Aviation industry expected to grow 13-15% by 2026

(Chinhphu.vn) - The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (Ministry of Construction) has proposed targets for air transport to reach a transport output of 95 million passengers and 1.6 million tons of cargo, an increase of 13% in passengers and 15% in cargo compared to 2025.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam builds air transport targets to achieve a transport output of 95 million passengers by 2026.

Transporting 84 million passengers by air in 2025

According to statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam ( Ministry of Construction ), in the first 11 months of 2025, the total passenger market will reach more than 69 million passengers, an increase of nearly 11% and more than 1 million tons of goods, an increase of more than 18% over the same period in 2024.

Of which, domestic transport reached nearly 31 million passengers and nearly 187 thousand tons of goods, an increase of more than 7% in passengers and approximately the same in goods compared to the same period last year.

For international transport, it reached more than 38 million passengers and more than 1 million tons of cargo, an increase of more than 13% in passengers and nearly 23% in cargo compared to the same period in 2024.

It is expected that by 2025, Vietnam's aviation transport market will reach about 84 million passengers and 1.4 million tons of cargo, an increase of more than 11% in passengers and 18% in cargo compared to 2024.

More growth drivers

By 2026, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has assessed that next year is forecast to be a year with many growth drivers for the aviation industry.

The 2026 GDP growth target of 10% or more, approved by the National Assembly, will create an important macroeconomic boost. From within the industry, the replacement Civil Aviation Law will be implemented and new policies and regulations will be issued, creating great convenience and actively supporting the development of the air transport market.

In addition, strategic infrastructure projects such as Long Thanh International Airport (HKQT) put into operation and Gia Binh and Phu Quoc International Airports continue to be accelerated, creating facilities to improve exploitation capacity...

However, in the process of evaluating and building goals and targets for air transport, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam assesses that it is necessary to recognize the risks from politics, trade economics, armed conflicts, religion, and unpredictable developments in fuel prices, exchange rates, and interest rates, which will also be variables affecting the operations of airlines and the situation of exploiting the air transport market in the coming year.

Accordingly, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam aims to achieve the following goals for transport management in 2026: Perfecting institutions and policies; Maintaining good market growth momentum; Continuing to support airlines in their production and business operations, stabilizing and enhancing operational activities.

At the same time, promote negotiations and signing of aviation agreements and treaties, creating a legal basis to promote the expansion of international exploitation activities; Research and apply technological solutions to more effectively support air transport management.

With the above assessments, comments and set goals, along with continuing to implement effective solutions to promote the growth of the air transport market in 2026, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam builds air transport targets to achieve a transport output of 95 million passengers and 1.6 million tons of cargo, corresponding to an increase of 13% in passengers and 15% in cargo compared to 2025.

To create a solid foundation for the development of the aviation industry in 2026 as well as in the long term, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam recommends that the Ministry of Construction and competent authorities focus on supporting investment in expanding aviation infrastructure, especially major international airports, to thoroughly resolve the overload situation, increasing logistics costs.

Consider preferential policies on taxes, fees, and credit interest rates for Vietnamese airlines to continue implementing the process of restructuring aviation businesses and restoring sustainable development.

At the same time, continue to implement and expand preferential policies on visas and accommodation, and develop strategies to attract tourists of the country and localities to stimulate tourism demand and create attraction for domestic and international tourists.

The specialized management agency also recommended directing the acceleration of amendments to the legal system related to aviation safety assurance.

In addition, prioritize investment in upgrading CNS/ATM equipment, weather monitoring systems, and early warning systems; direct localities to strictly control airspace, laser lights, and UAVs, and coordinate to strictly handle sources of safety threats. Finally, support the promotion of digital technology applications and big data analysis in safety monitoring across the industry.

Phan Trang

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/nganh-hang-khong-du-kien-tang-truong-13-15-vao-nam-2026-102251202173621816.htm