International passengers rose 14% to more than 39 million, while domestic passengers increased 11% to more than 62 million, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

Air cargo throughput reached 1.4 million tonnes during the period, up more than 10% year on year.

Passengers at Phu Quoc International Airport in February 2026. Photo by SG

Vietnam is the third biggest aviation market in Southeast Asia after Indonesia and Thailand, according to a September report by aviation data provider OAG.

Vietnamese airlines carried more than 46 million passengers in the first nine months, an increase of more than 8% from the same period last year.

International passengers accounted for nearly 15 million, up 3%, while domestic passengers exceeded 31 million, up 11%.

The airlines carried nearly 347,000 tonnes of cargo during the period, an increase of more than 1% year on year.

In September alone, Vietnamese airports handled 12.5 million passengers, up 37% from September 2025.

Airport cargo throughput rose more than 8% year on year to over 168,000 tonnes during the month.