VietJet Air Launches First EU Route: Hanoi to Prague via Almaty

VietJet Air officially launched its new twice-weekly service between Hanoi (HAN) and Prague (PRG) on October 10, 2026. This route marks a significant milestone for the Vietnamese low-cost carrier as it represents its first entry into the European Union market. The flight operates with a technical stop in Almaty, Kazakhstan, which serves as a strategic hub for the airline's long-haul expansion plans.

This new connection is expected to stimulate tourism and business travel between Vietnam and Central Europe. By introducing a low-cost alternative on this corridor, VietJet Air is challenging traditional legacy carriers that have historically dominated the route. The move reflects a broader trend of Asian budget airlines testing long-haul, multi-leg routes to capture price-sensitive travellers looking for direct links to European capitals.

This service primarily impacts leisure travellers, the Vietnamese diaspora in the Czech Republic, and business professionals requiring cost-effective travel between Southeast Asia and Central Europe. Passengers should be aware that this is a multi-leg journey involving a stopover in Almaty, which may affect total travel time compared to direct flights.

Makutet expects this route to serve as a litmus test for VietJet’s long-haul strategy. If the Hanoi-Prague connection achieves high load factors, the airline will likely leverage its Almaty hub to open additional secondary European destinations, further disrupting the pricing power of established flag carriers on the Asia-Europe corridor.