Vietnam Airlines is to become the first and only airline in Vietnam to offer non-stop service to Italy.

The carrier will operate three-weekly flights (Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays) between Hanoi and Milan commencing from July 1, 2025 on a Boeing Dreamliner.

This takes the number of the airline’s European  routes to nine and there are plans to introduce the Ho Chi Minh City to Milan route after 2025.

The flag carrier is the only airline operating between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Paris, Frankfurt, and London.

This October, Munich will become the most recent European destination to join the carrier’s network.

Italy is emerging as a significant market for Vietnam’s aviation sector. In 2023, Vietnam welcomed 81,000 tourists from Italy, which is about 89% of pre-COVID levels.

In the first quarter of 2024, Italian visitors to Vietnam rose by 32% compared to the same period in 2019.

The Hanoi to Milan service is expected to not only cater to travellers from Italy but also attract passengers from other European countries.

The carrier said: “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, Europe and beyond.”