Daily departures from Incheon Airport at 9:30 p.m.

Carrier expands Vietnam network after Danang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc

Jin Air will operate the Incheon–Ho Chi Minh City route seven days a week starting Dec. 24, deploying a 189-seat aircraft on the service. [Jin Air]
Jin Air will operate the Incheon–Ho Chi Minh City route seven days a week starting Dec. 24, deploying a 189-seat aircraft on the service. [Jin Air]

Jin Air announced Tuesday it will launch a daily Incheon–Ho Chi Minh City service starting Dec. 24, operating seven flights a week with a 189-seat aircraft.

Outbound flights depart Incheon Airport at 9:30 p.m. and arrive at Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat Airport at 1:15 a.m. the following day (local time). The return service leaves Ho Chi Minh City at 2:15 a.m. (local time) and lands at Incheon Airport at 9:15 a.m.

The schedule is designed to let travelers depart after work and make the most of their time at the destination while minimizing the use of annual leave.

Ho Chi Minh City, the commercial hub of southern Vietnam, blends French colonial architecture with a vibrant modern energy.

Among its most photographed landmarks are the pink Tan Dinh Church, whose fairy-tale facade evokes a storybook castle, and the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, built in the neo-Romanesque style. Visitors can also stroll past the Central Post Office, designed by Gustave Eiffel, and the Opera House, whose ornate exterior draws on the style of France's Third Republic — offering a distinctly European atmosphere in the heart of the city.

Ho Chi Minh City is also a top destination for golfers seeking a winter round. Several well-regarded golf courses lie within a 30-to-50-minute drive from the airport and city center.

The new route extends Jin Air's Vietnam network beyond its existing leisure destinations of Danang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc to include Ho Chi Minh City, a center for both business and tourism.

All Jin Air passengers on the route will receive a complimentary 15-kilogram checked baggage allowance. To mark the launch, the airline is running a 20 percent fare discount promotion through Saturday. The promotional period covers travel from Dec. 24 through March 27 next year, and the discount applies when passengers enter the promo code HOCHIMINH at the time of purchase on the Jin Air website.

"This Incheon–Ho Chi Minh City route, launching on Christmas Eve, will be the ideal choice for travelers looking to enjoy warm leisure, exotic city sightseeing and golf all in one trip during the cold winter months," Jin Air said. "We will deliver a differentiated travel experience through Jin Air's competitive fares and convenient flight schedule."

Meanwhile, Jin Air is accelerating preparations for the launch of an integrated carrier, recently conducting a joint promotion training program for employees of three low-cost carriers.

The training follows the three airlines' approval of a merger plan and signing of an agreement on Aug. 21. A total of 270 employees at the assistant manager and deputy manager levels across four job categories — general staff, cabin crew, technical operations and aircraft maintenance — are taking part, with five sessions scheduled to run from October through November.


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