Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) has appointed InterAviation Japan (IAJ) as its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Japan. The airline is also preparing to launch a Ho Chi Minh City – Tokyo (Narita) route, scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027. This will be SPA’s first route to Japan, marking the airline’s entry into one of Asia’s most demanding markets for service standards. The route will also add a new full-service option for travel between the two countries.
Partnering with an expert in Japan’s aviation market
Under the agreement, IAJ will represent SPA’s commercial interests in Japan. Its responsibilities include ticket distribution, developing the airline’s agent network, building partnerships with travel companies and supporting the promotion of Vietnamese destinations.
Established in 2000, IAJ specialises in commercial representation and operational support for foreign airlines in Japan. With more than 25 years of experience, the company has helped over 30 airlines obtain the permits and slots required for scheduled services to Japan.
In addition to its experience, IAJ has an extensive presence across the country. Together with its affiliate, Japan Air Travel Marketing (JATM), IAJ operates offices in Tokyo and at Japan’s major international gateways: Narita, Haneda, Kansai, New Chitose (Sapporo) and Chubu Centrair (Nagoya). It also maintains partnerships with leading Japanese travel companies, including JTB, HIS, Hankyu Travel, KNT-CT and Nippon Travel Agency.
Building on this foundation, SPA’s products will reach customers through travel agents using global distribution systems (GDS), online travel agencies (OTAs) and the airline’s website. In the initial phase, the two partners will focus on the leisure travel segment.
SPA’s entry into Japan reflects the airline’s development strategy: expanding into markets with high service standards to continually strengthen its operational capabilities and passenger experience.
Japan is home to many of the world’s leading airlines, and its travellers place particular value on punctuality, precision and attention to detail. For SPA, flights to Japan are more than a network expansion. They are an opportunity to keep raising its service quality to the exacting standards of a mature aviation market. The move also builds on the reliable operational foundation the airline has established in its first year, during which it has consistently ranked among Vietnam’s three most punctual airlines.
From Tokyo to Phu Quoc in a single journey
The Ho Chi Minh City – Tokyo (Narita) route, expected to be operated with Airbus A321 aircraft, will open a new gateway for Japanese travellers to Vietnam. From Ho Chi Minh City, passengers can continue their journey on SPA’s domestic network to a wide range of destinations, with Phu Quoc as a key focus. The airline currently operates seven to eight daily flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc.
Visitors can combine a beach holiday on the Pearl Island with experiences across Sun Group’s tourism and entertainment ecosystem. SPA’s domestic network from Ho Chi Minh City also connects to Hanoi, Da Nang, Hai Phong and Van Don, giving travellers more ways to explore Vietnam.
The Ho Chi Minh City – Tokyo route is only the beginning. SPA aims to further connect Japan with Phu Quoc and Da Nang, two key destinations in its network, bringing Japanese travellers to Vietnam as a whole and to Sun Group’s tourism, hospitality and entertainment ecosystem in particular.
Japan is the latest addition to SPA’s international GSA network, following Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Russia and Kazakhstan. Through IAJ’s network of agents and travel companies, SPA aims to bring its flights and Vietnam travel experiences closer to customers in Japan, while steadily expanding international visitor flows to Phu Quoc and other destinations in its network.
