It’s a bucket-list destination that has never had a seamless route, and 2027 may have the first one.

Good morning, Vietnam!

The immortal words of the late Robin Williams may ring in your ears when you think of a trip to Vietnam. Or, since Vancouver has a flourishing Vietnamese culinary scene, you might dream of slurping down a fragrant bowl of pho from its homeland. 

And direct flights from Vancouver to Ho Chi Minh City may even depart for the first time in the new year (but that is speculative at this point…sort of). 

The Canadian government signed a groundbreaking Air Transport Agreement with Vietnam on Thursday (Sept. 24), opening the skies for the first direct flights between the two countries. 

Air Canada welcomed the expanded agreement, noting it would bolster “commercial and cultural ties between the two countries.” The airline plans to launch scheduled service in 2027 to Ho Chi Minh City, according to a news release.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the flight option as part of a new strategic partnership between Canada and Vietnam, which is a comprehensive economic agreement covering security, development and trade.

Vietnam is Canada’s biggest partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with $1.3 billion in Canadian merchandise exports and $19.3 billion in Vietnamese imports in 2025. The agreement facilitates Canada’s Trade Diversification and Indo-Pacific strategies.

“The Canada-ASEAN Business Council welcomes Air Canada’s intention to launch scheduled service to Ho Chi Minh City in 2027,” Meghan Pritchard, executive director of Canada ASEAN Business Council, said.

“Direct air connectivity between Canada and Vietnam would be an important step in strengthening commercial ties, supporting tourism and investment, and helping Canadian businesses deepen their engagement in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic markets.” 

Vancouver to Vietnam: Will YVR get the new flight option?

The new agreement permits up to 14 weekly passenger-combination flights for each country, and seven cargo flights. 

An Air Canada spokesperson told Vancouver Is Awesome that it is premature to discuss details on the possibilities of a route to Vietnam from Canada. 

“Future service remains subject to receipt of the necessary government approvals and completion of applicable processes to operate in Vietnam,” notes the airline’s news release. 

However, Air Canada operates the lion’s share of flights to Asia from Vancouver, as Vancouver International Airport (YVR) serves as Canada’s gateway to that market.

With the mileage needed to reach Vietnam, it would make the most sense to depart from Vancouver, rather than Air Canada’s hub, Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ). Of course, other options exist, such as Calgary, but most new direct flights to Asia launch out of Vancouver. 

No direct flight has ever operated between Vancouver and Ho Chi Minh City, but it would take approximately 14 to 15 hours on a route of nearly 12,000 kilometres.

Air Canada already operates a direct service from YVR to Thailand, and the countries are practically neighbours in Southeast Asia (with Laos and Cambodia in between). It launched the service in 2024, the same year it launched the new route to Singapore. Sadly, the latter route was just nixed; it was the airline’s longest flight on its roster.

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