Air Canada's 2027 Ho Chi Minh City Plan Hinges on Approvals Under New Canada

MONTRÉAL — Air Canada (AC) plans to launch scheduled service to Ho Chi Minh City in 2027, subject to government approvals, after Canada and Vietnam expanded their air transport agreement to allow direct flights between the two countries.

In its September 24 announcement, the airline said it plans to work with the relevant authorities on the approvals and procedures needed to operate in Vietnam. It did not name a Canadian departure city, an airport in Ho Chi Minh City, an aircraft type, a frequency, or a start date.

"Vietnam is an important market in the broader Canada-Southeast Asia relationship. We welcome this expanded Air Transport Agreement and look forward to obtaining the necessary government approvals to begin service to Ho Chi Minh City," said Mark Galardo, Air Canada's executive vice president and chief commercial officer, and president of its cargo division.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the expanded agreement as part of a new strategic partnership with Vietnam. Air Canada said the announcement followed a state visit by Tô Lâm, Vietnam's general secretary and president, and a meeting of representatives from both countries in Ottawa.

What the expanded agreement allows

Transport Canada said the agreement allows direct flights between Canada and Vietnam for the first time. Each country's airlines may operate a combined total of up to 14 weekly passenger-combination flights, meaning passenger services that can also carry cargo, and up to seven weekly all-cargo flights. The all-cargo flights also receive fifth-freedom rights, so an airline may carry freight between two foreign countries on a flight that starts or ends in its home country.

The department describes Vietnam as one of Canada's largest and fastest-growing air markets in Asia, and as Canada's largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Two-way merchandise trade reached CA$20.6bn in 2025. International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu said Canadian merchandise exports to Vietnam exceeded CA$1.3bn that year, up 30% from 2024. The government also cited a Vietnamese Canadian community of about 275,000 people as a source of demand for tourism, business, education, and family travel.

Where Air Canada could fly from

Air Canada has not said which Canadian city will serve Ho Chi Minh City. Its summer 2027 network announcement describes Vancouver (YVR) as its trans-Pacific hub, Toronto as its global hub, and Montréal as its trans-Atlantic hub. From Vancouver, that expansion adds year-round flights to Guangzhou (CAN), pending government approval. Separately, seasonal Vancouver–Sapporo (CTS) service begins in December.

Vancouver–Vietnam travel already exists through connections. In a speech to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade this spring, YVR President and CEO Tamara Vrooman said 58,000 passengers flew from YVR to Vietnam in 2025 by connecting through Singapore alone, Daily Hive reported.

Air Canada is suspending its own Vancouver–Singapore (SIN) route after January 26, 2027. The service opened in April 2024 as the only nonstop link between Canada and Singapore. A spokeswoman told The Straits Times that the route "did not meet the business targets" needed to sustain it and that the airline would redeploy its fleet to other markets. Neither that statement, as reported, nor Air Canada's Vietnam announcement links the two decisions.

Which Ho Chi Minh City airport

Air Canada's announcement names the city, not an airport. Ho Chi Minh City's existing gateway, Tan Son Nhat International Airport, has run beyond its designed capacity for years, VnExpress International reported, and Vietnam is opening Long Thanh International Airport, about 25 miles (40km) east of the city, to relieve it.

In July, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam endorsed a three-phase plan to move international flights to Long Thanh, according to Viet Nam News. Long Thanh begins commercial operations on December 1, when airlines will be encouraged, but not required, to use it for international flights. All long-haul international passenger and cargo flights are due to move there for the 2027 summer schedule, from March 28 to October 29, 2027, and nearly all remaining international flights from October 30, 2027. Air Canada has not said when in 2027 its Ho Chi Minh City flights would begin.