Vietnam's commercial aircraft fleet expands to 251 planes

August 03, 2026 | 23:13
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Vietnam's commercial aircraft fleet continues to expand, with the country now operating 251 registered aircraft.
Vietnam's commercial aircraft fleet expands to 251 planes

As of July 15, the fleet had increased by 24 aircraft compared with a year earlier, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV). Vietjet operates the country's largest fleet with 107 aircraft, including 83 Airbus A321s, 16 Airbus A320s, and eight Airbus A330s serving medium- and long-haul routes.

Vietnam Airlines ranks second with 94 aircraft, including 59 Airbus A321s, 17 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 14 Airbus A350s, and four Airbus A320s. The national carrier remains the only airline in Vietnam operating both the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 wide-body fleets.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways currently operates 14 aircraft, consisting of 11 Airbus A321s and three Airbus A320s. Pacific Airlines has a fleet of three Airbus A321s, while Bamboo Airways operates two aircraft, one Airbus A320 and one Airbus A321. Vietravel Airlines currently has five Airbus A321s.

Notably, Sun PhuQuoc Airways has been the fastest-growing airline in Vietnam since the beginning of 2026, taking delivery of new aircraft at a time when the global aviation industry continues to face a shortage of commercial jets. By the end of July, the airline's fleet had expanded to 16 aircraft. It plans to increase the number to 26 aircraft by the end of August and 32 aircraft by the end of 2026. The carrier is also expected to receive its first wide-body aircraft in September, most likely an Airbus A330 or Boeing 787-9, providing the foundation for expanding its international route network.

The continued fleet expansion by Vietnamese airlines has significantly increased operational capacity to meet rising demand for both passenger and cargo transport.

According to the CAAV, passenger throughput at Vietnam's airports reached 11.5 million in July 2026, up 0.5 per cent on-year and 3.5 per cent higher than in June. International passenger traffic totalled 3.8 million, up 2 per cent from the previous month, while domestic passenger numbers reached 7.7 million, an increase of 4.2 per cent.

Vietnamese airlines carried 5.5 million passengers during the month, up 1.2 per cent compared with July 2025 and 3.6 per cent higher than in June. Of the total, international services carried 1.6 million passengers, while domestic routes transported 3.8 million passengers, representing on-month increases of 2 and 4.2 per cent, respectively.

Cargo throughput at Vietnamese airports reached 162,100 tonnes in July, up 3.3 per cent on-year and 2 per cent from the previous month. Vietnamese airlines transported 39,300 tonnes of cargo during the month, down 1.6 per cent from a year earlier but still 2 per cent higher than in June. International cargo handled by Vietnamese carriers totalled 21,700 tonnes, while domestic cargo reached 17,600 tonnes, marking on-month increases of 1.8 and 2.2 per cent, respectively.

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By Nguyen Huong

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