Passengers on the inaugural VN1160 flight linking Ho Chi Minh City and Dien Bien (Photo: Vietnam Airlines)
The inaugural flight, VN1160, departed Tan Son Nhat International Airport at 9.35 am and arrived at Dien Bien Airport at 11.55 am, carrying nearly 100 passengers.
The route is operated using Airbus A321 aircraft with a frequency of two flights per week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, and a flight time of approximately two hours and 20 minutes. From Dien Bien, passengers can continue onward to Hanoi via the airline’s daily services.
According to the national flag carrier, linking Dien Bien-Hanoi services with the busy Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City trunk route, which operates 30-32 flights per day, allows passengers from southern Vietnam to reach Dien Bien more conveniently and access tourism destinations across the region.
To mark the launch, Vietnam Airlines is offering fares starting from VND 1,099,000 per one-way ticket on the Ho Chi Minh City-Dien Bien route, inclusive of taxes and fees. The promotion applies to flights departing from December 24, 2025 through December 31, 2025. Tickets are available for purchase until December 31, 2025, with all journeys to be completed by the same date.
Dien Bien is a familiar destination for domestic travelers, closely associated with major historical landmarks such as the Dien Bien Phu battlefield, and known for the cultural heritage of the 19 ethnic groups living in the province.
During the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, visitors can join spring festivals of the Thai and Mong communities, sample traditional cuisine, and experience local cultural life. Natural sites including Pa Khoang Lake, Muong Phang Forest, and surrounding highland villages, often shrouded in mist and cool early-year weather, offer opportunities to explore Vietnam’s northwest.
Vietnam Airlines began operating the Hanoi-Dien Bien route in April 1994. Since Dien Bien Airport was upgraded and resumed operations in December 2023, the airline has operated nearly 2,700 flights, serving more than 385,000 passengers, and remains the only carrier providing scheduled services at the airport.
