Vietnam Airlines, the fastest-growing carrier in Southeast Asia, begins its commercial nonstop flights to the US, marking a key development milestone of the Vietnamese flag carrier. 

The opening ceremony of regular nonstop service. Photos: Vietnam Airlines

The first commercial nonstop flight, No.VN98, from Ho Chi Minh City to San Francisco, carried passengers on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and landed at San Francisco International Airport on November 29.

This historic flight signifies an important development of Vietnam’s aviation and Vietnam Airlines as the country’s first airline to conduct scheduled direct flights to the US.

Vietnam Airlines will conduct two flights per week from HCMC to San Francisco, using Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, the most modern wide-body airplanes. 

The airline aims to increase the frequency to seven flights per week after the Covid-19 pandemic is under control and plans to open a new route to connect Hanoi and HCMC with Los Angeles, using Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 airplanes.

The move also recognizes the 20-year-effort of the national carrier since the establishment of its representative office in San Francisco to lay the foundation for the direct air route between the two countries. 

During more than 25 years of the normalization of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the US, trade turnover between the two countries has continuously grown.

Vietnam is the 10th largest trading partner of the US, while the US is the largest trading partner of Vietnam.

Trade turnover between the two countries is expected to reach the $100 billion mark for the first time in 2021, up 221 times against the number in 1995 when the two countries normalized relations.

The US is one of the world’s leading hosts of overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese students. 

The flight lands at San Francisco International Airport on November 29.

Vietnam's passengers are welcomed to the US.