Vietnamese airlines expand international routes in search of new growth markets

New international routes take off

Vietnamese carriers rolled out a series of international routes in October 2026, targeting new passenger markets and expanding connections between Vietnam and destinations across Asia and Europe.

Vietnam Airlines on Monday announced plans to launch direct flights between Hanoi and Hangzhou, China, starting November 15, with four round trips per week.

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The announcement came just days after Vietjet launched services connecting Hanoi with Almaty in Kazakhstan and Prague in the Czech Republic, while Sun PhuQuoc Airways introduced flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Shanghai.

Vietjet began operating its Hanoi-Almaty and Hanoi-Prague services on October 10 using Airbus A330 aircraft.

The Prague service, which includes a stopover in Kazakhstan, operates two round trips per week, allowing the carrier to tap both Central Asian and Central European markets.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways, meanwhile, is focusing on connecting international markets with Vietnam's tourist destinations.

Following the launch of its Ho Chi Minh City-Shanghai route on October 15, the airline plans to introduce Phu Quoc-Moscow flights on November 13 using Airbus A330 aircraft, targeting Russian tourists seeking beach holidays.

The flurry of new services reflects a broader shift among Vietnamese airlines toward international expansion as growth opportunities in the domestic market become increasingly limited.

An airline representative said that carriers are engaged in a quiet race to expand their international networks and fleets, driven partly by mounting competition at home.

Major domestic routes such as Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City and Ho Chi Minh City-Da Nang are already served by multiple airlines, with intense fare competition squeezing profit margins amid high fuel, aircraft leasing, and operating costs.

International markets, by contrast, offer greater room for growth, allowing carriers to attract foreign visitors to Vietnam and make more efficient use of their aircraft.

New routes offer opportunities but profitability remains uncertain

An airline executive overseeing commercial operations described the international expansion as a search for "new frontiers," warning that opening a route does not necessarily guarantee passengers or profits.

Even fully booked flights may be unprofitable if operating costs are too high.

Some routes have been launched with considerable publicity, only to see flight frequencies reduced or services suspended when demand failed to meet expectations.

Maintaining balanced passenger traffic in both directions remains particularly challenging on routes heavily dependent on seasonal tourism.

For travelers, however, the growing international network offers more destinations and potentially lower fares.

Passengers departing from Hanoi can now reach Hangzhou in about three hours by direct flight before continuing to Shanghai by high-speed train.

Almaty and Prague are also becoming more accessible, reducing the need for multiple connecting flights.

Meanwhile, direct international services are expected to bring more foreign tourists to Vietnam's resort destinations.

A representative of Anex Vietnam said the company expects to bring approximately 15,000 Russian tourists to Phu Quoc each month during the 2026-27 winter season.

For travel companies, the new connections create opportunities to develop tour packages, reduce transfer costs, and attract more international visitors.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, the country's aviation market handled approximately 70.5 million passengers in the first nine months of 2026, up 12.6 percent year on year.

Passenger traffic is projected to reach 94 million for the full year, indicating substantial room for further growth.