Air Cambodia (Formerly Cambodia Angkor Air): A Practical Guide for Flying to Angkor Wat

History and positioning

Founded in 2009 as a joint venture between the Cambodian government and Vietnam Airlines, with initial capital of 100 million dollars, the airline operated for fifteen years as Cambodia Angkor Air before renaming itself Air Cambodia in January 2025. It was created to replace Royal Air Cambodge, which ceased operations in 2001, and remains the country's flag carrier, positioned as a full-service scheduled airline rather than a low-cost one.

The fleet and the network

The operating bases are Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat. From there the network is concentrated on the Asian capitals most tied to cultural tourism — Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur — remaining a relatively compact network compared with the big regional carriers.

On board and service

Unlike the regional low-cost carriers, the airline offers a meal included even on short routes and a service designed for those arriving on organized tourism to the temples, with schedules often synchronized with the opening of the archaeological park.

What passengers say

The recent rebranding weighs more than the service itself in reviews from recent months.

• Convenient direct flights to Siem Reap, with no multiple stopovers to reach Angkor Wat.
• Connections well synchronized with the visiting hours of the archaeological site.

• A recent change of name and brand that has caused confusion in some online booking systems.
• An international network more limited than the big regional carriers, with few alternatives in case of cancellation.
• Punctuality judged uneven on the shortest routes.

Air Cambodia is the most direct choice for anyone organizing a trip centered on Angkor Wat who wants to avoid unnecessary stopovers. Those who instead need to continue right after arrival to other Asian destinations with tight time margins should build in a cushion, given the still limited network of alternatives if something goes wrong. When booking online, it is worth checking that the name shown on the ticket matches the airline's current name, to avoid problems at check-in after the recent rebranding.