Vietjet has become the fifth airline to commit to services from Sydney's new Western Sydney airport, adding a Vietnamese link to the growing route map of the Australian facility, according to FlightGlobal.
The Vietnamese low-cost carrier plans to launch a twice-weekly service to Ho Chi Minh City from 10 January 2027, rising to three times weekly in March. The flights will be operated by Airbus A330 widebodies, giving the airline substantial capacity on the long-haul link between Vietnam and Australia.
"Becoming one of the first airlines to operate at this new airport reinforces Vietjet's strategy of pioneering the expansion of its international network," said Vietjet chief Nguyen Thanh Son. The carrier's Vietjet Thailand venture also intends to begin a four-times-weekly operation to Bangkok from the following November, deepening the group's presence at the airport.
Vietjet joins Qantas, Jetstar, Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand, all of which have already committed to serving the new 24-hour airport. Cargo flights have been operating at Western Sydney since 27 July, and passenger operations are scheduled to commence on 25 October 2026, marking the debut of Sydney's long-planned second gateway.
Western Sydney airport chief Simon Hickey said the Ho Chi Minh City route expands the number of links available and "reinforces the choice, flexibility, and global connectivity" of the new facility. "Vietnam is an incredibly popular destination for [Australian] travellers," he added, pointing to the strong leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives demand between the two countries.
The new airport is designed to relieve pressure on Sydney's existing Kingsford Smith airport, which faces slot constraints and a night-time curfew. As a round-the-clock operation, Western Sydney is positioned to attract carriers seeking overnight arrival and departure windows that are impossible at the older field — a particular advantage for long-haul services from Asia.
For Vietjet, the commitment fits a wider push to expand internationally beyond its dense Southeast Asian core, using widebody A330s to reach further-flung markets such as Australia. Securing an early foothold at a brand-new airport allows the carrier to establish its brand and grow frequencies as the facility matures and passenger traffic builds through 2027 and beyond.
Sources: FlightGlobal. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By James Holloway.
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