Vietnam Airlines will begin operating two new international routes from Hanoi to India, with flights to Bengaluru starting May 1 and to Hyderabad starting May 7.

Passengers board a Vietjet Air plane bound for Taiwan at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Nov. 27, 2024.

Both routes will have 3-4 round trips per week. Prior to these new routes, Vietnam Airlines already operated direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Delhi and Mumbai, with over 1,600 flights and more than 240,000 passengers served so far.

In May, Vietnam Airlines will also resume its Hanoi-Moscow route after a three-year hiatus due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Initially, the airline will operate two flights per week.

Russia has always been a key market for Vietnam's tourism and trade. The direct Hanoi-Moscow route will enhance connectivity and support the recovery of both countries' aviation and tourism industries.

Starting June 1, Vietnam Airlines will launch direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Bali (Indonesia), operating 4 round trips per week. From July, the frequency will increase to 7 round trips per week.

This will become Vietnam Airlines' second direct route between Vietnam and Indonesia, following Hanoi-Jakarta.

On July 1, Vietnam Airlines will begin direct flights between Hanoi and Milan, Italy, operating 3 round trips per week. Tickets for this route are already on sale.

This marks the first direct flight from Vietnam to Italy, with plans to launch additional direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Milan after 2025. The Hanoi-Milan route will bring the total number of Vietnam Airlines' direct European routes to 9.

The airline currently operates direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Paris (France), Frankfurt, Munich (Germany), and London (U.K.).

In addition to opening new international routes, Vietnam Airlines is increasing the frequency of its Hanoi-Manila (Philippines) route from three flights per week to daily flights starting in April. The Ho Chi Minh City-Manila route will be adjusted to four flights per week.

Vietnam Airlines plans to launch 15 new international routes in 2025, including destinations in Russia, Italy, Denmark, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and the UAE.

Budget airline Vietjet is also expanding its network with new routes to China, Japan, India, and Singapore.

In March, Vietjet launched new routes from Hanoi to Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai (China), and from Ho Chi Minh City to Beijing, Guangzhou (China), and Hyderabad, Bangalore (India).

Starting April 24, Vietjet will operate a new route from Ho Chi Minh City to Nagoya (Japan), with 4 round trips per week. The Ho Chi Minh City-Fukuoka route will start on April 25 with three weekly flights.

These two new routes will bring the total number of Vietjet's weekly flights connecting Vietnam to Japan to 138, covering Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Hiroshima.

On May 30, Vietjet Air will begin operating a new route from Singapore to Phu Quoc, with 4 round trips per week. This will be its fourth route connecting Singapore with Vietnam, following routes to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, the country's aviation market is expected to continue recovering in 2025, with an estimated growth of about 8%.

However, the industry still faces challenges, including a shortage of aircraft, exacerbated by the recall of engines from Pratt & Whitney, which has grounded the A321 fleet, and high fuel prices due to global conflicts.

Airlines have rented and received new aircraft to supplement their fleets. Currently, the total number of aircraft in Vietnam's fleet exceeds 200, an increase of about 10 compared to the last year.