History

* Early days

Vietnam Airlines, the Flag Carrier of Vietnam was founded in January 1956 when the Civil Aviation Authority was established by the Government of Vietnam, marking the birth of the civil aviation sector in Vietnam. At that time, the fleet was very small, with 5 propeller aircraft of IL 14, AN 2 and Aero 45… The first domestic flight started in September 1956.

The period between 1976 and 1980 set a milestone of expansion and effective operation of multiple international routes to Asian countries such as Laos, Cambodia, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. At the end of the period, Vietnam civil aviation became a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

In April 1993, the Flag Carrier of Vietnam (Vietnam Airlines) officially became a state-owned air transport enterprise. On May 27, 1995, Vietnam Airlines Corporation was established on the basis of merging 20 air service entities with Vietnam Airlines as the core enterprise.

* Milestones

- 1993: Establishment of the Flag Carrier of Vietnam and launch of scheduled flights to Europe (France).

- 1995: Establishment of Vietnam Airlines Corporation consisting of the Vietnam Airlines and 20 air service entities.

- 2002: Introducing the new logo- the Golden Lotus presenting outstanding service quality improvements, flight network expansion, and fleet upgrades.

- 2003: Receiving and operating the first Boeing 777, the modern aircraft, starting the fleet modernization program.

- 2004: Received the Independence Medal - Third Class.

- 2006: Becoming an official member of IATA.

- 2010: Officially becoming the 10th member of the SkyTeam Alliance.

- 2011: Received the Ho Chi Minh Medal and the Labour Medal - Second Class.

- 2014: Initial Public Offering (IPO) at Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange.

- Apr. 2015: Officially operating under Joint Stock Company model from April 1, 2015.

- Jul. 2015: Vietnam Airlines became thefirst airline in Asia and the second in the world to receive and operate both next-generation aircraft, Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9; simultaneously introduced a new brand identity and was honored with the Labour Medal - First Class.

- Jul. 2016: Officially certified as a 4-star international airline according to Skytrax standards.

- Jul. 2016: Selected ANA Holdings INC (Japan) as a strategic Investor.

- Jan. 2017: Vietnam Airlines' securities were officially listed on the UPCoM stock exchange with the stock symbol named HVN; its capitalization value was at the top of the market.

- Dec. 2017: VNA welcomed the 200 millionth passenger after 20 years of operation and had 1.5 million Golden Lotus members.

- Jul. 2018: Awarded the Skytrax certificate for the 3rd consecutive time as a 4-star international airline (2016,2017,2018).

- Nov. 2018: VNA welcomed the first A321 NEO; its state ownership representative was transferred from the Ministry of Transport to the State Capital Management Committee.

- May 2019: VNA listed its shares and trade Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE).

- Aug. 2019: VNA received the first 787-10 Dreamliner - the largest wide-body aircraft in the world.

- Jul. 2020: Awarded the highest level, 5-Star, for COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating from Skytrax.

- Nov. 2021: VNA launched scheduled direct flights between Vietnam and the US.

- Nov. 2022: The 8th National Award Council of Foreign Relation Communication awarded the second prize for the flight safety instruction film "The Echo of Harmony" and the Consolation Prize for the MV "Come on" of Vietnam Airlines in the video category.

- Dec. 2022: VNA launched the Million Miler program with exclusive service improvements to honor premium members.

- May 2023: Ranked among the world’s Top 20 Airlines by Airline Ratings.

- Sep. 2023: Awarded the “Five-Star Global Airline” certification by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX).

- 2024: Ranked among the world’s Top 25 Airlines by Airline Ratings.

- Jun. 2025: Celebrated the 30th anniversary and received a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister of Vietnam.

- Jul. 2025: Welcomed the 350 millionth passenger.

* Towards the future

Vietnam Airlines aims to become a fully certified five-star international airline by 2030, ranking among the Top 10 most preferred carriers in Asia. The airline continues to expand its fleet and network, optimize operational efficiency, and strengthen financial capacity for sustainable growth. Vietnam Airlines is accelerating digital transformation, adopting new technologies, developing a digital airline model, and investing in green technology to reduce emissions, save energy, and protect the environment. The airline is committed to the highest level of safety and maximum security, continuously elevating its brand and affirming its position as one of the two largest full-service carriers in Southeast Asia and a regional leader in quality.