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VietJet Air is launching a direct air link between Ho Chi Minh City and Cebu with the initial flight set December 11
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The service will be five times a week, doubling Vietjet’s capacity on the Vietnam-Philippines market following last year’s launch of Manila- Ho Chi Minh City flights
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Announcement coincided with Vietnamese President Tô Lâm’s state visit to the Philippines
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Flights seen to facilitate the continued growth of tourism and trade between the two countries
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Deal formalized between VietJet vice chairman Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hung and Aboitiz InfraCapital CEO Cosette Canilao on June 1
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Route follows successful VietJet charter flights between Da Nang and Cebu that drew strong passenger demand
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Aboitiz InfraCapital’s Cebu Airport Corporation pursued the route through airline visits, executive talks, and participation in Routes World and Routes Asia forums
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New service advances Mactan-Cebu International Airport’s Cebu Connects program, positioning Cebu as the Philippines’ premier tourism transfer hub
Budget carrier VietJet Air is opening a direct air link between Ho Chi Minh City and Cebu, with the initial flight set on December 11.
The service will be five times a week, doubling Vietjet’s capacity on the Vietnam-Philippines market following last year’s launch of Manila- Ho Chi Minh City flights, the airline said in a statement.
The deal was formalized and announced on June 1 at the Vietnam-Philippines Business Forum at Diamond Hotel Manila, held alongside the state visit of Vietnamese President Tô Lâm.
VietJet Air vice chairman Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hung and Aboitiz InfraCapital president and CEO Cosette Canilao led the signing ceremony, according to a separate statement from the Aboitiz Group.
The rapid growth of air connectivity continues to facilitate stronger economic ties between Vietnam and the Philippines, Vietjet said, citing Vietnamese statistics that show bilateral trade reached US$7.8 billion in 2025, with both countries targeting $10 billion in the coming years.
In tourism, Vietnam welcomed 236,000 visitors from the Philippines in the first four months of 2026, representing a 73.4% year-on-year increase and placing the Philippines among Vietnam’s top ten international source markets for the first time.
READ: Vietjet enters PH market with Manila-Ho Chi Minh flights
The Cebu-Ho Chi Minh route connects two of Southeast Asia’s busiest travel markets. Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), operated by Aboitiz InfraCapital’s Cebu Airport Corporation (ACAC), is the Philippines’ most active international gateway outside the capital. Vietnam, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the region’s fastest-growing outbound travel sources.
ACAC said it pursued the route through a sustained campaign of airline headquarters visits, executive-level negotiations, and appearances at major international route development conferences, including Routes World and Routes Asia. The airport operator also presented market intelligence, traffic demand studies, and growth projections directly to VietJet’s network planning teams.
“This development reflects the growing demand for travel between Cebu and Vietnam and highlights the strength of the relationship between our two countries. Direct connectivity plays a vital role in stimulating tourism, facilitating commerce, and creating opportunities that benefit our communities and economies,” Canilao said.
VietJet had previously operated charter flights between Da Nang and Cebu targeting Philippine leisure travelers, with officials noting the series achieved strong passenger uptake.
The Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City service will further advance MCIA’s Ceb Connects program, which seeks to position Cebu as the Philippines’ primary tourism transfer hub, funneling international arrivals to destinations across the Visayas and Mindanao.
READ: Record 1.3M passengers pass through MCIA in Jan 2026
MCIA is wholly owned and managed by Aboitiz InfraCapital, the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, which also holds assets in water, wastewater, and digital infrastructure.
