Vietnam Airlines will launch a direct route from Ho Chi Minh City to Phuket on April 2, operating five times weekly. This move aims to enhance regional connectivity and cater to increasing travel demand between Vietnam and Thailand. The airline’s strategy includes expanding its international network and facilitating tourism and trade.
Vietnam Airlines will launch a new direct route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Thailand’s resort island of Phuket starting April 2, further expanding its Southeast Asian network and offering travelers more convenient regional connections.
According to the national flag carrier, the route will operate five flights per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays using Airbus A321 aircraft.
Flight VN621 will depart Ho Chi Minh City at 4:00 p.m. and arrive in Phuket at 5:50 p.m. The return service, flight VN620, will leave Phuket at 6:45 p.m. and land in Ho Chi Minh City at 8:55 p.m.
Vietnam Airlines President and CEO Le Hong Ha said the new route forms part of the airline’s broader strategy to strengthen its international network in Southeast Asia while responding to rising travel demand between Vietnam and Thailand.
He added that the service is expected to facilitate tourism exchanges, trade, and broader cooperation between the two destinations, while providing passengers with more convenient travel options and the airline’s internationally recognized five-star service.
In 2025, Vietnam Airlines reopened and launched 14 international routes as part of its efforts to gradually expand connections to major economic and tourism hubs worldwide. The airline has also announced plans to introduce a direct Hanoi–Amsterdam route from June 2026, marking the first nonstop air link between Vietnam and the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, Phuket continues to rank among the world’s most heavily visited destinations. According to research by British financial platform Money Transfer, the island currently records around 118 tourists for every local resident, making it the most overcrowded travel hotspot globally.
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