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Vietjet announced Monday plans to launch direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Western Sydney on Jan. 9 next year.

The announcement came in Sydney at Tech Connect Forum, a bilateral forum focused on science, technology, innovation and education held as part of Party General Secretary and State President To Lam’s visit to Australia.

The twice-weekly service will make Vietjet one of the first airlines to connect with Western Sydney International Airport, Australia’s newest.

Vietnam Airlines is also expanding services to Australia.

It currently operates five routes from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, using wide-body Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft.

It plans to start a new service from HCMC to Brisbane, the capital of Queensland and Australia’s third largest city.

More than 809,000 passengers flew between the two countries in the first six months of 2026, up 11.5% year-on-year, with flights reporting an average load factor of more than 83%, Vietnam News Agency reported.

The expansion of air services comes amid strong tourism demand.

Australian Ken Rafter has been bringing his family to Vietnam for the past two years, visiting a number of destinations across the country.

“We love the way of life and friendly attitude of the Vietnamese people every time we visit,” he told Read International.

His family plans to return to Vietnam early next year as the new flight routes provide additional travel options.

Vietnam received 13.9 million international visitors in the first seven months of the year, with Australia ranking among its top 10 source markets with around 397,000 visitors.