Vietnamese budget carrier Vietjet inaugurated a new route from Ho Chi Minh City-Chengdu (China) on the first day of Lunar New Year or Tet, facilitating trade and tourism between the two countries.
Wei Huaxiang, consul general of China in HCMC, and Michael Hickey, Vietjet’s chief operating officer, were present at the airport to welcome passengers on Vietjet’s inaugural flight for the new route.
Vietjet will operate seven return flights per week between HCMC and Chengdu, with a flight time of over four hours.
HCMC is Vietnam’s economic engine and an attractive destination with a diverse culture and unique street food. The city is also connected to Vietjet’s extensive international network.
Meanwhile, located in Southwestern China, Chengdu is an important gateway connecting many cities in China and internationally. It is the “homeland” of pandas and can be used to access Jiuzhaigou - a UNESCO- recognized world heritage site.
Since China reopened its international skies in February 2023, Vietnamese and Chinese airliners have rushed to resume or launch air services between the two countries to meet the travel needs of residents, tourists, and businesspeople.
Vietjet operated the first flight on the Shanghai-HCMC route on December 1, 2023, with seven round-trips per week and a flight time of just over four hours per leg.
China Southern Airlines and Sichuan Airlines last month said they were planning to launch flights to Van Don International Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
In 2023, Vietjet continued to expand its flight network with 33 newly opened international and domestic routes, raising the total number of destinations to 125, including 80 international routes and 45 domestic ones.