Airfare prices increase during Tet At Ty

Round-trip tickets for the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route during the Lunar New Year range 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 a 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 of the previous 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) and returning on 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, round trip Ho Chi Minh City - Vinh is about 7.3 million VND; Ho Chi Minh City - Hai Phong is 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 for Tet 2025 is 5 million VND (including taxes and fees), 500,000 VND more expensive than last year. If she chooses to go by plane, she estimates she will have to spend 20 million VND for 4 people. To save money, she chooses a bus for the outbound trip and a plane for the return trip, 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 plane tickets are harder to sell 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 the ability of airlines to provide flights during Tet. In June, CEO of Vietnam Airlines Le Hong Ha said that the airline had to stop operating about 13-15 planes due to problems with Pratt & Whitney engines used on Airbus A321neo aircraft, some engines of 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 department also requires airlines to declare and list ticket prices. Authorities recommend that passengers book tickets early to have more options and reasonable prices. Passengers also need to update flight information regularly and proactively check in online before arriving at the airport to save time.

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