Korean Air plans Vietnam network expansion, monitors Long Thanh airport progress

The South Korean flag carrier said Vietnam is its largest market in Southeast Asia, with five existing routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Cam Ranh, and Phu Quoc to South Korea.

Korean Air considers adding scheduled flights to destinations such as Quy Nhon, Hue, and Da Lat, where it currently operates charter services.

Any expansion would depend on infrastructure capacity and demand, the airline said.

“We are reviewing potential routes based on actual demand and airport readiness,” Kyoung Hee Kang, Korean Air’s regional manager for Vietnam, told reporters.

Passenger traffic between the two countries reached nearly 375,000 in the first half of 2025, up four percent from a year earlier.

The average load factor exceeded 90 percent, according to the airline.

Long Thanh development under review

Korean Air said it is closely monitoring the construction of Long Thanh airport in Dong Nai Province, just outside Ho Chi Minh City, which is expected to open in June 2026.

A Korean Air delegation recently conducted an on-site assessment of the project, which remains under construction.

“There are still a lot of things to do,” Sim Munman, Korean Air’s station manager in Vietnam, told Nikkei Asia after visiting the site last week.

He cited incomplete infrastructure, including access roads and ground handling facilities.

Kang said the airline is coordinating with Vietnamese authorities to prepare for potential operations at Long Thanh and called for more direct access to project updates beyond what is publicly reported.

If completed on time, Long Thanh could become Korean Air’s third operational hub in Vietnam, after Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

Cargo rebounds despite tariff impact

Vietnam’s role as a manufacturing base for electronics and textiles is driving cargo demand.

Nikkei Asia quoted Korean Air cargo manager Wooyoung Hur as saying that shipments dipped briefly in the second quarter after U.S. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs but have since rebounded sharply.

“Cargo demand in Vietnam is very strong,” he told Nikkei Asia.

“Even though there is some impact from outside, they keep exporting.”

According to Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority, the country handled 64.1 million passengers and 1.1 million tonnes of cargo in the first nine months of 2025, up 10.7 percent and 18.7 percent respectively from a year earlier.

International cargo volumes rose 22.9 percent year on year to 946,000 tonnes.

Korean Air handles high-value exports such as semiconductors, smartphones, and electronics components from brands like Samsung, Apple, and Dell, Nikkei Asia reported.

Kenneth Kang Hee Lee, the airline’s communications manager, said “speed is vital” for these clients, making air freight a priority.

Korean Air said Hanoi is its largest cargo hub in Southeast Asia, with 11 dedicated freighter flights weekly.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the airline operates three dedicated cargo flights and utilizes the belly hold of passenger aircraft.

It handled approximately 16,000 tonnes of export cargo from the city in 2024.

Total Vietnam cargo volume for 2025 is projected to reach or exceed 50,000 tonnes.

Vietnam Airlines is also planning to launch a dedicated cargo airline in 2026 and is partnering with Singapore’s SATS Group to build and operate a cargo terminal at Long Thanh.

Phase one capacity is expected to reach 1.2 million tonnes annually.

Other international carriers, including DHL Express, Etihad Cargo and SF Airlines, are also expanding operations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to meet growing demand from electronics, textiles, and consumer goods sectors.

Strategic partnerships, market outlook

Korean Air signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam Airlines in August to cooperate in aircraft maintenance and technical services.

The deal could support the airline’s expansion strategy, alongside its ongoing acquisition of Asiana Airlines, Nikkei Asia reported.

New routes and growth, however, will depend on infrastructure development and government policy, as well as the manufacturing footprint of major exporters, the airline said.

Vietnam is home to more than 178,000 South Korean residents and remains a major destination for South Korean investment, particularly in electronics and auto parts manufacturing, according to Nikkei Asia.

Samsung, Nvidia, and Hyundai all operate production facilities in the Southeast Asian country, with many products shipped via Korean Air.