New direct flight Hanoi-Milan at Malpensa
Vietnam Airlines has inaugurated its first direct flight between Hanoi and Milan Malpensa, marking a historic milestone in relations between Vietnam and Italy. The new flight represents the first direct air connection between the two countries and is part of the Vietnamese flag carrier's strategy to expand its network in Europe, where it now has nine operating routes.
The new flight is operated with modern Boeing 787 Dreamliners and has three weekly frequencies, with a duration of about 12 hours each way. This is a strategic opportunity to enhance tourist flows, cultural exchanges and trade relations between Italy and Southeast Asia.
"We are extremely proud of the work done that led Vietnam Airlines to choose Milan as its new gateway to Italy and Southern Europe. A decision that fits perfectly into SEA's strategy to enhance quality connectivity, with a particular focus on long-haul connections," said Armando Brunini , CEO of SEA Milan Airports.
Malpensa is now the first Italian airport to offer a direct flight operated by the Vietnamese flag carrier, thus adding Italy as the third country in continental Europe to its network. Vietnam Airlines is the 30th airline on the Asian continent in Malpensa's customer portfolio. This confirms the growing centrality of the Asian market, which is now the leading non-European market in terms of traffic volumes, with over 3 million passengers and a growth of 24% also driven by the expansion of direct connectivity, up 30%. Milan airports operated by SEA connect 195 destinations in 83 countries with 90 airlines.
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines, Vietnam's flag carrier and member of the SkyTeam alliance, connects some of the world's most dynamic destinations with a network of 106 routes, serving 22 domestic and 36 international destinations in 20 countries. The airline operates one of Asia's youngest and most modern fleets, consisting of Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliners, Airbus A350-900 XWBs and Airbus A320/A321neos. It has received international awards including: Top 25 World's Safest Airlines 2025, Top 20 World's Best Airlines 2025, Best Premium Economy for Value for Money, 5 Global Stars 2023 (APEX), 4 Skytrax Stars for four consecutive years, and several World Travel Awards such as World's Leading Cultural Airline and Asia's Leading Airline – Economy Class. It also adopts numerous solutions for sustainable development, aiming for net zero emissions by 2050.
