Vietjet Thailand, with the largest fleet expansion among low-cost carriers in Thailand, is poised to challenge competitors by launching new routes to popular destinations. The airline aims to attract 6.7 million passengers and generate 15 billion baht in revenue this year, maintaining similar figures to those recorded last year.
Woranate Laprabang, CEO of Vietjet Thailand, announced that the airline is in the process of acquiring nine new Boeing 737-8 aircraft, which offer greater range than its current Airbus A320 fleet. The airline plans to replace its entire fleet with Boeing aircraft within five years, targeting a total of 50 planes by 2028.
As of mid-year, Vietjet Thailand had returned four Airbus aircraft, leaving 14 aircraft in operation. The airline expects to receive one Boeing aircraft in October, four in November, and four in December. By the end of this year, the fleet is projected to reach 23 aircraft, paving the way for route expansions in the final quarter.
New routes will connect to popular destinations in South Korea and Japan, which experience high demand during the cooler season. The expansion kicks off with the Bangkok–Seoul route in October, supported by Thailand’s recent upgrade to Category 1 safety rating by the Federal Aviation Administration, which permits the opening of additional international routes. Routes to Tokyo (Narita) and Osaka are scheduled to start in December.
Pinyot Pibulsonggram, Vice President of Commercial and Customer Service, stated that although other airlines are expanding on popular routes, a price war is unlikely due to strong passenger demand. To offset the decline in Chinese tourist arrivals, Vietjet Thailand is exploring new markets such as India, launching Bangkok–Kolkata and Bangkok–Ahmedabad routes in November and December.
The airline also maintains scheduled flights to four Chinese cities—Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and Shanghai—attracting Thai travelers. By year-end, Vietjet Thailand plans to serve seven countries with 25 international routes and 12 domestic routes.
For 2026, the airline is considering expanding to destinations like Hong Kong, following Thailand’s upgrade to FAA Category 1 status, as well as Nagoya and other non-stop locations reachable within seven hours, such as Phuket to Perth. Additionally, a new route to Nakhon Si Thammarat will make it the eleventh Thai province served by Vietjet, with the goal of regaining a significant share of the domestic market.
Regarding the government’s initiative of offering 200,000 free domestic flights, Vietjet Thailand received roughly 26,000 seats, which is expected to help boost tourist arrivals from abroad.
In the first half of the year, Vietjet Thailand achieved revenue of 7.5 billion baht and aims to reach 15 billion baht by year-end, matching last year’s figures. However, this target remains 20% below initial expectations due to the slowdown in overall foreign arrivals, especially from China.