Vietjet Launches Direct Colombo–Ho Chi Minh City Flights from August 2026

Sri Lanka has its first direct air link with Vietnam. Vietjet Air announced on 8 May 2026 that it will begin four weekly round-trip flights between Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Nhat) and Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport from August 2026, making it the first carrier to operate this route non-stop.

The announcement was made at the Vietnam–Sri Lanka Trade, Investment and Tourism Cooperation Forum in Colombo, attended by Vietnamese President To Lam and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya — a sign of how much strategic weight both governments attach to the new connection.

What changes for travellers

Until now, flying between Vietnam and Sri Lanka meant at least one transfer, usually in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok, adding several hours and typically extra cost. Four weekly departures give travellers reasonable scheduling flexibility in both directions and eliminate the stopover entirely.

Travellers routed through Ho Chi Minh City will also gain easy onward access to Vietjet’s wider Southeast Asian network, with connections to Hanoi, Da Nang, Bangkok, and beyond. The route works in reverse too: Vietnamese visitors gain a simple, direct path to Sri Lanka for the first time.

Colombo is the arrival point for the majority of international visitors. The airport sits in Katunayake, about 30 km north of the city centre, with an expressway link cutting journey time significantly. Travellers who prefer to ease into the island close to the airport often base themselves in Negombo for the first night — it is ten minutes from the terminal and has a well-developed guesthouse and hotel scene.

Full pricing and the exact weekly schedule have not yet been confirmed by Vietjet; both are expected ahead of the August launch. Our flights to Sri Lanka guide covers the full picture of carriers and routes currently operating, and the Colombo airport guide details arrivals, transport options, and what to expect on landing.

Part of a wider aviation expansion

This Vietjet service arrives alongside several other new routes announced for 2026. Jetstar will start a direct Melbourne–Colombo service from 25 August — the only low-cost nonstop between Australia and Sri Lanka — while British Airways is set to add a London Gatwick–Colombo route later in the year. Greater direct connectivity generally means more competition on fares, which is good news for anyone pricing up a trip.

Visitors wondering about entry requirements can find everything on the Sri Lanka visa guide, including details of the free ETA policy for citizens of 40 countries that came into effect in May 2026.