship, promote people-to-people ties, and provide the framework for new opportunities for customers, airlines, and air travel and cargo services companies.
Supporting tourism and trade
There were about 91,000 US visitors to Cambodia in the first five months of the year, down about 12% from last year. This deal is expected to bring more tourism to the country, making it cheaper for Americans to fly to Cambodia.
The trade between the two countries has been growing strongly. In the first five months of 2026, bilateral trade reached $5.96 billion, up 33.2% compared to the same period last year. Cambodia’s exports to the US grew by 31.5%, while imports into the country jumped by 92.5%.
This agreement is expected to make the trade even stronger by speeding up cargo connections between the two countries. This Agreement enables all-cargo seventh-freedom traffic rights, allowing U.S. cargo carriers to operate between Cambodia and a third country without an operational nexus to the United States.
