Sun PhuQuoc Airways expands to Da Nang: New routes, 40 Dreamliners, and the DIFF 2026 connection

The first commercial flight of Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) touched down at Da Nang International Airport at 6:15 AM on February 25, 2026, departing from Hanoi’s Noi Bai. Four hours later, at 10:30 AM, another inaugural flight arrived from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat, carrying the airline’s first passengers from the south. With these two arrivals, SPA officially entered the country’s most competitive air route, offering travellers a new choice for connecting with Vietnam’s coastal capital.

Expanding frequencies from March 1

Initial operations will see two flights per day on each route. But from March 1, 2026, Sun PhuQuoc Airways will respond to surging demand by doubling the Hanoi – Da Nang service to four daily flights. The airline also confirmed that from March 15, it will launch the Da Nang – Phu Quoc route, completing a strategic triangle linking Vietnam’s three premier tourism hubs: the capital, the central coast, and the pearl island.

Beyond transport: a connected travel ecosystem

SPA is not merely an airline; it is the aviation arm of Sun Group, one of Vietnam’s leading developers of luxury resorts and attractions. Passengers flying to Da Nang can now design end-to-end holidays within the group’s portfolio: from stays at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Novotel Danang Premier Han River, or Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills, to explorations of Sun World Ba Na Hills, home of the iconic Golden Bridge.

This integration means travellers can book a flight and a resort experience in a single, seamless journey—a model SPA calls the “hub-and-spoke” network, with Phu Quoc at its centre.

Da Nang in full festival swing

The timing of the route launch aligns perfectly with Da Nang’s most vibrant season. The city is currently hosting the Cloud Tulip Festival 2026 and outdoor spectacles including Love in the Sky and Solar Warrior. But the crown jewel arrives in May: the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) 2026, sponsored and co-organised by Sun Group.

This year’s DIFF features ten competing teams, including newcomers from Macau (China) and Japan. Sun PhuQuoc Airways is positioned as a key carrier to bring hundreds of thousands of spectators to the Han River banks for the pyrotechnic displays.

Record-breaking fleet expansion

Sun PhuQuoc Airways is the first Vietnamese airline named after an island. As of February 2026, it operates a fleet of 10 aircraft and has led the industry in on-time performance (OTP) for December 2025 and January 2026. All core safety and maintenance certifications from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam are in place.

But the airline’s ambitions soar far beyond domestic skies. On February 18, 2026, in Washington D.C., SPA signed a historic memorandum of understanding with Boeing for the purchase of 40 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner wide-body aircraft. The deal, valued at $22.5 billion, is the largest wide-body aircraft order in Vietnamese aviation history.

With a range of up to 14,010 kilometres, the Dreamliners will enable Sun PhuQuoc Airways to launch non-stop routes from Phu Quoc to Europe, North America, and Northeast Asia. The airline has set a target of operating 100 aircraft by 2030.

Exclusive privileges for NCB customers

From now until June 30, 2026, passengers using the NCB iziMobile banking app or holding an NCB credit card can enjoy priority check-in at Sun PhuQuoc Airways counters, significantly reducing processing time. Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Private NCB cardholders receive unlimited access to the business lounge, with private spaces, fine dining, beverages, and work areas.

To use the privilege, customers simply present the NCB iziMobile app or a valid NCB Visa card matching their ID and boarding pass for any SPA-operated flight.

Strategic significance

Sun PhuQuoc Airways’ entry into the Hanoi/HCMC – Da Nang market diversifies options for travellers and injects new capacity into one of Southeast Asia’s busiest air corridors. More importantly, it signals the maturation of Vietnam’s aviation sector, with a private carrier placing the country’s largest-ever wide-body order and building a network designed around integrated resort experiences.

For travellers planning a 2026 visit to Vietnam, SPA’s expanding network offers flexibility and a direct connection to some of the country’s most spectacular destinations—whether the limestone bays of Phu Quoc, the imperial heritage of Hue (accessible via Da Nang), or the festivals of Da Nang itself.

Looking ahead: the Dreamliner era

With the 787-9 order, Sun PhuQuoc Airways is positioning itself as a future player in long-haul aviation. While no specific routes have been announced, the combination of Phu Quoc’s tourism appeal and direct access to North Asian and Western markets could reshape Vietnam’s international connectivity by the end of the decade. For now, the focus remains on strengthening the domestic network and preparing for the summer 2026 travel surge, anchored by DIFF and the peak holiday season.

For the first time, travellers to Da Nang have a new airline to choose from—one that brings with it the full weight of the Sun Group ecosystem, a record-breaking order book, and a commitment to on-time performance that has already set industry benchmarks.