Vietnam Airlines it grows, and grows well. The numbers for the first half of 2026 show a company in full acceleration: consolidated revenues for 2 billion and 500 million eurosincreasing by 28% compared to the same period in 2025, and a profit of more 127 million euros. The carrier operated more than 80,000 flightstransporting 13 million passengers (+4%) e 180,000 tons of goods (+10%).
But it is international traffic that really drives growth, with almost 4.8 million passengers and an increase in 18.8% on an annual basis. According to the Official Airline Guide, as of July 2026, Vietnam Airlines ranks at first place in Southeast Asia for capacity offeredwith 2.84 million places available.
Milan, the Italian gateway to the East
In this expansion scenario, Italy plays a role that is anything but marginal. The route Milan-Hanoilaunched on 1 July 2025, has just crossed the finish line of its first year of operation with a more than positive balance sheet: 300 flightsbeyond 63,000 passengers transported and a load factor of80%with tips higher than 90% in high season.
The connection, operated three times a week (Tuesday, Friday and Saturday) from Malpensa with Airbus A350 aircraftit is not just for those who want to visit Vietnam. Hanoi indeed works like sorting hub towards Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Phu Quoc and dozens of other destinations in East and South-East Asia, making Milan a true springboard for the whole Orient.
As Dang Minh Tung, general director of Vietnam Airlines Italia, points out, demand is growing both among Vietnamese passengers heading to Europe and among Italians who choose Asia as a destination.
The agreement with Trenitalia contributes to making the connection even more convenient, which allows you to purchase a combined train and plane ticket, and the connections offered by ITA Airways to Malpensa, as well as the European network of Vietnam Airlines to Frankfurt, Munich and Paris in collaboration with Lufthansa and Air France, within the alliance SkyTeam.
Record punctuality
If there is one aspect that Vietnam Airlines has built its reputation on in recent months, it is punctuality. In May 2026 the carrier placed at third place in the Top 10 ranking of the most punctual airlines in the Asia-Pacific area, according to the On-Time Performance report by Cirium, strategic partner of IATA.
A result obtained with a punctuality rate of arrivals of the87.77%the best ever recorded by the company since Cirium published this data. Vietnam Airlines has surpassed giants such as Singapore Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Korean Airbeing the only Vietnamese company present in the ranking.
A goal achieved thanks to the strengthening of operational capabilities, the optimization of resources and an increasing use ofartificial intelligence for flight management, technical maintenance and coordination of ground services.
Billion-dollar investments in fleet and infrastructure
The growth of Vietnam Airlines also depends on a very concrete industrial strategy. During the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 the company announced the leasing acquisition of 19 new Boeing 737 MAX 8through agreements with SMBC Aviation Capital, Avolon Aerospace Leasing and Phoenix Aviation Capital.
With this operation they rise to 69 737 MAX 8 aircraft envisaged in the fleet development plan, between direct purchases and leasing, for a total investment that exceeds 12 billion dollars. Alongside this is the current fleet, made up of Airbus A350, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A321in addition to the ATR72s of the subsidiary VASCO for domestic connections.
At the same time, the carrier is investing in new Long Thanh International Airport and has recently completed the relocation of operations into three key hubs such as Manila, Paris and Frankfurtwhere it now operates in more modern and efficient terminals, an expected step on the path to 5 stars Skytrax by 2030.
A network that looks East
The expansion isn’t just about Europe. From Hanoi and Da Nang, Vietnam Airlines is strengthening connections with Japan, South Korea and Taiwanincreasing frequencies on routes such as Hanoi-Taipei, Hanoi-Osaka and Da Nang-Seoul, the latter destined to reach 14 weekly flights.
Only in 2025 did the company inaugurate 14 new international routesa record in its history, including Milan and Copenhagen, followed in 2026 by Amsterdam, Phuket and Colombo. A strategy that reflects the centrality of Asia-Pacific in the future of global air transport, and which positions Vietnam Airlines as key player in economic integration between Vietnam and international markets.
Hospitality and international recognition
Alongside the numbers, there remains a less quantifiable but equally decisive element: the proverbial kindness and hospitality on board which has always distinguished the Vietnam Airlines service, an element that Italian travelers often report as an integral part of the flight experience towards South-East Asia.
Attention to the passenger is also confirmed by the awards collected in the last year: AirlineRatings has included the company in the Top 25 safest traditional airlines in the world and rewarded his Premium Economy and Business Class for the best quality-price ratio globally.
Vietnam, a strategic market also for Italy
The growth of Vietnam Airlines is part of an economic context that makes the country increasingly central for Italian companies. Vietnam is today the Italy’s first trading partner in the ASEAN areawith an interchange that in 2024 exceeded 6 billion euros and Italian exports grew by 25.9%the highest rate recorded by Italy in all of Asia.
About 150 Italian companies operate steadily in the country, especially between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, while the stock of Italian direct investments has reached 1.128 billion euros. In this context, a direct, punctual and constantly expanding air connection such as the one guaranteed by Vietnam Airlines becomes a strategic element not only for tourism, but also for business and commercial relations between the two countries.
