Hot Airline Ticket Market on April 30th

The Labor law stipulates that this year’s April 30th-May 1st holiday will only last for 2 weekdays. Despite the short duration, some families still have plans to travel far due to concerns about the increase in airfare and service costs during the peak summer season, which takes place in May-June.

A survey conducted on March 18th shows that there is high demand for “hot” tourist flights from Hanoi. For example, round-trip tickets from Hanoi to Phu Quoc starting from April 27th cost nearly 8.6 million VND. The number of available seats on flights from the capital city is running out, with one-way fares for Vietjet Air and Vietnam Airlines reaching over 4 million VND and 5 million VND, respectively.

On the other hand, round-trip tickets from Hanoi to Nha Trang are also very expensive, with prices over 5 million VND only available for “unfavorable” flight times such as late afternoon and evening. For flights in the morning and early afternoon, which allow passengers more resting time, round-trip fares can go up to 7 million VND.

The Hanoi-Quy Nhon route also sees a sharp increase in ticket prices. According to statistics, the lowest price for a round-trip flight departing on April 27th and returning on May 1st is 5.2 million VND.

For those who want to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi to visit family or explore the capital’s culture and history, airfare is also an important factor to consider. Vietnam Airlines offers the lowest starting round-trip fare for this route at 6.5 million VND in the economy saver class, while the economy super saver class is currently sold out. In addition, round-trip fares from Bamboo Airways and Vietjet Air are close to 6 million VND.

Mr. Thanh, who works at a ticket agency in Hoang Mai District, Hanoi, explained that airfare increases because airlines price their tickets in different ranges from low to high for the same flight. In the case of the low-cost segment being sold out, travelers will have to purchase higher-priced segments.

Furthermore, airlines have not yet announced plans to increase capacity to meet service demand during the peak season. If they do, ticket prices are unlikely to decrease due to the significant impact of the Pratt & Whitney engine recall on Airbus aircraft operations.

The high cost of airfare makes people hesitant to travel during the holiday.

As most travelers have to spend money on airfare, they tend to save on destinations and only focus on budget accommodations. Currently, representatives of a 4-star resort on Suoi May Street, Phu Quoc Island (Kien Giang) stated that the hotel’s booking rate during the holiday is only 20%, a decrease of about 5% compared to the same period last year.

Likewise, the demand for high-quality accommodations in Hanoi has not met expectations. For example, representatives of the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel stated that the room booking rate during the April 30th-May 1st holiday is only 25% of the hotel’s capacity. Although this figure is twice as high as the same period last year, there is still a lot of work to be done to meet room booking targets.

To ensure revenue in the first half of 2023, hotels and travel companies are proactively offering promotions to stimulate tourist demand during the April 30th-May 1st holiday. As tour prices may increase due to transportation costs, these businesses will start selling summer products early and expand their product range in hopes of attracting consumers.