India to Vietnam in 2026: Cheapest Routing via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur?
By Diya Verma (Diya Verma flies from Tier-2 Indian cities and chases every possible fare hack — reposition flights, hidden-city ticketing, mileage runs and OTA bundle tricks. She has booked 200+ international trips out of Lucknow, Indore and Jaipur.) · Published · 12 min read
There's no direct flight from most Indian cities to Vietnam — you'll connect via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok. Here's how to find the cheapest combination for both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with the seasonal pricing windows that actually matter.
TL;DR — the quick answer
There are no direct flights from Indian cities to Vietnam (as of 2026). Your main routing options are: via Singapore (SIN) on IndiGo + Scoot/VietJet, via Kuala Lumpur (KUL) on AirAsia or IndiGo + AirAsia, or via Bangkok (BKK) on Thai Airways or budget options. The SIN routing is generally more convenient (shorter stopover times, better frequency) while the KUL routing sometimes comes in cheaper. October is typically a better pricing window than February for most Indian gateways. Read on for the city-by-city breakdown.
Why is there no direct India–Vietnam flight?
Honestly, it's surprising there isn't more direct service given the size of both countries and growing tourism interest. As of 2026, VietJet Air has been the closest to establishing India–Vietnam direct routes but coverage is limited and varies by season — always check if a direct option has materialized by the time you're reading this.
The absence of direct flights means you're always building a two-leg journey. This isn't necessarily a bad thing — good connection routing can produce great fares, especially when you mix LCC carriers across the legs. The key is knowing which connection hub is cheapest for your Indian origin and your Vietnam destination (Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City).
Via Singapore (SIN): IndiGo + Scoot or VietJet
Singapore is the cleanest connection for most Indian travellers going to Vietnam. Here's why:
- IndiGo flies nonstop to Singapore from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bengaluru — meaning there's almost certainly an IndiGo SIN flight from your nearest major airport.
- From Singapore, Scoot and VietJet both operate SIN–SGN (Ho Chi Minh City) and SIN–HAN (Hanoi). Both are low-cost and price competitively. Scoot is Singapore Airlines' LCC so you get slightly better reliability; VietJet sometimes prices more aggressively.
- Connection times at Changi are genuinely civilised — the airport is efficient, and a 3-hour layover feels comfortable rather than rushed.
The SIN routing total cost (India–SIN + SIN–SGN/HAN) typically comes in at around ₹25,000–₹45,000 round trip from major Indian cities, depending on season, how far in advance you book, and whether you pick up bags or not. These are rough ranges — verify current fares on FlightGPT for your specific dates.
Via Kuala Lumpur (KUL): AirAsia or IndiGo + AirAsia
AirAsia is the powerhouse for India–SE Asia connections through Kuala Lumpur. They fly extensively into Indian cities (including Tier-2 airports where IndiGo international service is thin) and have very solid KUL–SGN and KUL–HAN frequency.
The case for KUL routing:
- AirAsia fares on the India–KUL leg are sometimes genuinely cheaper than IndiGo to Singapore, particularly if you're flying from cities like Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, or Ahmedabad where AirAsia has established routes.
- AirAsia runs regular promotions with bundled India–KUL–Vietnam fares — catching one of these can knock ₹5,000–₹8,000 off the total versus the SIN routing.
- KLIA2 (AirAsia's terminal) is functional though more chaotic than Changi. Allow 2.5–3 hours minimum for the transit.
The case against KUL routing: the transit experience is more stressful than Changi, connections between different AirAsia entities (AirAsia India vs AirAsia Malaysia) can require separate check-in, and delays cascade less smoothly. If you're booking AirAsia across multiple legs, read the connection policy carefully.
Via Bangkok (BKK): when does this make sense?
Bangkok adds another option — Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, or budget carriers like Thai Lion Air connect BKK to both SGN and HAN. The Bangkok routing becomes interesting when:
- You already want to visit Bangkok and can do a Vietnam extension at low marginal cost
- Your Indian origin airport has cheap flights to Bangkok but limited SIN/KUL service
- A Bangkok-based airline runs a sale that undercuts the SIN/KUL options significantly
For pure cost-to-Vietnam optimization, BKK is usually not the cheapest hub — Singapore and KL both have stronger competition for the Vietnam sectors. But for a combined Bangkok + Vietnam trip, the routing works naturally.
Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City: does the destination change the routing math?
A bit, yes. Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) gets more direct LCC frequency from both SIN and KUL — it's a larger international airport and the commercial hub of Vietnam. Hanoi (HAN) has decent connections too but slightly less budget-carrier frequency from ASEAN hubs.
