Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines plans to launch direct flights from Hanoi to Bengaluru and Hyderabad starting in May,ꦉ while private carrier Vietjet has already commenced services connecting Ho Chi Minh City to these two major Indian hubs on March 18.

According to Vietnam Airlines, these new routes are aimed at tapping into the growing South Indian market. The Hanoi - Bengaluru route will start on May 1, with four round trips per week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays). Flights on the Hanoi-Hyderabad route will be effective on May 7, with three round trips per week (Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays). Both routes will be operated using the Airbus A321 aircraft. This expansion underscores the airline’s continued growth and commitment to linking Vietnam with more global destinations. Earlier, Vietjet inaugurated two new routes to Bengaluru and Hyderabad, two of India's leading metropolitan cities, offering convenient travel options for local people and tourists. The airline is offering two return flights per week on the HCM City – Hyderabad route and three return flights per week on the HCM City – Bengaluru. According to Vietjet, these two new routes will increase the total number of routes between Vietnam and India, the world’s most populous country, to ten, connecting Hanoi, HCM City, and Da Nang with Indian major metropolitan centres and leading economic, cultural, political and technological hubs, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kochi. To date, Vietjet has operated over 8,300 flights and served nearly 1.62 million passengers on its Vietnam-India routes. In 2024, Vietnam welcomed over 500,000 Indian visitors, surpassing the total number of Indian arrivals recorded the previous year. This milestone has positioned India among the top 10 largest tourism markets for Vietnam./.