YuSMP Travel Editorial Team
On 19 October 2026, five Russian airlines — Aeroflot, S7, Nordwind, IrAero and Ikar — filed applications with Rosaviation for permits to fly to Vietnam: Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, from Moscow, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk and several other cities. An application isn't a schedule or a ticket on sale yet — it's the first step toward opening routes for the 2026/2027 winter season. Here's who applied for what, and what it means if you're planning a trip to Vietnam.
What the airlines actually applied for
According to the state news agency PRIME, reporting on 19 October 2026 after reviewing Rosaviation documents, five carriers requested permits for additional flights to four Vietnamese cities. Aeroflot asked for permission to fly from Moscow, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg and Irkutsk to Nha Trang, as well as from Moscow to Phu Quoc. Nordwind applied for Phu Quoc flights from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk. S7 requested permits to Da Nang from Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk and Vladivostok, plus a Ho Chi Minh City route from Novosibirsk. IrAero is also seeking a Ho Chi Minh City permit, and Ikar applied for Phu Quoc flights from Orenburg.
Why these applications came now
The trigger was a memorandum between Russia and Vietnam expanding the flight quota to 105 weekly flights for each side — an agreement the two countries' transport ministries announced in late September 2026. Before that, the number of permits was tightly capped, and even airlines already flying the route couldn't add frequency or new cities. These applications are the first wave of carriers moving to use the expanded quota ahead of the winter schedule switch, which traditionally begins in late October.
Requested routes: summary
Vietnam route permit applications filed with Rosaviation on 19 October 2026
| Airline | Vietnamese city | Russian departure cities |
|---|---|---|
| Aeroflot | Nha Trang | Moscow, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk |
| Aeroflot | Phu Quoc | Moscow |
| Nordwind | Phu Quoc | Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk |
| S7 | Da Nang | Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk, Vladivostok |
| S7 / IrAero | Ho Chi Minh City | Novosibirsk |
| Ikar | Phu Quoc | Orenburg |
Who this affects, and what to expect
A Rosaviation application is a request for permission, not a guaranteed flight: the regulator reviews the paperwork, checks it against the existing intergovernmental quota, and issues permits, after which the airline announces an actual schedule, frequency and opens ticket sales. Based on past applications of this kind — such as Aeroflot's already-launched direct flights to Phu Quoc — it typically takes a few weeks to a couple of months from filing to the start of sales. If the permits are granted, travellers from the Far East and Siberia — Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk — would get more direct options to reach Nha Trang, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City without a Moscow connection; the same applies to Phu Quoc flights from regions that don't yet have a direct route.
What to do if you're planning a trip to Vietnam
- Don't build your trip budget around a "promised" flight — an application guarantees neither a date nor a fare; check the current schedule on the carrier pages right before you buy.
- If you're flying this winter, compare existing Vietnam routes against options through other cities using the destination match tool.
- Check the current entry rules for Russian citizens on the Vietnam destination page — visa-free entry terms and length of stay are updated from time to time.
- Watch for news on when permits are actually granted — decisions are usually published within a few weeks; check the destination catalog or the airline's own site.
Sources
The permit timeline and ticket sales start date may change — confirm the schedule directly with the airline before you travel.
- alta.ru, 19 October 2026 — citing Rosaviation documents and the PRIME news agency on which airlines applied for which routes.
- Moscow City News Agency — confirmation of the application details and Moscow routes.
* The list of applications and the permit timeline reflect information as of 21 October 2026 and may change. Confirm the schedule with the airline before you travel.
