Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Construction officially granted an air transport licence to Sun Phu Quoc Company Limited (Sun PhuQuoc Airways), an airline brand invested in and developed by Vietnamese conglomerage Sun Group.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) has been licensed to operate under a traditional full-service business model with high-quality standards, while also incorporating a charter flight model. With Phu Quoc as its central hub, Sun PhuQuoc Airways aims to connect Vietnam’s island paradise with major domestic economic and tourism centers such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and other key cities.

On the international front, SPA sets its sights on linking Phu Quoc with major cities and leading tourist destinations across Asia, including Japan, South Korea, China, and other potential regional markets. Beyond popular destinations, Sun PhuQuoc Airways is also expanding its flight network to untapped high-potential tourism markets that currently lack direct air connections—such as Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia.

The project has a total operating duration of 50 years, with an investment capital of 2.5 trillion VND (approximately 98.81 million USD), of which 1 trillion VND comes from the investor’s equity contribution. The airline's main operations hub is located at Van Don International Airport, Van Don district, Quang Ninh province.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways is currently in the process of engaging with Boeing to negotiate the purchase of aircraft. In its initial phase, the airline will operate narrow-body aircraft from the Airbus A320 and A321 families, notably the A321neo.

As a next-generation narrow-body aircraft, the A321neo features exceptional fuel efficiency and flexible seating capacity. Equipped with new-generation engines and advanced Sharklet™ wingtip devices, the aircraft delivers up to 20% reductions in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions per seat, with a flight range of up to 7,400 km. It is the longest variant in the A320 family, accommodating up to 244 passengers.

These attributes make the A321neo an ideal choice for airlines aiming to balance operational efficiency with passenger comfort—well-suited for both domestic and medium-haul international routes.

The period from March to December 2025 has been designated as the airline’s investment preparation phase, focused on team building, technical infrastructure, and the completion of regulatory procedures. Subject to favourable conditions, Sun PhuQuoc Airways aims to begin ticket sales by the end of October 2025 and launch its inaugural commercial flight as soon as possible.

At the time of license issuance, Sun PhuQuoc Airways had already completed essential pre-operational steps, including operational model research, standardizing safety protocols, and establishing a comprehensive human resources framework.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) is born at a time when Phu Quoc is emerging as a premier resort destination in Asia and has been named one of the world’s top new destinations in 2025 by global travel organizations.

From its name alone, Sun PhuQuoc Airways affirms its mission: to connect the Pearl Island with the world—and to bring the world closer to Phu Quoc. The airline is developing a hub-and-spoke network model centered on Phu Quoc, offering direct connections to major domestic and international cities, while also expanding into high-potential tourism markets currently lacking direct air links.

As a strategic component of Sun Group’s integrated ecosystem in Phu Quoc, the new airline will connect travelers to a wide array of resort, entertainment, dining, and show experiences developed by the Group on the island, creating a seamless journey from sky to shore.

Dang Minh Truong, Chairman of the Director Board of Sun Group, shared: “Sun PhuQuoc Airways represents a strategic pillar in our vision to build a world-class ecosystem of tourism, resort, entertainment, and aviation. We are not merely building an airline for everyone —we are initiating a new way of thinking: transforming each flight into a natural extension of one’s vacation, where emotions, Vietnamese identity, and international service standards all take flight together.”

The official licensing of Sun PhuQuoc Airways also coincides with Phu Quoc’s accelerated preparations for hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Eeconomic Leaders’ Week in 2027—a major international event welcoming thousands of delegates, top leaders, and business executives from 21 APEC member economies.

In this context, the launch of a homegrown airline based on the island will not only help ease transport pressure but also serve as a vital gateway to welcome international friends to a destination that Travel & Leisure has named “the second most beautiful island in the world, after the Maldives.”

The addition of a newly licensed airline brings more than just added capacity to the aviation market—it marks a shift in trend from “convenient air travel” to “leisure aviation,” a movement gaining momentum in pioneering tourism markets across the region.