The inaugural Hà Nội–Shanghai flight is scheduled to depart on November 26

HÀ NỘI — Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) has opened bookings for a new non-stop service between Hà Nội and Shanghai, which will operate daily from November 26, six weeks after the airline launched its HCM City–Shanghai route.

The new service will be SPA's fourth route to China, making Shanghai the first Chinese destination served directly by the airline from both Hà Nội and HCM City.

Daily non-stop connection

The Hà Nội–Shanghai route will be operated using Airbus A321neo aircraft. Flight 9G674 will depart Nội Bài International Airport at 11.05pm and arrive at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 3am the following day. The return flight, 9G675, will depart Shanghai at 4.15am and arrive in Hà Nội at 6.55am. All times are local.

The inaugural flight from Hà Nội is scheduled for November 26, with the first return flight from Shanghai scheduled for November 27.

With one daily round trip, the service is designed to cater to travel demand between the two cities among business travellers, investors, tourists and people visiting friends and relatives.

The overnight schedule allows passengers to make full use of the working day before departure, while the early-morning arrival in Hà Nội gives them time to attend meetings or explore the capital and other destinations in northern Việt Nam on the same day.

The Sun Executive Lounge at Nội Bài International Airport

To mark the launch, SPA is offering a 20 per cent discount on base fares for the route, excluding taxes and fees, for tickets booked between October 31 and November 30.

Passengers in China can book flights, make payments and check in online through SPA's website and mobile application, using widely available payment methods such as WeChat Pay, Alipay and UnionPay. The airline's digital services also allow passengers to manage various aspects of their journeys more conveniently.

Eligible international visitors will also receive a complimentary 5GB eSIM under the airline's "Touch Việt Nam, Connect Instantly!" programme, allowing them to stay connected from the moment they arrive in Việt Nam.

Members of the Sun Signature programme can enjoy benefits including access to the Sun Executive Lounge, priority check-in and priority baggage handling, as well as privileges across the Sun Group ecosystem. They can also earn points on every flight and redeem them for award tickets, additional baggage allowance and seat selection.

Expanding its China network

China has been one of the key international markets into which SPA has expanded since beginning operations. In July and August, the airline launched services connecting Chengdu with Phú Quốc and HCM City, respectively.

Passengers on the inaugural HCM City–Shanghai flight on October 15

The HCM City–Shanghai route began operations on October 15. Less than two months later, the Hà Nội–Shanghai service will become SPA's fourth route to China, strengthening connections between Việt Nam's two largest aviation gateways and one of Asia's major economic centres.

By first linking Chengdu with Phú Quốc and HCM City, and subsequently connecting Shanghai with both HCM City and Hà Nội, SPA is developing its China network around two priorities: bringing international visitors directly to key destinations and meeting travel demand between major commercial centres. The expanded network is also expected to create opportunities for the airline to develop commercial partnerships and strengthen its presence in the Chinese market.

The new route comes as SPA enters its second year of operations. Since launching its first services connecting Phú Quốc with other destinations, the airline has expanded its network to 13 domestic and 16 international routes within a year.

As its network grows, SPA continues to pursue its "Resort in the Sky" concept, which seeks to bring the holiday experience into the journey through attentive service, attention to detail and enhanced passenger comfort.