Lao Airlines, the national flag carrier of Laos, has announced it will resume direct flights linking the Lao capital of Vientiane with Vietnam’s central city of Da Nang from March 29.
The carrier said it will operate two flights per week on Thursdays and Sundays, using the Comac C909 aircraft configured with 90 economy-class seats. The flight time is estimated at about one hour and 20 minutes.
Under the schedule, Flight QV317 will depart from Vientiane at 11:20 and arrive in Da Nang at 12:40 the same day. The return flight, QV318, will leave Da Nang at 13:50 and land in Vientiane at 15:10 the same day.
Tickets will be available at Lao Airlines ticket offices in Laos, through authorised agents, as well as on the carrier’s website and mobile application. The proposed round-trip fare listed on the website is US$290 for bookings made in April.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Lao Airlines operated the Vientiane – Da Nang route using ATR-72 aircraft with 70 seats, transiting in Pakse city in southern Laos. In 2023, it attempted to relaunch a direct Vientiane – Da Nang service using Airbus A320 aircraft, but later suspended operations as market demand had yet to fully recover after the pandemic.
According to Lao Airlines, the route resumption this time is expected to be more favourable as the airline has introduced the C909 aircraft with 90 seats, which is considered better suited to market demand compared to the previously operated ATR-72 (70 seats) and A320 (148 seats).
The announcement comes amid rising international arrivals to Da Nang, which is projected to welcome around 19 million visitors in 2026. Currently, many travellers from the Republic of Korea and China view Da Nang as a hub while demand for short-haul flights to popular Lao destinations such as Luang Prabang and Vientiane has increased markedly. Lao Airlines expects these international tourists to help fill seats on its C909 aircraft.
