Korean Air begins flights to Việt Nam’s Phú Quốc Island as the country becomes a popular destination for South Korean travellers. — Photo Courtesy of Korean Air

HCM CITY — South Korea’s national carrier, Korean Air, recently launched its inaugural flight to Phú Quốc island, a popular leisure destination for beachgoers, nature lovers and families.

Phú Quốc is Korean Air’s fifth scheduled destination in Việt Nam after Đà Nẵng, Hà Nội, HCM City and Nha Trang.

The flight to Phú Quốc successfully touched down on Sunday as scheduled, and the airline will serve the route daily with its Airbus A330-300 fleet, configured in a two-class layout of 284 seats, 24 of them in prestige class and 260 in economy.

The daily service departs Seoul Incheon at 3:45pm and lands at Phú Quốc at 7:50pm. 

The return flight departs Phú Quốc at 9:20pm and arrives in Seoul Incheon the following day at 4:50am. 

Travellers from Việt Nam may also transit conveniently at Terminal 2 on Korean Air’s extensive network to, for example, 13 destinations in North America and nine destinations in Japan.

"Việt Nam is one of the most popular destinations for South Koreans, especially during the winter season,” said Kyeyong Kim, Vietnam Country manager, Korean Air. “We are happy to assist Việt Nam develop its tourism potential by providing convenient air services to international passengers seeking to visit this special destination.” 

Việt Nam is a hugely popular destination for South Korean travellers. The Korean market has consistently accounted for the largest proportion in Việt Nam’s international arrivals. 

There were 2.58 million Korean arrivals to Việt Nam from January to September 2023, according to the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism.

Phú Quốc, also known as Pearl Island, is Việt Nam's largest island and a designated UNESCO biosphere reserve.

The island is home to pristine white beaches and lush evergreen forests. From marine activities to the allure of a national park and family-friendly resorts, the island is a year-round haven for sunseekers, with November signaling the beginning of the dry season.

Operating for more than 50 years, Korean Air is one of the world's top 20 airlines, carrying more than 27 million passengers in 2019, pre-COVID. With its global hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the airline serves 120 cities in 43 countries on five continents with a modern fleet of 159 aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees.

Korean Air is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, and has grown into one of the largest trans-pacific airlines through its joint venture with Delta Air Lines. — VNS