Phu Quoc–Singapore direct flights launch on July 25, accelerating its transit-hub role

Phu Quoc, a southern Vietnamese island resort, and Singapore, Southeast Asia's giant hub, are being connected by a direct flight. The emerging airline Sun PhuQuoc Airways announced it will launch a Phu Quoc–Singapore route on July 25, 2026. With one round trip daily and a flight time of just under two hours, it becomes the fourth international route after Taipei, Seoul, and Hong Kong. With no direct flights from Japan to Phu Quoc right now, this single route adds a new option to your itinerary: "connect through Singapore and slip out to the beach." We've laid out who, when, where, and how it changes things, and how it affects Japanese travelers.

Summary of the news behind this article

Operating it is Sun PhuQuoc Airways, part of Vietnam's Sun Group. The launch date is July 25, 2026. The schedule is Phu Quoc departing 10:35 → Singapore arriving 13:20, and on the return Singapore departing 14:20 → Phu Quoc arriving 15:05, flying one flight each way daily. Flight time is just under two hours. Checked baggage up to 23kg is free, light meals and drinks are served on board, and children aged 2 to 12 are set at 75% of the adult fare.

To mark the launch, from July 25, 2026 to January 24, 2027, passengers flying from Singapore to Phu Quoc will receive a free pass for the "world's longest three-cable cable car" that crosses to Hon Thom Island. The fact that it's limited to the one direction departing Singapore clearly shows the aim of capturing inbound visitors who come to play locally.

Why is Phu Quoc adding international routes now?

Behind this is Phu Quoc island's rising profile. It was once a rustic fishing-village island centered on domestic visitors, but resort development has advanced rapidly over the past few years, and its name has become known to the point that overseas travel media call it "better than Bali." In 2025 alone, about 98,000 people traveled back and forth between it and Singapore. Backed by visa exemption and a manageable flight time, the number of people visiting Phu Quoc from the Singapore side is steadily rising.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways, which operates the route, is itself a newly born company. Sun Group established it as Vietnam's first leisure-focused full-service airline in May 2025, and its first flight took off on November 1, 2025. It started with domestic routes linking Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang with Phu Quoc. In just over half a year from there, it has expanded to four international routes, with a Bangkok route also set to launch on August 8, 2026. The fleet centers on new Airbus A321neo aircraft, and offering a full service that includes business class is the difference from Phu Quoc routes that had been LCC-centered.

The company that developed the island's resorts owns, in-house, even the airline that carries visitors to that island. Sun Group handles cable cars, theme parks, and hotels, and this setup of "a free cable car pass for passengers" is a mechanism that seamlessly connects everything from the gateway of the trip to the playground within the group. Expanding international routes is a move to open that gateway to the world.

Launch information at a glance

How locals and travelers are taking it

The tone of the various media reporting the launch, and travelers' interest, break down as follows.

• Aviation-industry specialist sites emphasize that this route is the first full-service flight between Phu Quoc and Singapore. Until now this segment has been LCC-centered, where it was common to stack on checked baggage and in-flight service for extra fees. The conditions of 23kg free and a light meal included strike a genuine chord with luggage-heavy families and long-stay resort groups.
• Travel professionals on the Singapore side value the visa exemption and the closeness of just under two hours. The read is that Phu Quoc has entered the list of "easy-to-reach island beaches" as a weekend getaway, alongside the Bali and Phuket of the past.
• As for the free cable car pass, some voices note that because it's a perk limited to Singapore-departing passengers who are there to play locally, it doesn't directly apply to Japanese connecting travelers returning on the outbound-from-Phu-Quoc leg. Not misreading the perk's direction and period is the premise for using it wisely.

What it means for Japanese travelers

Here's the main point. There are no direct flights from Japan to Phu Quoc, and for now the standard route has been to transfer to a domestic flight in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi within Vietnam. It's about six hours from Tokyo to Ho Chi Minh City, then about one hour from there to Phu Quoc. Via Hanoi it's about five and a half hours from Tokyo, with a connecting flight of about two hours. Either way, you land on the Vietnamese mainland once before heading to the island.

With this Singapore route added, a third route — "Japan → Singapore → Phu Quoc" — takes on real feasibility. Multiple carriers fly direct from Japan to Singapore, and the transfer point, Changi Airport, is a globally highly rated airport for ease of connection. Since the Phu Quoc flight departs in the afternoon (14:20), you can sketch out leaving Japan in the morning or midday, spending a few hours in Singapore, and arriving in Phu Quoc before evening. Total travel time favors going via Ho Chi Minh City, but for those who want to indulge in two cities in one itinerary — "connect comfortably at Changi," "sightsee in Singapore on the way out, beach on the way back" — a worthwhile option has been added.

