The new route will operate five flights per week using narrow-body aircraft. According to the airline, the service will add more than 7,000 seats per month between India and Vietnam.

With the launch of the new route, Hanoi will become Air India’s second destination in Vietnam after the airline introduced flights between Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2024.

India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing tourism markets for Vietnam, with strong growth in both leisure travel and corporate groups, particularly in the rapidly expanding MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism industry segment.

Vietnam welcomed more than 746,000 Indian visitors last year, up 48% compared with 2024. In the first two months of 2026 alone, over 158,400 travelers from India visited Vietnam, marking a 71 percent increase year on year.

In addition to the Delhi–Hanoi route, Air India will also launch direct flights between Mumbai and Tokyo starting June 15, 2026.

The expansion forms part of Air India’s broader strategy to strengthen its international network and enhance connectivity between India and key destinations in Southeast and Northeast Asia, regions that are seeing rapidly growing outbound travel from India.

The new routes will also allow passengers to connect to a wide range of international destinations through the airline’s global network.

Nippon Aggarwal, chief commercial officer of Air India, said Japan and Vietnam are emerging as fast-growing destinations for Indian travelers, while India’s economic and trade ties with both countries continue to strengthen.

The launch of these routes will support this growth and reinforce the airline’s presence in the region, he said.

According to Air India, the new direct route to Hanoi will also enable travelers to plan “open-jaw” itineraries, allowing them to arrive in one city and depart from another. For example, passengers could fly into Hanoi and return from Ho Chi Minh City, or vice versa.

This flexibility is expected to make it easier for international tourists to explore multiple destinations across Vietnam in a single trip.

Vietnam Airlines boosts Vietnam-Thailand tourism connectivity

VOV.VN - A workshop aimed at strengthening tourism connectivity between Vietnam and Thailand was held in Bangkok on March 10 by the Bangkok branch of Vietnam Airlines in coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand and the Vietnam Tourism Association.