International passenger traffic exceeded 39 million, up 14 per cent, while domestic traffic rose 11 per cent to more than 62 million, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.
Air cargo volume reached 1.4 million tonnes during the period, up more than 10 per cent from a year earlier.
In September alone, airports handled 12.5 million passengers, up 37 per cent year on year, including more than four million international and eight million domestic passengers.
Vietnamese airlines carried more than 46 million passengers in the first nine months, up eight per cent, including nearly 15 million international and over 31 million domestic passengers.
In September, Vietnamese carriers transported 5.7 million passengers, up 34.7 per cent from a year earlier, including nearly two million international and four million domestic passengers.
As of September 22, Vietnam had a record 258 locally registered aircraft operated by 13 companies across commercial, general and specialised aviation and flight training.
Vietjet had the largest fleet with 107 aircraft, comprising 16 Airbus A320s, 83 A321s and eight A330s. The airline added another wide-body A330 in September as part of plans to expand its international network and meet year-end travel demand.
Vietjet also has more than 400 aircraft on order from Airbus and Boeing, with deliveries planned through 2030.
Vietnam Airlines had the second-largest fleet with 94 aircraft, including four Airbus A320s, 59 A321s, 14 A350s and 17 Boeing 787s. In early September, the airline signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for five A350-900 wide-body aircraft, scheduled for delivery in 2033-34.
Together, Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines operated 201 of Vietnam's 258 registered aircraft, accounting for nearly 78 per cent of the total.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways had 21 aircraft, including four Airbus A320s, 16 A321s and one A330. It plans to expand its fleet to 33 aircraft by the end of 2026, 60 by 2027, 100 by 2030 and 200 by 2035.
Vietravel Airlines added an Airbus A321 on September 21, bringing its fleet to five aircraft, while Pacific Airlines operated three A321s. VASCO and Green Planet Airways each had six aircraft.
Sun Air and Viet Flight Training each operated two aircraft, while Bamboo Airways and Vietstar Airlines each had one.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said the 258 aircraft represented the largest number ever registered in the country.
