The Department of Tourism (DOT) welcomed VietJet Air’s inaugural direct flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Manila on November 23, as part of its ongoing efforts to expand air connectivity in Southeast Asia.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco described the new route as a strategic boost for Philippine tourism, highlighting Vietnam as a key outbound market with strong growth potential.
The flight arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 at 2:50 a.m. with 213 passengers. Its return flight departed Manila at 3:45 a.m., carrying 189 passengers.
Arriving travelers were greeted with a lei reception and cultural performances led by DOT-NCR officials, VietJet executives, and special guests including Miss Cosmo Philippines 2025 Chelsea Fernandez.
VietJet now operates five weekly roundtrip flights between the two cities, complementing existing direct connections from Manila and Cebu to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang via carriers such as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Vietnam Airlines.
From January to November 2025, the Philippines recorded 31,085 arrivals from Vietnam, representing 0.60% of the market.
The DOT said the new service is part of their broader strategy to strengthen international air connectivity, which also includes recently launched routes from New Delhi, Australia, Canada, Paris, and several U.S. cities.
“As an archipelagic nation with 7,641 islands, over 99% of Philippine international tourism is dependent on air travel. That is how important air connectivity is for us, and that is also why we continue to strengthen our air connectivity with multiple countries so that tourists have easier access and seamless travel,” Frasco said.
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