Vietnam’s flag carrier is rapidly reshaping the map between Southeast Asia and Europe. With new nonstop services to Milan, Copenhagen, and now Amsterdam, Vietnam Airlines is turning Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, and existing gateways in France, Germany and the United Kingdom into a tighter, more affordable network for long haul travelers. For European passengers from the Netherlands to the Nordics, and for Vietnam based travelers eager to explore the continent, these routes promise shorter journeys, sharper fares and a more competitive market across some of Europe’s most sought after destinations.
A New Nonstop Bridge Between Vietnam and the Netherlands
The latest announcement in Vietnam Airlines’ European expansion is its first ever direct link to the Netherlands. From June 16, 2026, the airline will launch a nonstop Hanoi Amsterdam service, operated three times weekly with wide body Airbus A350 aircraft. Flights are scheduled on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with timings designed to connect smoothly into Vietnam Airlines’ domestic and regional network, allowing passengers to continue on to Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and other major cities without long layovers.
This development marks the first time Vietnam has had a direct air corridor with the Netherlands. It elevates Amsterdam’s role as a gateway for Vietnamese travelers into northwestern Europe while at the same time cementing Hanoi as a hub for Dutch visitors headed not only to Vietnam but to other Southeast Asian destinations. For leisure and business passengers alike, the new nonstop flight removes the need for transits in hubs such as Paris, Frankfurt or London, reducing total travel time and often the final ticket price.
The choice of Amsterdam is strategic. The Netherlands is Vietnam’s largest trading partner in Europe and one of its most important sources of foreign investment. A growing Vietnamese community in the country, estimated in the tens of thousands, also generates consistent two way demand. The new route is expected to cater to this resident market, corporate travelers shuttling between two highly trade dependent economies, and tourists drawn to Vietnam’s beaches and cultural cities and to the Netherlands’ canal threaded historic centers.
For Dutch and wider Benelux travelers, the Hanoi Amsterdam route opens up a more budget friendly way to reach Vietnam and beyond. Direct services typically enable sharper pricing than itineraries that involve multiple carriers and connections, and as Vietnam Airlines integrates the new route into promotional campaigns, travelers from the Netherlands are likely to see competitive introductory fares, seasonal deals and mileage promotions that further lower the cost of long haul holidays.
Italy’s Fashion Capital Gets Its Own Vietnamese Gateway
Italy joined Vietnam Airlines’ long haul map in mid 2025 with the launch of a thrice weekly Hanoi Milan service. Operating on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, the route created the first nonstop link between the two countries by a Vietnamese carrier. Until then, passengers traveling between Vietnam and Italy mostly connected through other European hubs, often adding hours of travel and transfer time to an already lengthy journey.
Milan’s new status as a Vietnamese gateway resonates far beyond northern Italy. The city is a key European aviation and rail junction, and its airports handle substantial connecting traffic for Switzerland, southern France and other nearby regions. Vietnam Airlines’ arrival means travelers from these markets can now reach Hanoi in a single overnight flight, positioning Vietnam as a much more accessible long haul option for summer holidays, winter sun escapes or combined multi country itineraries across Southeast Asia.
The Italian outbound market to Vietnam has been expanding quickly, with arrivals recovering to and then surpassing pre pandemic levels. As Italian travelers look beyond traditional Mediterranean breaks, Vietnam’s mix of heritage cities, coastal resorts and emerging food scenes is gaining attention. Competitive fares are crucial to converting that interest into bookings. By offering direct flights and reducing reliance on triangle routings with third country airlines, Vietnam Airlines increases downward pressure on pricing, especially in economy class where value driven travelers are most sensitive.
On the inbound side, Vietnam’s middle class travelers have long viewed Italy as a dream destination for fashion, design and culture. With Milan now directly connected to Hanoi, tour operators in Vietnam can package more affordable European itineraries that include northern Italy, nearby Alpine regions and cross border excursions into France, Switzerland or Austria. Travelers benefit from simplified visas, combined rail and air packages, and the ability to fly into one European city on Vietnam Airlines and return from another, capitalizing on the carrier’s broader network.
