Vietnam Airlines opens first direct link between Vietnam and the Netherlands

Vietnam Airlines has launched a new non-stop service between Hanoi and Amsterdam, establishing the first-ever direct air connection between Vietnam and the Netherlands and further expanding the airline’s European network.

The inaugural flight departed Hanoi on 16 June carrying nearly 300 passengers aboard an Airbus A350 and arrived at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol after a journey of more than 12 hours.

Vietnam Airlines will operate the route three times per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Amsterdam becomes the airline’s eighth destination in Europe and expands its network to 12 direct routes between Vietnam and the continent, alongside services to Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Milan, Moscow, Munich and Paris.

The new route is expected to strengthen economic, trade and cultural ties between Vietnam and the Netherlands. The Netherlands is Vietnam’s largest export market within the European Union and one of its most significant European investors, with cooperation spanning trade, agriculture, climate adaptation and food security.

Representatives from both countries highlighted the route’s strategic importance, noting its potential to facilitate business travel, tourism, educational exchanges and connections for the Vietnamese community living in the Netherlands.

The launch also strengthens Vietnam Airlines’ position within the SkyTeam network. Amsterdam Schiphol, SkyTeam’s largest global hub, now hosts 15 member airlines, providing Vietnam Airlines passengers with expanded onward connectivity across Europe and beyond.

For Vietnam Airlines, securing access to Schiphol—one of Europe’s most competitive and tightly regulated airports—represents a significant milestone in its international growth strategy and supports its ambition to achieve a five-star airline standard by 2030. The carrier views the new service as both a commercial opportunity and a symbol of Vietnam’s growing integration into global aviation and trade networks.