A worker uploads cargo on an aircraft of Vietnam Airlines. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s aviation sector continued its remarkable climb in the first nine months of 2025, transporting an estimated 64.1 million passengers and 1.1 million tonnes of cargo, up 10.7 per cent and 18.7 per cent year-on-year respectively.

Domestic flights carried 29 million passengers and 169,200 tonnes of cargo, rising 7.6 per cent in passengers and 0.2 per cent in cargo, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. International operations handled 35.1 million passengers and 946,200 tonnes of cargo, surging 13.5 per cent in passengers and 22.9 per cent in cargo compared with the same period last year.

Vietnamese airlines alone transported 43.7 million passengers and 343,300 tonnes of cargo during the nine months, recording an 8.2 per cent rise in passengers and 5.6 per cent increase in cargo year-on-year. Domestic flights by Vietnamese carriers reached 29 million passengers and 169,200 tonnes of cargo, while international services carried 14.7 million passengers and 174,100 tonnes of cargo, growing 9.3 per cent and 12 per cent respectively.

Việt Nam has also become a key market for South Korean airlines in Southeast Asia, with strong growth in both passenger and cargo segments.

According to tourism industry statistics, South Korea is currently the second-largest international source market for Việt Nam, with over 3.2 million visitors in the first nine months of this year, accounting for nearly 21 per cent of total international arrivals.

Kyoung Hee Kang, country director of Korean Air in Việt Nam, said the airline transported over 374,000 passengers between Việt Nam and South Korea in the first half of this year, up 4 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Currently, the airline operates flights to five destinations in Việt Nam — HCM City, Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, Cam Ranh and Phú Quốc — the highest number of routes in its Southeast Asia network.

In addition, other South Korean airlines such as T’way Air, Air Seoul, Jeju Air and Jin Air are also ramping up operations in Việt Nam, opening new routes such as Daegu – Hà Nội and Busan – HCM City to meet booming demand for tourism and trade. — VNS