The Vietnam Guides

Sun PhuQuoc Airways Opens Hai Phong Routes From July 2026

· 2 min read Travel News
Hai Phong port city waterfront in northern Vietnam

Contents

  1. What the New Routes Mean for Travellers
  2. Hai Phong as a Gateway
  3. Planning Your Northern Vietnam Trip

Sun PhuQuoc Airways, the Vietnamese carrier focused on domestic island and coastal routes, began operating flights from Hai Phong’s Cat Bi International Airport on July 25, 2026. The new services add direct connections between Hai Phong and Da Nang and between Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City - routes that previously required either a connection via Hanoi or a five-to-seven-hour bus or train journey.

What the New Routes Mean for Travellers

Hai Phong is Vietnam’s third-largest city and serves as the main gateway for visitors heading to Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba Island, and the Halong-Cat Ba archipelago. Until now, most international arrivals accessed the region through Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport and then transferred by road, a journey of around two hours.

The new Sun PhuQuoc flights give southern Vietnam visitors - arriving into Ho Chi Minh City - a direct path north without routing through the capital. Da Nang travellers gain a connection that suits multi-city itineraries covering central and northern Vietnam without backtracking.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways operates ATR 72 turboprop aircraft on these routes, with flight times of approximately one hour (Hai Phong–Da Nang) and two hours (Hai Phong–Ho Chi Minh City). Fares at launch were listed from around 700,000–1,200,000 VND (roughly $28–$48 USD) one-way, depending on timing and demand.

Hai Phong as a Gateway

Cat Bi Airport is located around 8 km from Hai Phong city centre and is accessible by taxi (around 100,000–150,000 VND) or ride-hailing app. The airport has limited food and retail options compared to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, so arrive fed and with anything you need for the flight.

From Hai Phong, hydrofoil and ferry services to Cat Ba Island depart from Ben Binh Ferry Terminal. Journey time is approximately 45 minutes by hydrofoil. This connection, combined with the new Sun PhuQuoc flights, makes Cat Ba more accessible than it has previously been for travellers arriving from central or southern Vietnam.

Planning Your Northern Vietnam Trip

Our Hai Phong travel guide covers the city’s attractions, transport options, and the best ways to continue from there to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island.

If Phu Quoc is on your itinerary - whether as a destination in itself or as the origin of a flight north - our Phu Quoc guide has full details on beaches, ferries, and getting to and from the island’s airport. To compare fares across Sun PhuQuoc, VietJet, and other carriers on domestic and international Vietnam routes, search Vietnam flights through our travel partner.