In practice, if your destination is Hanoi, the SIN routing tends to offer more reliable options (Scoot and VietJet both serve HAN from SIN) compared to the KUL routing where KUL–HAN frequency is a bit thinner. For Ho Chi Minh City, both SIN and KUL are solid options and the pricing is more genuinely competitive.
If you're visiting both cities (Hanoi in + Ho Chi Minh City out, or vice versa), an open-jaw routing can save you the overland journey and sometimes costs no more than a round-trip to one city. Worth pricing both single-destination and open-jaw options.
October vs February: which pricing window is actually cheaper?
Both are often cited as 'good' times for India–Vietnam, and both are genuinely better than July or December peak, but they're different:
- October: Post-monsoon India, good weather, shoulder season in Vietnam (central Vietnam's rain season is Oct–Nov but north and south are fine). Fewer Indian travellers than December. Fares are typically moderate to good — especially in the first two weeks of October before school holiday demand kicks in. I've seen Indian origin–Vietnam round trips in the ₹28,000–₹38,000 range in early October from metro cities when booked 6–8 weeks out.
- February: Post-republic-day quiet, Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) is a wildcard. Tet in 2026/2027 falls in late January–early February — during that specific period, Vietnamese domestic travel surges and some international connections see price spikes. Book for mid-to-late February to avoid the Tet disruption. Fares in non-Tet February are competitive and similar to October.
If I'm picking one: early October slightly edges out February for most Indian travellers because Vietnamese northern weather is good, Indian holiday crowds haven't peaked, and LCC sales for the October window are common in August.
Vietnam e-Visa and practical booking tips
Quick practical notes before you book:
- Vietnam e-Visa: India is eligible for a Vietnam e-Visa (30-day single entry or 90-day multiple entry). Apply through the official Vietnam e-Visa portal. It's typically processed in 3 business days and costs USD 25 (verify current fee on the official site). Don't pay third-party services that charge significantly more for the same e-Visa.
- Book bags at the time of purchase, not later — IndiGo, Scoot, AirAsia all charge significantly more for post-booking bag additions.
- Currency in Vietnam: VND (Vietnamese Dong). Carry some USD for emergencies — it's widely accepted — but use local ATMs for VND. For your forex needs, check FlightGPT's forex comparison before choosing how to carry money.
- Search on FlightGPT with flexible date parameters — the AI search can surface the October vs February fare difference quickly across multiple routing options.
Also check our Hyderabad–Singapore fare guide if that's part of your SIN-routing journey, and our Istanbul routing guide for Europe extension ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct flight from India to Vietnam?
As of 2026, there is no regular nonstop service from most Indian cities to Vietnam. VietJet Air has experimented with India routes but coverage is limited and seasonal. Most travellers connect via Singapore (Changi), Kuala Lumpur (KLIA2), or Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi). Always check for direct options at the time of booking in case new routes have launched.
What is the cheapest routing from India to Vietnam in 2026?
The Singapore routing (India → SIN on IndiGo, then SIN → SGN/HAN on Scoot or VietJet) and the Kuala Lumpur routing (India → KUL on AirAsia, then KUL → SGN/HAN on AirAsia) are both competitive. The KUL routing is sometimes ₹3,000–₹6,000 cheaper round trip when AirAsia is running a promotion. The SIN routing is usually more convenient (better transit airport, more frequency). Compare both for your dates.
What are typical India–Vietnam round-trip fares in October 2026?
In early October, round-trip fares from Indian metro cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru) to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi via Singapore or KL are often in the ₹28,000–₹45,000 range when booked 6–8 weeks out. Bag fees are additional on all LCC routes. These are rough ranges — verify current fares on FlightGPT or Google Flights for your specific origin and dates.
Should I fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi?
Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) is the commercial hub of southern Vietnam and typically has more flight connections and better LCC frequency from Singapore and KL. Hanoi is the capital and gateway to northern Vietnam. If you're visiting just one city, choose based on where your trip starts. For a full-country trip, an open-jaw ticket (fly into one, out of the other) is worth pricing — it often costs little more than a round trip to one city and saves you an overland or internal flight.
Is Vietnam's e-Visa easy to get for Indian passport holders?
Yes — Indian citizens are eligible for Vietnam's e-Visa (30-day single or 90-day multiple entry). Apply through the official Vietnam Immigration Department portal. Processing typically takes 3 business days. Costs as of recent updates are around USD 25 — verify the current fee on the official site before applying. Avoid third-party 'visa agent' sites that charge substantially more for the same e-Visa.
Does Tet (Vietnamese New Year) affect flight prices from India?
Yes — Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) typically falls in late January or early February. In the week before and after Tet, Vietnamese domestic travel surges heavily and some international connections see higher prices and limited availability. For February travel from India, aim for mid-to-late February after the Tet period. Booking at least 8 weeks out helps avoid the Tet-adjacent pricing spike.