Vietnam's Sun PhuQuoc Airways has announced plans to launch direct routes between Shanghai and three major Vietnamese destinations over the next six months. The airline will begin daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City on October 15, followed by service to Hanoi in November and to the resort island of Phu Quoc in March 2027.
The expansion coincides with the China-Vietnam tourism cooperation year for 2026-27, aimed at boosting bilateral tourism and people-to-people exchanges. China remained Vietnam's largest source of international visitors, accounting for about 3.1 million arrivals, or 22.2 percent of the total, in the first seven months of the year.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways, a full-service carrier owned by Vietnam's Sun Group, launched commercial operations in November and its first international service in March. The Shanghai-Ho Chi Minh City route will be its first daily scheduled link between China and Vietnam, operated using Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.
For travellers, these new direct routes will provide more convenient access to key Vietnamese destinations, including the commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City, the capital Hanoi, and the resort island of Phu Quoc, potentially reducing travel time and costs.
