SkyTeam Member Vietnam Airlines Plans First-Ever Flight to U.S.

On November 28, 2021, Vietnam Airlines will fly from Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) to San Francisco (SFO), marking the first time the carrier will fly between the 2 nations.

The news comes around 2 months after the first nonstop flight ever between Vietnam and the U.S. was flown by Bamboo Airways, a Vietnamese low-cost carrier.

Let’s take a closer look at Vietnam Airlines’ exciting new service!

Table of Contents

Flying Vietnam Airlines
Final Thoughts

Flying Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines is a SkyTeam member airline and the flag carrier of Vietnam. This means that Delta frequent flyers will now be able to redeem SkyMiles on nonstop flights from the U.S. to Vietnam for the first time.

Vietnam Airlines flights will continue to operate 2 times per week according to the following schedule:

Depart Ho Chi Minh City 8:40 p.m. — Arrive San Francisco 7:30 p.m.
Depart San Francisco 11 p.m. — Arrive Ho Chi Minh City 6:40 a.m. (+2)

The airline’s long-haul fleet comprises a total of 29 aircraft: 14 Airbus A350-900s and 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners made up of 4 787-10s and 11 787-9s.

Currently, the only flight showing available to book through the Vietnam Airlines website is the inaugural flight, which is scheduled to be operated by a Boeing 787 aircraft. Future flights could also be operated by the Airbus A350.

Flyers will be able to choose from economy, premium economy, and business class seating on board Vietnam Airlines aircraft. The business class product is similar across both aircraft types. It offers lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving every passenger direct access to the aisle.

Vietnam Airlines Business Class — Vietnam Airlines business class. Image Credit: Vietnam Airlines

In premium economy, the 787s offer a seat pitch of 42 inches, while the A350s have 39 inches. In terms of recline, the 787s offer up to 7 inches, whereas the A350s offer up to 8 inches.

You’ll find 2 different premium economy configurations: some A350s have a relatively tight 3-3-3 arrangement, while the 787s and the rest of the A350s sport a 2-4-2 setup.

And finally, in economy, the airline opted for a 3-3-3 configuration for all of its wide-body aircraft.

Hot Tip: Our guide to the best ways to fly to Vietnam with points and miles offers a step-by-step guide for every major alliance and transferable currency.

Final Thoughts

Improved connectivity is always welcome, especially when it opens up new nonstop destination possibilities.

Thanks to Vietnam Airlines, those on the West Coast will now have a direct link to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) as well as to Hanoi (HAN), thanks to new flights operated by Bamboo Airways.

If the route is successful, Vietnam Airlines will likely land in more U.S. destinations in the not-too-distant future.