Vietnamese budget carrier VietJet Air is planning to open a direct route between Ho Chi Minh City and Cebu, Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) announced.
MCIA, which is operated by Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation (ACAC), said the planned service would further strengthen air connectivity between Cebu and Vietnam, two key tourism and economic hubs in Southeast Asia.
“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,” Aboitiz InfraCapital president and chief executive Cosette Canilao said.
The new route is expected to provide Filipino travelers easier access to Vietnam and other Asian destinations. It will also allow Vietnamese tourists to conveniently visit Cebu and connect to other Philippine destinations through MCIA, the country’s busiest airport gateway outside Manila.
ACAC said the planned Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City service is seen to boost tourism, trade, business, investment, and people-to-people exchanges between the Philippines and Vietnam.
The announcement comes after VietJet successfully operated a series of charter flights between Da Nang, Vietnam and Cebu, which targeted the Philippine outbound leisure market and recorded strong passenger demand.
Following the positive response, ACAC stepped up its route development efforts through strategic engagements with VietJet Air and Vietnam Airlines.
These efforts included visits to airline headquarters, executive-level meetings, and participation in major international route development forums such as Routes World and Routes Asia.
ACAC also presented market intelligence, traffic demand studies, and growth projections to airline network planning and commercial teams to demonstrate Cebu’s strong potential as an expanding international gateway.