Airfares increase during Tet holiday

Round-trip tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi during Tet At Ty fluctuate from 6.6 to 7.4 million VND, an increase of about 8% compared to last year.

Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs proposed leave Tet At Ty 9 days. According to survey of VnExpress September 29 - 4 months before Lunar New Year, airfares from the South to the North and Central regions all increased. Specifically, the golden route Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi round trip costs 6.6-7.4 million VND, an increase compared to 6-6.8 million VND last year.

Tickets are more expensive during Tet peak season. For example, the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route, flying from January 24 (25th of Tet) to February 1 (4th of Tet), round-trip tickets start from 7 million VND (including taxes and fees). Of which, Bamboo Airways and Vietnam Airlines tickets start from 7.7 million VND (including taxes and fees).

The price of niche flights from Ho Chi Minh City to the Northern and Central provinces is also equivalent to the "golden route". For example, a round trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh costs about 7.3 million VND; Ho Chi Minh City to Hai Phong costs from 7 million VND (including taxes and fees). In general, domestic ticket prices for Tet At Ty routes are on average 5-8% more expensive than last year.

Ms. Thanh Loan, an employee of a textile company in Thu Duc City (HCMC), said that a round-trip ticket from HCMC to Chu Lai during Tet 2025 is 5 million VND (including taxes and fees), 500,000 VND more expensive than last year. If she chooses to travel by plane, she estimates that she will have to spend 20 million VND for 4 people. To save money, she chooses a bus for the outbound leg and a plane for the return leg, which is 6 million VND cheaper.

Prices have increased, but the number of pre-orders at this time is not as active as in previous years. Ms. Pham Thi Thu, an agent in Cau Giay (Hanoi), said that last year the number of tickets sold was very high, but currently her agency has only recorded a few bookings.

Mr. Minh Thanh, the owner of a ticket agency in Binh Thanh District (HCMC), said that it is harder to sell plane tickets than train tickets. His agency sells about 200 plane tickets a week, but the number of train tickets is three times that. Mr. Thanh added that he does not dare to import as many tickets as before because he is afraid of losing money.

Airfare for Tet flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on February 2, 2025 (ie January 5, Lunar New Year). Photo: Thi Ha

According to the websites, there are currently no "sold out" flights, the number of tickets is still quite large. A representative of an airline said that passengers are booking tickets later than usual, prices have increased slightly due to the scarcity of aircraft and fluctuating input costs. From March 1, the ceiling price of domestic air tickets has increased by an average of 3.75%.

Reports from Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air - two airlines with large market shares - also show that ticket prices are unlikely to decrease due to increased repair and maintenance costs and aircraft rental and purchase fees. The USD/VND exchange rate increased by 4.4% in the first half of the year, also putting great financial pressure on the airlines. Vietjet is facing difficulties due to financial loans and exchange rate losses.

In addition, Jet A1 fuel prices are affected by international fluctuations and taxes (fuel import, environmental protection, value added). It is estimated that these three taxes account for about 7.7-8.7% of the cost of each flight.

Status aircraft shortage also put pressure on airlines' ability to provide flights during Tet. In June, Vietnam Airlines CEO Le Hong Ha said the airline had to stop operating about 13-15 planes due to problems with Pratt & Whitney engines used on Airbus A321neo aircraft, some engines on Airbus A350 and Boeing B787.

To reduce ticket price pressure during Tet, The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said that airlines will be able to add more aircraft to their fleets and optimize their operating hours. Vietnam Airlines plans to receive three more aircraft, Vietjet 10. Other airlines such as Bamboo Airways and Vietravel Airlines also plan to expand their fleets to meet the increased travel demand during Tet.

The agency also requires airlines to declare and post ticket prices. Authorities recommend that passengers book tickets early to have more options and reasonable prices. Passengers should also update flight information regularly and proactively check in online before arriving at the airport to save time.

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