Hanoi, 18 September 2024 – Vietnam Airlines will be the first and only airline in Vietnam to offer nonstop service to Italy, with three-weekly flights (Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays) between Hanoi and Milan commencing from 1 July 2025 on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The addition will see the airline boasting nine European  routes. Vietnam Airlines has also outlined plans to introduce the Ho Chi Minh City-Milan route after 2025. 

Vietnam’s flag carrier is the only airline operating nonstop services between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Paris, Frankfurt, London. This October, Munich will be the most recent European destination to join the carrier’s network. 

Vietnam and Italy established diplomatic relations in 1973 and upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2013. Vietnam is Italy’s largest trading partner in the ASEAN, while Italy ranked as Vietnam’s fourth largest trading partner within the EU. Bilateral trade between the two nations has witnessed steady growth over the years.

Italy is emerging as a significant market for Vietnam’s aviation sector. In 2023, Vietnam welcomed 81,000 tourists from Itals, which is about 89% of pre-COVID levels. Moreover, in the first quarter of 2024, Italian visitors to Vietnam rose by 32% compared to the same period in 2019, showing Italy’s potential to become a favorite destination for Vietnamese travelers.

Situated in central Europe, Milan is Italy’s second largest city and is celebrated as one of the world's leading fashion capitals. In 2023, 37,800 passengers traveled from Milan to Vietnam - a 1.4% increase compared to 2019. In the first quarter of 2024, this figure surged by 24% compared to the same period in 2019.

The Hanoi-Milan service will not only cater to travelers from Italy but also attract passengers from other European countries. This new launch signifies Vietnam Airlines’ commitment to expanding its global network, offering greater flexibility to passengers, but more importantly, fostering economic, social, and political ties between Vietnam and Italy, as well as between Vietnam and Europe and beyond.