Copenhagen and the Rise of Northern Europe in Vietnam’s Network
While Italy and the Netherlands anchor Vietnam Airlines’ push into central and northwestern Europe, Denmark has become the airline’s gateway to the Nordic region. The Ho Chi Minh City Copenhagen route, inaugurated in December 2025, is the first ever nonstop service linking Vietnam with Northern Europe. Operated three times per week with Boeing 787 9 Dreamliners, the route cuts total travel time to around twelve hours and removes the need for transfers through continental hubs such as Frankfurt or Paris.
Copenhagen serves both as a destination city and as a springboard into Sweden, Norway and Finland. With its modern transport links and strong role in Scandinavia’s aviation landscape, the Danish capital allows Vietnam Airlines passengers a one stop journey from Vietnam into major Nordic cities via regional connections. For travelers in Denmark and neighboring countries, the direct link provides a faster and often more affordable alternative to traditional routings through the Middle East or other Asian hubs.
The Nordic outbound market is particularly important during the winter season, when residents seek warmer climates and longer periods of sun. Vietnam’s coastal resorts in Phu Quoc, Nha Trang and central coastal areas are strongly positioned to capture this demand. Package holidays and dynamic flight hotel combinations built around the new Copenhagen service have the potential to compete favorably on price with long established destinations in Thailand and the Canary Islands, especially when promotional fares and mileage incentives are factored in.
Vietnam Airlines has also targeted loyalty benefits and launch promotions at the Copenhagen market, including extra qualifying miles and tier upgrades for early bookings. These campaigns speak directly to frequent travelers accustomed to transiting through more traditional hubs, and help nudge them toward trying Vietnam Airlines’ nonstop services instead. As volumes grow and load factors stabilize, the increased competition can translate into more consistent pricing and greater seat availability in both peak and shoulder seasons.
A Growing European Web: From Paris and Frankfurt to London and Beyond
The new routes to Milan, Copenhagen and Amsterdam build on a European foundation that already includes direct services from Vietnam to France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Russia, with Munich recently added to the German portfolio. Paris and Frankfurt remain pillars of Vietnam Airlines’ long haul strategy, while London continues to serve as a high demand link for both tourism and business traffic. The airline is now evolving from a specialist carrier serving a handful of Europe Asia trunk routes into a more diversified player with multiple entry gateways across the continent.
For travelers, this matters most in terms of flexibility and affordability. With more European cities connected nonstop to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, passengers can choose routes that minimize backtracking, reduce layover times and, increasingly, lower the final ticket cost. Competitive dynamics between hubs also tend to lead to tactical fare sales, particularly in low and shoulder seasons when airlines are keen to keep wide body aircraft well filled on long haul sectors.
The widening network also creates new opportunities for open jaw itineraries. A traveler might, for example, fly from Amsterdam to Hanoi, explore northern Vietnam and nearby destinations, then return to Europe from Ho Chi Minh City to Copenhagen or Milan. This kind of routing takes advantage of growing connections on both ends and can be structured in a way that keeps fares attractive, especially when purchased during promotional windows. As more Europeans consider multi stop trips through Vietnam and Southeast Asia, such flexibility becomes a key differentiator.
Business travelers likewise benefit from the broader spread of gateways. Companies with operations in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands and the Nordics can mix and match entry points according to meeting schedules and onward connections. Consolidated corporate deals and alliance based partnerships mean that fares can be negotiated on a network wide basis, bringing down average per trip costs while still ensuring access to premium cabin products and frequent flyer accrual.
How New Routes Translate Into More Affordable Travel
The arrival of Vietnam Airlines into additional European markets is not just a story of new lines on a route map. It has tangible effects on the cost of travel for passengers in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and beyond. Nonstop services often carry lower operating costs per passenger than multi leg journeys that combine several airlines or involve extended ground handling times at intermediate hubs. When an airline can sell its own nonstop product end to end, it gains pricing flexibility that can be used to introduce competitive economy fares and targeted promotions.
In practical terms, this means travelers from Amsterdam, Copenhagen or Milan who once depended largely on connecting itineraries through other hubs may now see direct fares that undercut or closely match previous one stop options. Early booking promotions, including launch campaigns around new routes, add a layer of savings. Vietnam Airlines has historically paired its route launches with discounted fare buckets, loyalty bonuses and bundled offers, making the first seasons of operation particularly attractive for value oriented travelers.
