Singapore residents will soon benefit from new direct air links to two popular holiday destinations in Vietnam, with national carrier Vietnam Airlines launching flights to the island of Phu Quoc and the popular beach resort of Nha Trang, starting in June 2022.
The carrier will also launch flights to Da Nang from Singapore for the first time, a route already served by Jetstar and Singapore Airlines.
Singapore currently welcomes all fully vaccinated travellers with no testing, while Vietnam is almost the opposite – welcoming travellers regardless of their vaccination status, but with a negative COVID-19 pre-departure test.
Update 14th May 2022: Vietnam has now confirmed there will be no pre-departure test requirements for any travellers from 15th May 2022 onwards.
Phu Quoc
Phu Quoc island was seeing a big rise in tourism arrivals pre-COVID, with Vietnam aiming to market the destination as the country’s alternative to Bali or Phuket.
Direct flights to Phu Quoc International Airport were even available from as far afield as Europe, Russia and South Korea, but Singapore has been lacking a non-stop link for over six years.
Instead tourists from the Lion City typically had to fly to airports like Ho Chi Minh, then connect to a domestic flight for the rest of the journey.
Vietnam Airlines previously served Phu Quoc non-stop from Singapore between November 2014 and January 2016, twice per week, but suspended the service due to poor performance.
Now the airline is back with a new twice weekly service, offering Singapore – Phu Quoc flights every Tuesday and Thursday from June 2022, with flights in the return direction every Thursday and Saturday.
203-seater Airbus A321s will be used to fly the 1-hour 45-minute route, with eight seats in Business Class and 195 in Economy Class.
Singapore ⇄ Phu Quoc
From 2nd June 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
VN694 A321 |
||||||||
| SIN 11:30 |
PQC 12:15 |
||||||||
|
VN695 A321 |
||||||||
| PQC 12:05 |
SIN 14:50 |
||||||||
Phu Quoc offers a variety of hotel options ranging from budget accommodation and guest houses right through to five-star resorts like the newly-opened Regent resort, the JW Marriott and the InterContinental.
Round-trip fares on Vietnam Airlines from Singapore to Phu Quoc and back in June 2022 start at:
- Economy: S$219
- Business: S$1,114
Nha Trang
Nha Trang is a popular beach resort on the east coast of Vietnam, but hasn’t had non-stop flights from Singapore until now.
Vietnam Airlines will also start these direct services using Airbus A321 aircraft from next month, with Friday and Sunday options in the outbound direction, and Tuesday and Sunday flights on the way back to Changi.
Singapore ⇄ Nha Trang
From 3rd June 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
VN692 A321 |
||||||||
| SIN 11:30 |
CXR 12:50 |
||||||||
|
VN693 A321 |
||||||||
| CXR 11:30 |
SIN 14:50 |
||||||||
Round-trip fares on Vietnam Airlines from Singapore to Nha Trang and back in June 2022 start at:
- Economy: S$213
- Business: S$1,108
Da Nang
Vietnam Airlines has not previously served the Singapore – Da Nang route, another popular beach destination with luxury resorts and gateway to UNESCO World Heritage site Hoi An.
June 2022 will also see the airline tap into this market, with three times weekly Airbus A321 services.
Singapore ⇄ Da Nang
From 1st June 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
VN672 A321 |
||||||||
| SIN 11:30 |
DAD 13:10 |
||||||||
|
VN673 A321 |
||||||||
| DAD 11:10 |
SIN 14:50 |
||||||||
In June 2022, non-stop Singapore – Da Nang flights are also being offered by Jetstar three times per week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and by Singapore Airlines on a daily basis.
Which Changi Terminal and Lounge?
Prior to COVID-19 Vietnam Airlines was operating from Terminal 4 at Changi Airport, however due to the temporary closure of that facility the carrier is currently operating from Terminal 3.
Business Class passengers and eligible SkyTeam status holders flying on Vietnam Airlines will be invited to the SATS Premier Lounge in T3.
Travel to Vietnam
Vietnam reopened its borders quarantine-free to international visitors in mid-March 2022.
Vaccination is not a prerequisite to travel quarantine-free to Vietnam, however all those arriving must have a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test, comprising either:
- a negative COVID-19 NAAT, RT-LAMP or RT-PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point; or
- a negative COVID-19 rapid antigen (ART) test taken at most 24 hours before departure from the first embarkation point.
Passengers younger than two years of age on the date of travel are exempt from pre-departure testing.
For our readers travelling from Singapore, a wide range of pre-departure ART tests suitable for travel are available at clinics for around S$18-25, or via a remote Tele-ART service for S$9-15.
Travellers must also hold travel insurance with at least US$10,000 of coverage for COVID-19, unless they are residents of Vietnam.
Thankfully Vietnam is looking to axe its pre-departure test requirement for air travellers, which would make it the first country in the region to require neither vaccination nor testing as a prerequisite for entry, though there is no confirmed decision or timescale on this front.
If confirmed, this would allow two-way test-free travel between Singapore and Vietnam for fully vaccinated travellers.
Update 14th May 2022: Vietnam has now confirmed there will be no pre-departure test requirements for any travellers from 15th May 2022 onwards.
Travel to Singapore
Fully vaccinated travellers returning from Vietnam to Singapore by air will follow the latest Vaccinated Travel Framework (VTF) process, as outlined below, which is already test-free and quarantine-free.
Singapore Vaccinated Travel Framework
Process
- Be fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine, or be aged 12 or under in the current calendar year (i.e. born in 2010 or later, for 2022 arrivals)
- Submit your SG Arrival Card (SGAC) within three days of arrival to Singapore
- Apply for an entry visa (for visa-required nationalities only)
- Take any flight from or via any country to Singapore and enter quarantine-free
Summary
The recovery of traffic at Changi Airport following the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t exclusive to pre-COVID routes, with these new destinations in Vietnam enjoying brand new non-stop options from June.
This follows news that another new non-stop link between Changi Airport and Noumea in New Caledonia is starting in July this year, as both Singapore and its neighbours across the South East Asia region relax border restrictions and entry requirements.
Both Phu Quoc and Nha Trang will now be easier to reach than ever from Singapore, for new simple holiday options, with straightforward travel restrictions in both directions.
The Singapore – Da Nang route will also benefit from a new airline competitor, with Vietnam Airlines adding three times weekly flights from June, supplementing services already offered by Jetstar and Singapore Airlines.
Vietnam may also axe its pre-departure test requirement soon, allowing two-way quarantine-free and test-free travel between the two countries for the first time since the pandemic hit.
(Cover Photo: Shutterstock)
for some reason, when I tried to search for a flight from Singapore to Phu Quoc on a Tuesday in July, none of the direct flight options showed up. do you know if Vietnam Airlines happened to scrap their plans for some reason? thank you!
Can’t find any direct flights to Phu Quoc
Checked today, No direct flights to Phu Quoc from Singapore.
Launch postponed to September 2022.
Launch postponed to September 2022
Cant find any direct flights in Sep too
Misleading article, pls update
Any update?
These were very shortlived flight schedules which were only flown for 3 weeks and were then cancelled. So much for the hype, blame it on the incompetence of VNA.
December going to Phu quoc and still no direct flights
No Direct flight as at 2023