Akasa Air has launched four-times-weekly direct flights between Mumbai and Hanoi, its seventh international destination and second in Southeast Asia after Phuket.
Cover image: Akasa Air Boeing 737 MAX aircraft taxiing at an Indian airport — photo by Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Akasa Air has started direct flights between Mumbai and Hanoi, operating four times a week. The inaugural service departed Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 5:35am IST on Friday, 4 September 2026, touching down at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport at 12 noon local time. Hanoi is the airline's seventh international destination and its second in Southeast Asia after Phuket, marking the carrier's biggest eastward step since it began flying abroad.
The block time is just under five hours, which makes northern Vietnam a genuinely practical long weekend from India's financial capital. The launch targets rising Indian demand for Vietnam, a destination that has exploded in popularity with Indian travellers on the back of easy e-visas, short flight times and costs far below Thailand or Singapore.
Akasa Mumbai-Hanoi flight schedule and timings
The route runs four times weekly in each direction. The outbound leaves Mumbai early morning and reaches Hanoi by midday, giving travellers a full first afternoon in the city. Return timings position the flight for same-day connections across Akasa's domestic network from Mumbai.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Route | Mumbai (BOM) to Hanoi (HAN), non-stop |
| Frequency | Four flights a week each way |
| Inaugural outbound | Departed Mumbai 5:35am IST, arrived Hanoi 12pm local |
| Block time | Just under five hours |
| Aircraft | Boeing 737 MAX (Akasa operates an all-MAX fleet) |
Travellers should check the airline's schedule for the operating days in their week of travel, since frequency may adjust around holidays and the winter timetable.
Why Hanoi, and why now?
Vietnam is one of Asia's fastest-growing destinations for Indian outbound travel. If you are weighing the options, our guide to the cheapest way to travel to Vietnam from India shows why Hanoi keeps winning: short hops from Kolkata and now Mumbai, aggressive VietJet and Akasa pricing, and a capital city that pairs street-food culture with easy onward trips to Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh.
The timing also fits a wider pattern of Indian carriers pushing east. Gulf-backed airlines keep adding Indian Ocean capacity (see Riyadh Air's latest Bangkok and Manila additions), and India's own airlines are racing to capture the Southeast Asia traffic before foreign rivals lock it in. For Akasa, which only began international operations recently, a second Southeast Asian point signals that the experiment with Phuket worked.
Who was at the launch?
The flag-off ceremony at Mumbai airport drew both airline founders into the spotlight. Co-founder and chief commercial officer Anand Srinivasan attended alongside co-founder and senior vice-president of strategy Bhavin Joshi. Vietnam's Ambassador to India, Trinh Minh Manh, and consul general Le Quang Bien were present, with representatives from the Adani Group, the Central Industrial Security Force, customs and immigration departments completing the roster.
Diplomatic presence at a route launch is more than ceremony. It signals government backing for tourism and business links, which usually translates into smoother visa regimes and joint tourism promotion down the line.
What this means for fares to Vietnam
A second Indian carrier on India-Vietnam routes adds real pricing pressure. Until now, non-stop options from India leaned heavily on Vietnamese carriers plus a handful of Indian services. Akasa's low-cost structure should push round-trip Mumbai-Hanoi fares down, particularly in the shoulder months of September and October.
Budget planning still starts with paperwork. Indian passport holders need an e-visa before flying (approval typically takes about three working days; see how long the Vietnam e-visa takes for Indians), and the single-entry 30-day option costs US$25 through the official portal. Apply before booking anything non-refundable.
Frequently asked questions
How many days a week does Akasa fly Mumbai to Hanoi?
Four times weekly in each direction. The airline has not published a fixed weekday pattern for the whole season, so confirm the operating days for your dates on Akasa's website before planning connections.
How long is the Mumbai to Hanoi flight?
Just under five hours gate to gate. The inaugural departed Mumbai at 5:35am IST and arrived in Hanoi at 12 noon local time (Vietnam runs 90 minutes ahead of India).
Do Indians need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes. Indian citizens must obtain an e-visa before travel through the official immigration portal. Single-entry visas cost US$25 and usually take around three working days; multi-entry visas cost US$50.
What aircraft does Akasa use to Hanoi?
Akasa operates an all-Boeing 737 MAX fleet, and the Mumbai-Hanoi sector flies on these single-aisle jets in an all-economy layout with buy-on-board food.
