THE Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) announced that Vietjet Air will launch direct flights from Cebu to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in November, expanding travel options between Central Visayas and Vietnam.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, MCIA said the airline will begin operating direct Cebu-Hanoi flights on Nov. 10, followed by Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City services on Nov. 11.
Quoting Vietjet, Aviation Week reported on Aug. 4, that the airline will operate the two routes three times weekly using Airbus A321 aircraft starting Nov. 10. The low-cost carrier had previously indicated that the Ho Chi Minh City-Cebu route would begin in December with five weekly round trips.
According to OAG Schedules Analyser, Vietjet will compete with Vietnam Airlines on the Hanoi-Cebu route, while Cebu Pacific currently operates flights between Cebu and Ho Chi Minh City.
The new routes are expected to strengthen air connectivity between Cebu and Vietnam, providing travelers with more convenient access to two of the Southeast Asian country’s major destinations while supporting tourism and business travel.
Vietjet said Cebu’s position as an economic, tourism and aviation hub made the city a strategic addition to its international network. The airline also said the new services would allow Philippine passengers to connect via Ho Chi Minh City to destinations in Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and other international markets.
Traffic data suggests growing demand for travel between Vietnam and Cebu. According to Aviation Week, Manila remained the largest Philippine destination for Vietnamese travelers, handling about 799,000 passengers. However, passenger traffic to Cebu surged by about 189 percent to approximately 87,500 in 2025.
The Ho Chi Minh City-Cebu market generated nearly 56,000 two-way passengers in 2025, up 287 percent from about 14,500 a year earlier. Passenger traffic between Hanoi and Cebu also increased by 79 percent to around 23,600. The figures include travelers flying nonstop as well as those connecting through other airports.
Cebu’s tourism stakeholders have long pushed for the expansion of international air links to neighboring Asian destinations, saying improved connectivity would help the island capture a larger share of regional travel demand.
In previous interviews, Alice Queblatin, president of the Cebu Alliance of Tour Operations Specialists, said a direct air link between Cebu and Vietnam could generate economic benefits beyond tourism.
Queblatin said sustained by good flight frequencies and competitive fares, the route can strengthen Cebu’s role as an international gateway for the Visayas, especially now that Cebu is also positioning
itself as a premier leader in the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions space.
MCIA also highlighted Cebu’s appeal to Vietnamese travelers, citing the island’s beaches, diving destinations and hospitality as key tourism draws.
Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, is known for its historic Old Quarter, while Ho Chi Minh City serves as the country’s commercial hub and is popular for its culinary scene and urban attractions.
The additional services further expand MCIA’s international route network as the airport continues to position Cebu as a gateway for travelers in the Visayas and Mindanao.
According to online travel platform Agoda, Cebu ranked as the fastest-growing international summer destination for Vietnamese travelers.
Hanoi-based Viet Nam News reported that Agoda recorded a significant increase in travel interest for Cebu based on its latest accommodation search data.
Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ranked second, followed by Barcelona, Spain; Fujikawaguchiko, Japan; and Istanbul, Türkiye. The rankings were based on Agoda’s top 100 accommodation searches by Vietnamese travelers from Jan. 1 to April 30, 2026, for stays between June 1 and July 31, compared with the same period in 2025. / KOC