In a significant development for aviation, the number of seats available on flights between India and Vietnam is expected to hit an all-time high in December 2024, reflecting the increasing appetite for air travel between these two countries. This surge in demand marks a substantial growth in the market, which has seen remarkable expansion since the introduction of the first regular scheduled flights by IndiGo and VietJet in late 2019.

Previously, the connectivity between India and Vietnam was limited to sporadic, seasonal charter flights operated by Jetstar Pacific. However, the scenario changed with the establishment of continuous service routes, leading to a more structured exchange of passengers. According to OAG Schedules Analyser, the seat capacity for December 2024 is anticipated to reach approximately 140,000 in both directions. This represents a growth of 12% over the previous year and an impressive 434% increase from December 2019, primarily driven by the outbound leisure travel sector from India.

Tourism statistics from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism highlight this burgeoning interest, with Vietnam having hosted 392,000 Indian tourists in 2023. This figure was a staggering 231% rise over the 2019 numbers. The first half of 2024 continued this upward trend, with over 231,000 Indian tourists visiting Vietnam, up 164% from the previous year’s corresponding period.

The anticipated increase in flight frequencies is supported by a recent amendment to the air services agreement between the two nations, signed at an ICAO event in Malaysia in October. The revised agreement permits Vietnamese carriers to increase their weekly flights from 28 to 42, allowing for greater flexibility and more frequent services.

VietJet has already responded to this new opportunity by increasing its roundtrip flights from 28 to 34 per week. The airline has enhanced its network with daily services from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Ahmedabad and four weekly flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Cochin, Mumbai, and New Delhi, and three weekly flights from Hanoi to New Delhi and Mumbai. Additionally, a new route from Da Nang to Ahmedabad now operates twice weekly. Some of these routes feature the Airbus A330, enhancing passenger experience on these longer flights.

Vietnam Airlines also contributes significantly to the India-Vietnam air travel sector, operating four weekly flights from Hanoi to Mumbai and New Delhi, along with three weekly flights from Ho Chi Minh City to these same Indian destinations. IndiGo maintains daily connections between Kolkata and both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Additionally, Air India enhances the route options with its daily service from New Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City, broadening the array of travel possibilities for passengers.

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