Vietnamese low-cost carrier Vietjet Air has announced the launch of a direct service connecting the economic hubs of Ho Chi Minh City and Shanghai.
The announcement was made at a ceremony held in Shanghai to celebrate the localities’ 30th anniversary as sister cities.
The first flight on the Shanghai - HCMC route will take off on December 1, 2023. The service will have seven round-trips per week. With a flight time of just over four hours per leg, the service will meet the travel needs of residents, tourists, and business people in both locations, the airline said.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, China was Vietnam’s biggest tourism source.
Shanghai is China’s most populous city and one of four centrally administered municipalities. It is one of the largest economic and financial hubs in China, with 2022 GDP reaching CNY4.465 trillion ($663 billion). It has a population of 24.76 million people.
HCMC, home to nearly nine million people, boasts unique cultural features and a vibrant modern lifestyle. It also offers seamless connectivity to a many destinations within and outside Vietnam.
Vietjet has operated services between Vietnam and China since 2014 with the first routes facilitating travel by Chinese visitors to popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, including Nha Trang, Da Nang and Phu Quoc.
Besides Shanghai, Vietjet's network covers Vietnam, Australia, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan.
Vietjet Air, listed on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange as VJC, closed up 0.83% at VND108,700 ($4.43) per share on Wednesday.