Vietnamese aviation accelerates after a challenging year.

In 2025, despite facing many difficulties and challenges, Vietnam’s aviation industry still achieved positive growth results, contributing to economic growth and tourism development. Entering 2026, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) is required to continue implementing effective solutions to maintain and expand the growth momentum of the air transport market.

Speaking at the conference reviewing performance in 2025 and outlining tasks for 2026 of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam on December 24, Deputy Minister of Construction Le Anh Tuan stated that 2025 was a year marked by complex and unpredictable global developments, directly and indirectly affecting international civil aviation operations. Threats to aviation security and safety continued to pose potential risks, impacting global supply chains as well as socio-economic recovery and development.

In that context, Vietnam’s air transport market still maintained its growth momentum. “With the solidarity and efforts of the entire aviation sector, in 2025, the total transport output of the whole market is estimated to reach about 83.5 million passengers and 1.5 million tons of cargo, up 10.7% in passenger volume and 18.5% in cargo volume compared to 2024—an extremely impressive figure in the current period,” Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan emphasized.

Regarding task orientations for 2026, Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan requested the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to continue reviewing and improving institutions, mechanisms, and policies; accelerate decentralization and delegation of authority; and remove obstacles in investment for aviation infrastructure development. The Authority needs to urgently complete procedures to add Mang Den, Van Phong, and Ninh Binh Airports to the master plan; prepare and submit 15 airport master plans; and submit for approval the master plans of Cam Ranh, Da Nang, and Buon Ma Thuot International Airports.

“The Civil Aviation Authority should continue implementing effective solutions to promote growth in the air transport market; direct and facilitate airlines in adding aircraft, increasing transport capacity, and improving service quality to better meet people’s travel demand during peak holiday and Tet periods; and urgently develop transport indicators to achieve a transport output of 95 million passengers and 1.6 million tons of cargo, corresponding to increases of 13% in passenger volume and 15% in cargo volume compared to 2025,” Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan instructed.

Reporting at the conference, Mr. Ho Minh Tan, Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said that in 2025, transport operations and aviation safety assurance continued to see many positive changes; institutional development and improvement achieved notable breakthroughs; airport master planning was intensively studied and refined; and many aviation agreements with other countries were signed, helping airlines expand their markets.

According to Mr. Tan, 2026 is forecast to be a year with strong growth drivers as the replacement Civil Aviation Law and new policies are implemented; however, risks remain from geopolitical and economic factors as well as fluctuations in fuel prices.

A representative of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) stated that in 2025, passenger traffic through airports increased significantly, with the slot utilization rate reaching 94%, demonstrating the operational efficiency of Vietnamese airlines. ACV aims to continue ensuring safe operations, promote the application of biometric technologies, improve service quality, and expand international routes, thereby contributing to economic growth and tourism development.