Airlines for Pet Transport from Vietnam to Sri Lanka 2026

Vietnam Airlines and VietJet both started flying direct between Ho Chi Minh City and Colombo in August 2026, and it’s easy to assume that means two new pet-friendly options. It doesn’t. One of those two airlines doesn’t carry live animals on international routes at all, direct flight or not. This is one part of Daisy Pet’s full Vietnam-to-Sri Lanka pet moving guide, focused on which carriers actually accept dogs and cats.

The Short Answer: Two Realistic Options

For dogs and cats, the choice comes down to two airlines, and which one fits depends on where you’re departing from. Vietnam Airlines flies pets direct from Ho Chi Minh City. SriLankan Airlines carries pets from Hanoi, connecting through Bangkok. VietJet carries neither, on any route. For quick answers to other questions about this route, see our Sri Lanka pet import FAQ.

Vietnam Airlines: Direct from Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam Airlines’ new Ho Chi Minh City–Colombo route runs three times a week, and it’s operated by the same airline that already handles traveling with pets across its network — dogs and cats can go in the cabin under 6kg total weight, as checked baggage, or as cargo for larger animals. None of that changed when the Colombo route launched; it’s the standard Vietnam Airlines process applied to a new destination.

The one thing that doesn’t change either: bookings for pets aren’t accepted online. You call the Vietnam Airlines office directly, and it’s worth doing that well before departure — the airline asks for confirmation 24 to 36 hours ahead, but crate and space availability on a specific flight is a separate question worth checking earlier.

SriLankan Airlines: Via Bangkok from Hanoi

SriLankan Airlines doesn’t fly Hanoi–Colombo directly — the route runs through Bangkok, adding a connection rather than a nonstop option. Daisy Pet has used this exact routing for a real shipment: a Pomeranian sent from Hanoi to Bandaranaike as manifest cargo, cleared through Bangkok on the way, with the owner already in Sri Lanka to receive her at arrival.

For owners flying out of Hanoi, this is currently the more realistic option, since Vietnam Airlines’ direct service only covers the Ho Chi Minh City departure point.

Why VietJet Isn’t an Option

VietJet’s new direct flight to Colombo doesn’t change its live-animal policy: the airline does not accept dogs or cats internationally, on any route, whether as cabin baggage or cargo. Its own pet transportation guidelines confirm the policy only covers small animals in the cabin on domestic Vietnamese flights. A direct route to Colombo is not, on its own, evidence that an airline will carry your pet — checking the live-animal policy separately from the route map is worth doing for any carrier, not just this one.

Choosing Between the Two

In practice, the departure city decides this for you. Leaving from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Airlines’ direct route is the simpler path — no connection, one airline handling the whole journey. Leaving from Hanoi, SriLankan Airlines via Bangkok is the established option, though it means clearing a connection rather than flying nonstop.

What Every Option Still Requires

Whichever airline carries the animal, Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo is the only airport in Sri Lanka equipped to receive imported pets — that doesn’t change based on routing. The documentation, vaccination, and testing requirements set by DAPH also apply the same way regardless of which airline gets the animal there; the airline handles the flight, not the import compliance.