The first commercial flight on the Phu Quoc - Nha Trang (PQC-CXR) route departed from Phu Quoc International Airport, landing at Cam Ranh International Airport at 15h45 on 15/3. The return flight left Cam Ranh and landed in Phu Quoc at 18h. Initially, the route will operate four flights each week on tuesday, thursday, friday, and sunday, with plans to increase frequency to daily.
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The first passengers on Sun PhuQuoc Airways' Phu Quoc - Nha Trang flight. *Photo: SPA*
On the same day, the airline launched the Phu Quoc - Da Nang (PQC-DAD) route with one flight daily. The flight departed Phu Quoc at 13h15, landing in Da Nang at 15h; the return flight took off at 15h40 and arrived in Phu Quoc at 17h25.
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A Sun PhuQuoc Airways aircraft at Da Nang airport. *Photo: SPA*
According to an airline representative, the first four inaugural flights on both routes achieved a 90-100% load factor. These direct routes significantly reduce travel time for passengers, who previously often had to transit through Hanoi or TP HCM.
The flight duration between Phu Quoc and the central coastal cities is over one hour. This allows tourists, especially international visitors, to combine multiple destinations within a single itinerary, enhancing their travel experience.
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Airline cabin crew serving passengers. *Photo: SPA*
Nha Trang and Da Nang are two major tourism centers in the Central region. In 2025, Khanh Hoa is projected to welcome about 16,4 million visitors, including 5,5 million international guests. Da Nang expects over 17,3 million visitors, with more than 7,6 million international arrivals. Cam Ranh and Da Nang International Airports are key gateways for international tourists. Meanwhile, Phu Quoc is forecast to receive over 8,1 million visitors in 2025, including 1,8 million international guests, generating nearly 44.000 billion dong in tourism revenue.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways operates on a "hub-and-spoke" network model, with Phu Quoc serving as its central connecting hub. The addition of routes to Nha Trang and Da Nang, complementing existing connections to Hanoi and TP HCM, helps complete the domestic network linking Phu Quoc, known as Pearl Island, with other major economic and tourism centers across the country.
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Passengers checking in at the counter. *Photo: SPA*
By late march, the airline plans to launch international routes from Phu Quoc to Taipei and Seoul. In Q2 and Q3 this year, the flight network will further expand to Hong Kong (China), Singapore, Thailand, India, and Malaysia.
The airline currently operates a fleet of 10 aircraft, including five Airbus A321neo jets. In february this year, Sun PhuQuoc Airways signed a contract in Washington D.C. to purchase 40 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner wide-body aircraft, valued at 22,5 billion USD. According to Stephanie Pope, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, this order for 40 787 Dreamliners marks Sun PhuQuoc Airways' first direct purchase from Boeing and represents Vietnam's largest Boeing wide-body aircraft order.
Thai Anh
