On january 14, Vietnam Airlines Corporation (Vietnam Airlines) announced its revenue reached 123,000 billion VND last year, a 10% increase compared to 2024. This means the national airline averaged over 336 billion VND in daily revenue, marking its highest figure in 30 years of operation.
Consequently, Vietnam Airlines' consolidated pre-tax profit reached a record high of over 8,450 billion VND. In 2024, the airline had reported a profit exceeding 8,000 billion VND, but approximately half of that resulted from debt forgiveness for its subsidiary, Pacific Airlines, after it returned all its aircraft.
The national airline's substantial profits were driven by a strong recovery in both domestic and international aviation markets. Total passenger traffic in the Vietnamese aviation market reached 83.5 million, an increase of over 10% compared to 2024. Vietnam Airlines alone served approximately 25.6 million passengers, a nearly 13% increase, across 156,300 flights, marking a 10% rise.
Lower aviation fuel prices last year also significantly contributed to the airline's improved operational efficiency. Vietnam Airlines recorded the average price of Jet A1 fuel in 2025 at 86.8 USD per barrel, a nearly 10% decrease from 2024. In the three preceding years, average fuel prices were 96.3 USD, 105.4 USD, and 124 USD per barrel, respectively.
The expansion of Vietnam Airlines' international flight network also significantly boosted last year's revenue growth. The national airline launched new routes and resumed operations on 14 international routes to Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and Europe.
For 2026, the corporation forecasts continued growth in the aviation market, especially in the Asia-Pacific region and for routes to/from Vietnam. The airline plans to increase passenger volume by over 13% to approximately 29 million.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) also forecasts global aviation industry profits this year to be around 41 billion USD, a nearly 4% increase. Asia-Pacific airlines are expected to earn 6.6 billion USD in profits, an increase of about 2.3%. IATA stated that Vietnam is among the top 10 fastest-growing aviation markets in the region by traffic.
According to IATA, domestic airlines have significant room for development, as Vietnam currently has direct flights to just over 30 countries, compared to Thailand and Singapore which connect directly to over 50 countries. However, domestic airlines will face competitive pressure from foreign carriers operating routes to Vietnam.
Anh Tu
