India-Vietnam Air Travel Capacity Hits Record in December 2024
Air travel between India and Vietnam is set to reach new heights this December, with two-way seat capacity projected to hit a record 140,000. This surge in capacity reflects the continued growth in demand for air travel between the two nations, driven by both leisure and business travelers.
The expansion of the market began in late 2019, when IndiGo and VietJet launched the first regular scheduled nonstop flights between India and Vietnam. Before that, flights were limited to seasonal, low-frequency charter services by Jetstar Pacific. Since then, air traffic has surged, with the December 2024 capacity marking a 12% increase over December 2023 and a staggering 434% rise compared to December 2019.
According to OAG Schedules Analyser, the continued increase in seat capacity is largely fueled by growing outbound leisure travel from India. The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism reported that 392,000 Indian visitors arrived in Vietnam in 2023, marking a 231% rise from 2019. In the first half of 2024, the number of Indian tourists continued its strong upward trajectory, reaching over 231,000—a 164% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
The rise in capacity and visitor numbers is set to continue following the recent signing of a revised air services agreement between India and Vietnam. The agreement, finalized at an ICAO event in Malaysia in October 2024, allows Vietnamese carriers to increase their weekly flights to India from 28 to 42. This expansion will further facilitate travel and increase competition, benefiting passengers with more flight options.
In response to the new agreement, VietJet has already boosted its roundtrip flights between India and Vietnam from 28 to 34 per week. VietJet now operates eight routes, including daily services from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Ahmedabad, four weekly flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Cochin, Mumbai, and New Delhi, and a twice-weekly service from Da Nang to Ahmedabad. Notably, the airline has also introduced Airbus A330 flights on routes to New Delhi and between Ho Chi Minh City and Mumbai.
Several other carriers are also strengthening their presence in the India-Vietnam market. Vietnam Airlines operates four weekly flights from Hanoi to New Delhi and Mumbai, and three weekly flights from Ho Chi Minh City to both cities. IndiGo offers daily flights from Kolkata to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, while Air India launched a daily New Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City service in June 2024.
According to Sabre Market Intelligence, the total number of two-way passengers between India and Vietnam surged to 867,000 in 2023, up from 331,000 in 2022 and 237,000 in 2019. The busiest routes include Hanoi-New Delhi, Ho Chi Minh City-Kolkata, and Hanoi-Kolkata, all representing key city pairings in the growing market. In the first half of 2024, O&D traffic reached approximately 511,000 passengers, marking a 36% year-on-year increase.
As both airlines and airports increase capacity and routes, the India-Vietnam air travel market is poised for continued expansion, offering more options for travelers between these two fast-growing nations.
Related news : https://airguide.info/?s=India-Vietnam+Air