What to watch is the balance of fare and perks. Since full-service flights include baggage and in-flight service, comparing them with LCCs by displayed fare alone tends to make them look pricey, but adding back 23kg free and a light meal often narrows the gap. Meanwhile, the free cable car pass is limited to the one Singapore-departing direction, so if you're going from Japan, always confirm at booking whether the pass comes with the "Singapore → Phu Quoc" flight. Note too that on an itinerary connecting through Singapore on the way home, the pass is likely out of scope, so it's safer not to expect too much.

One round trip daily also means recovery from missed flights or delays is harder. Allow ample connection time, and check with the airline or booking site whether checked baggage is handled through (or whether you need to collect it once and re-check in) to avoid trouble on the day.

Ripple effects on the tourism industry

From a route-network standpoint, you could say Phu Quoc has stepped closer to being "Southeast Asia's island hub." The flow of Taipei, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok in summer connecting the island directly with major East and Southeast Asian cities diversifies the movement of overseas visitors who previously could only arrive via Ho Chi Minh City. For Japanese travel agencies too, it becomes easier to build multi-stop products combining existing popular transfer points like Singapore, Taipei, and Hong Kong, broadening packages of "two Asian cities + beach" rather than Phu Quoc alone.

Seen from the island resort side, the launch of a full-service flight helps raise the customer base. It becomes easier to capture luggage-heavy, longer-staying families and couples, and easier to design the flow of visitors to the group's cable cars, theme parks, and hotels. Sun Group's strength in holding aviation, lodging, and activities as one is likely to be reproduced in the same form on each front of the international routes.

Practical information: how to get there, perks, and the best season

If you're aiming for Phu Quoc from Japan, there are broadly three routes. For the shortest, go via Ho Chi Minh City (about six hours from Tokyo plus a domestic flight of about one hour); to pick by frequency, go via Hanoi (about five and a half hours from Tokyo plus about two hours); and the newly added Singapore route. Via Singapore, the strengths are the transfer airport's comfort and the flexibility of enjoying two cities on the way out and back.

Those wanting to use the free cable car pass must board a Singapore-to-Phu-Quoc flight (July 25, 2026 to January 24, 2027). This cable car crossing to Hon Thom Island is known as one of the world's longest three-cable systems, about 8 km in length and taking about 15 minutes. The stretch crossing over the sea is long, and it's a sightseeing highlight in itself. Confirm the pass's eligible period and direction at booking, and set aside half a day to a full day locally, paired with sea play on Hon Thom Island, to make the most of it.

The best season is roughly November to April, the dry season with little rain. It's a time when the sea is calm and marine activities are easy to enjoy, and it happens to overlap with the launch-perk period. Conversely, May to October is the rainy season, prone to squalls and rough seas, so if the beach is your goal, it's safest to build your schedule around the dry season.

Summary

The launch of the Phu Quoc–Singapore direct flight is a move to draw in Singapore visitors, and at the same time, for Japanese travelers, it's the birth of a new route to "slip out to the beach via a Singapore connection." One more way to reach direct-flight-less Phu Quoc has been added, and the two-city tour has become easier to sketch out. The full-service conditions with baggage and in-flight service included, the direction and period of the free cable car pass, and the connection allowance given the single daily round trip. Book with these three points in mind, and the Vietnamese island resort becomes a much closer destination.

Frequently asked questions

Are there direct flights from Japan to Phu Quoc?

As of June 2026, there are no direct flights from Japan to Phu Quoc. Generally you transfer in Ho Chi Minh City (about six hours from Tokyo plus a domestic flight of about one hour) or Hanoi (about five and a half hours plus about two hours) within Vietnam. Using the newly launched Singapore route, you'll also be able to choose a third route via a Singapore connection.

Can I get the free cable car pass even if I go from Japan?

The free pass is for passengers on Singapore-to-Phu-Quoc flights, and the period is July 25, 2026 to January 24, 2027. If your itinerary goes from Japan via Singapore and takes the "Singapore → Phu Quoc" flight, you may be eligible, but if you use this segment on the return leg you're likely out of scope, so always confirm the eligible flight at booking.

When is the best season for a Phu Quoc trip?

Roughly November to April, the dry season with little rain, is the guide. The sea is calm and marine activities are easy to enjoy, and it overlaps with the launch-perk period. May to October is the rainy season with more squalls, so if the beach is your goal, building your schedule around the dry season is recommended.

Related reading

• "Better than Bali" Phu Quoc ranks 2nd in the world island rankings
• The island food culture nurtured by Phu Quoc's fish sauce (nuoc mam)
• New rules and usage for SIMs for travelers to Vietnam

Source:

• Sun PhuQuoc Airways to launch Singapore route on July 25 – VnExpress International
• Sun PhuQuoc Airways Plans late-July 2026 Singapore Launch – AeroRoutes
• Sun PhuQuoc Airways – Wikipedia