Competition also tends to intensify when a new nonstop link appears on a previously underserved city pair. Rival airlines may adjust pricing on their own connecting services in response, especially if they risk losing market share to a more convenient direct flight. Even without aggressive price matching, the mere presence of a new player in the market can keep fares in check, preventing sharp increases during peak periods and encouraging more promotional activity across the year.
For Vietnamese travelers headed to Europe, these developments can translate into more affordable itineraries that cover multiple countries. A journey that once required premium pricing through a single hub can now be planned with an inbound flight to one European city and an outbound leg from another, taking advantage of localized fare differences and seasonal offers. Paired with Europe’s extensive rail network and low cost carriers for short hops, long haul travelers gain more ways to distribute their budget across flights, accommodation and experiences.
Implications for Tourism, Trade and Diaspora Communities
The opening of direct flights has implications well beyond leisure travel. For businesses, shortening travel times and increasing the number of available seats between Vietnam and key European economies facilitates more frequent face to face meetings, smoother supply chain coordination and faster response times to new opportunities. A direct Hanoi Amsterdam link, for example, dovetails with the Netherlands’ role as a logistics and maritime hub and Vietnam’s emergence as a manufacturing and export center.
In Denmark and the wider Nordic region, the Ho Chi Minh City Copenhagen service supports not only tourism but also trade missions, educational exchanges and collaboration in fields such as renewable energy, design and digital services. Having a nonstop connection simplifies the logistics of organizing delegations in both directions and can help keep overall travel budgets within reach for small and medium sized enterprises or academic institutions.
Diaspora communities also stand to benefit. The Vietnamese populations in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, France and the United Kingdom maintain regular travel links for family visits, cultural events and business ties. Direct flights reduce the physical and psychological distance between these communities and their home country. More competitive pricing, especially when supported by loyalty programs and seasonal deals, can make annual or biannual trips more feasible for families who previously had to budget around expensive, multi stop journeys.
Tourism boards and city authorities are already moving to capitalize on these developments. Cooperative campaigns between Vietnam Airlines and local tourism organizations in Europe are focusing on promoting Vietnam as a year round destination, while Vietnamese provinces and cities are building tailored offerings for Dutch, Danish, German, French, Italian and British visitors. From beach focused winter escapes for Nordic travelers to cultural and culinary tours for city based Europeans, the cost savings achieved through better air connectivity can be redirected into richer on the ground experiences.
What Travelers Should Watch in the Coming Years
With the Hanoi Amsterdam launch scheduled for June 2026 and recently added routes to Milan and Copenhagen now ramping up, travelers should expect continued adjustments to schedules, capacity and pricing as Vietnam Airlines optimizes its European network. Frequency increases on successful routes, seasonal tweaks to flight days, and occasional aircraft upgrades are all possibilities as demand patterns become clearer.
For those planning trips from the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy and neighboring countries, keeping an eye on booking windows will be essential to securing the best deals. Launch periods often come with some of the most attractive fares, but shoulder seasons and anniversary promotions can also yield strong value once routes have matured. Travelers willing to be flexible on departure days and open to open jaw itineraries will be best placed to take advantage of the expanding network.
As Vietnam Airlines deepens partnerships with other carriers in Europe, including codeshare arrangements, passengers are also likely to see more through ticketing and coordinated schedules that make it easier to connect from secondary cities to Vietnam via the new gateways. This can extend the benefits of lower fares and reduced travel times beyond major hubs to regional centers across the continent, further entrenching Vietnam as a competitive long haul destination for a broad European audience.
For now, the message is clear. With new nonstop services to Milan, Copenhagen and Amsterdam complementing established routes to Paris, Frankfurt, London and Munich, Vietnam Airlines is turning a once limited Europe Vietnam corridor into a dynamic, multi gateway network. The result is a meaningful shift toward more affordable, more convenient travel for passengers in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and beyond, and a new chapter in the way Europe experiences Vietnam and Southeast Asia.