AirAsia launches flights to Vietnam

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

January 12, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Vietnam is turning out to be the place to go for thousands of Filipinos, as another local carrier is launching direct flights to Southeast Asia’s rising star for tourism.

Low-cost airline AirAsia Philippines is mounting weekly services from Manila to Hanoi and Da Nang starting March 20, marking its entry into one of Southeast Asia’s hottest markets right now.

Vietnam is becoming a dream destination for millions of travelers, particularly Filipinos, who are finding the Southeast Asian country attractive for its combination of budget-friendly pricing and cultural heritage.

This is the reason AirAsia Philippines has chosen to add Vietnam to its international network. It will be linking Manila with Hanoi and Da Nang on a four times weekly schedule, with flights set in the afternoon-to-evening time slots for passenger convenience.

AirAsia Philippines president and CEO Suresh Bangah said the airline is heading into Vietnam to give Filipinos more options when flying. He also noted that AirAsia, as a group, is expanding its wings in Southeast Asia to improve regional connectivity.

“Our hope is to give the Filipino traveler more choices, better value and easier access to exciting destinations in Southeast Asia,” Bangah said.

Bangah also hopes the new flights could ramp up tourist arrivals into the Philippines, particularly as its travel exchange with Vietnam is currently one-sided in favor of the latter.

Based on data from the Department of Tourism, Vietnam is now the eighth most popular country for Filipino tourists, beating heavyweights like the US and South Korea.

Vietnam welcomed 308,679 tourists from the Philippines between January and October 2025, as the US received 298,239, while South Korea took in 190,435. However, the Philippines recorded just 28,058 arrivals from Vietnam during the same period.

In its entry into Hanoi and Da Nang, AirAsia Philippines will be competing against local carriers that are already embedded in the market. Cebu Pacific connects Manila with Hanoi and Da Nang both 10 times a week.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines also covers its bases in Vietnam, with daily flights to Hanoi and weekly services to Da Nang.

To promote the new route, AirAsia Philippines is selling seats to Hanoi and Da Nang with base fares of as low as P888 per way, with the travel period from March 20 to Oct. 25.