Vietnam emerges as one of VistaJet’s fastest-growing markets

How has VistaJet performed over the past year?

2025 was a strong year for VistaJet globally, and Asia-Pacific continued to be one of our fastest-growing regions. Vietnam, in particular, stood out.

We recorded a 34 per cent on-year increase in flying hours in Vietnam, alongside a 21 per cent increase in flight legs. To put that into perspective, traffic across Asia-Pacific grew by around 25 per cent overall.

Even established private aviation markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong recorded growth of 24 and 26 per cent, respectively, which makes Vietnam’s performance particularly noteworthy.

Crystal Wong, president of Asia Pacific at Vista

What makes Vietnam unique is the nature of its client base. Unlike some markets where demand is driven primarily by individual high-net-worth travellers, our Vietnamese clients are predominantly large corporations, conglomerates and private investors with international operations.

I often describe this as 'the signature of Vietnam'. These businesses have interests spanning multiple continents, which naturally creates demand for long-range travel between Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America.

What travel patterns are you seeing among the Vietnamese?

While we do not disclose the travel patterns of clients from specific markets, we can share broader trends we are observing across Asia-Pacific. Within Asia, some of the busiest business aviation routes include Hong Kong–Shanghai, Hong Kong–Tokyo, Tokyo–Seoul, as well as major domestic routes in India such as Bangalore–Mumbai and Mumbai–New Delhi.

For Vietnamese travellers, we see strong connectivity within Southeast Asia, particularly between Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. These routes form an increasingly important regional travel network. At the same time, Vietnam generates a significant amount of ultra-long-range travel. Many corporate clients regularly travel to Europe, the Middle East and occasionally North America.

This is one of the characteristics that distinguishes Vietnam from many other emerging markets. The growth in outbound international business activity is directly contributing to the increase in flying hours we are seeing today.

How does Vietnam compare with more mature private aviation markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong?

Vietnam remains an emerging business aviation market, but we see that as a tremendous opportunity rather than a limitation. Singapore and Hong Kong have long-established aviation ecosystems and supporting infrastructure. Vietnam is still at an earlier stage of development, which means there is considerable room for growth across the entire value chain.

For VistaJet, this creates a long-term opportunity to establish ourselves as a trusted partner as the market matures.

At the same time, the wealth outlook for Vietnam is extremely encouraging. According to projections from Knight Frank, the number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals in Vietnam is expected to grow by 59 per cent by 2031. This compares with 46 per cent growth in Singapore and 25 per cent in Hong Kong.

These figures matter because wealth creation is closely linked to mobility. As individuals build businesses, investments and residences across multiple countries, their need for efficient global connectivity increases as well.

Asia’s growing wealth will play a crucial role in shaping future demand for private aviation. People are becoming more mobile and conducting business across Asia, Europe, and the United States.

Are VistaJet clients flying primarily for business or leisure?

Increasingly, the answer is both. The traditional distinction between business travel and leisure travel is becoming less relevant. We see more clients combining the two, creating what many now call 'bleisure' travel.

A typical example might be a client travelling from Hanoi to London for meetings, staying through the weekend to spend time in the south of France, and then continuing onward before returning to Vietnam, all within the same VistaJet programme.

As I often say, 'Business is life. Life is also business'. For today’s entrepreneurs and business leaders, professional and personal lives are deeply interconnected. They want flexibility to move seamlessly between both worlds.

VistaJet talks about luxury differently from traditional brands. What does luxury mean today?

When people think about luxury, they often think about champagne, fine dining or premium amenities. Those elements are certainly important, but for our clients the ultimate luxury is actually time.

Private aviation removes many of the inefficiencies associated with commercial travel. Instead of adapting to airline schedules and hub networks, travellers can fly directly to where they need to be when they need to be there.

They gain more productive working time, more rest and ultimately more time at their destination. The luxury really lies in the time-saving element, not just because we offer caviar or champagne.

When you look at the entire journey, the difference becomes even clearer. A commercial airline trip can involve hundreds of interactions, from check-in counters and security queues to boarding gates, baggage collection and transfers.

With private aviation, that process is dramatically simplified through dedicated facilities and personalised handling, creating a seamless travel experience from departure to arrival.

How are younger business leaders influencing the market?

They are reshaping it in fundamental ways. The new generation of business leaders in Vietnam and across Asia is highly digital, highly mobile and constantly connected. Many operate in technology, AI, digital services and emerging sectors such as blockchain and cryptocurrency. They manage their businesses through digital platforms and expect the same level of connectivity wherever they are.

That expectation extends to the aircraft cabin. They want to conduct video meetings, stream content, collaborate with teams and remain productive throughout a flight. This is why we continue investing heavily in onboard connectivity. Our goal is to ensure the aircraft functions as a true extension of the office, what we often call a 'sky office'.

Competition in private aviation is increasing. What differentiates VistaJet from newer entrants and local operators?

Our strongest differentiator is our global platform. VistaJet operates across more than 200 countries and territories. A client can use the same membership programme whether travelling within Vietnam, across Asia, to Europe or to North America.

Consistency is another important advantage. Regardless of where clients fly, they receive the same service standards, cabin experience, dining options and operational support.

Scale also matters. Building a global infrastructure takes years. VistaJet has spent more than two decades developing its worldwide network and nearly two decades strengthening its presence in Asia.

That scale translates into reliability, operational resilience and aircraft availability, which are critical considerations for clients whose schedules cannot accommodate uncertainty.

VistaJet recently introduced the Global 8000 and expanded XO in Asia. What is driving these developments?

Both initiatives are responses to evolving customer demand. The Global 8000 was developed because we are seeing growing demand for ultra-long-range travel, particularly between Asia and Europe, North America and Africa.

Compared with the Global 7500, the aircraft offers greater range and enhanced cabin pressurisation, which helps reduce passenger fatigue on long journeys. These improvements allow travellers to arrive feeling more refreshed and productive.

At the same time, we launched XO in Asia to meet the needs of a different customer segment. XO is a fully digital, app-based platform that allows users to browse and book aircraft anywhere in the world in real time. A customer in Vietnam can instantly arrange a flight in another region without long-term commitments or minimum-hour requirements.

We have seen strong adoption across Asia, particularly among younger entrepreneurs in Vietnam, China and Hong Kong. These customers are accustomed to managing every aspect of their lives through their smartphones. They expect private aviation to be just as accessible, flexible and technology-driven. As the next generation of wealth creators emerges across Asia, those expectations will continue to shape the future of the industry.