Vietnam Airlines to resume Hanoi-Moscow route from May after 3-year suspension

By Dat Nguyen March 14, 2025 | 08:39 pm PT

A Vietnam Airlines aircraft landing in Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in April 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Luu Quy

Vietnam Airlines has announced the resumption of direct flights between Hanoi and Moscow starting May 8, operating twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays after a three-year hiatus.

The airline plans to expand service to three flights per week by July 2026, according to its official statement on Friday.

Vietnam Airlines suspended the Hanoi-Moscow route in March 2022 due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Russia remains one of Vietnam’s key tourism markets. In 2024, passenger traffic between the two countries exceeded 220,000, a 2.3-fold increase from 2023. However, this figure accounts for only 26% of the pre-pandemic level recorded in 2019, according to VOV.

The direct Hanoi-Moscow route is expected to support the recovery of the tourism sector while facilitating trade, investment, and cultural exchanges between the two nations.

This year, Vietnam Airlines also plans to launch or resume 15 international routes to key destinations, including Italy, Russia, Denmark, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates.