Both being teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Dao Hong Tan from Hoang Mai, Hanoi, shared that they rarely had the opportunity to travel during the school year and could only plan trips during holidays or summer breaks.
For the recent 30/4 holiday, the Tan family considered visiting Phu Quoc and Vung Tau but were discouraged by the exorbitant airfare, which amounted to approximately 10 million VND per round-trip ticket. With a family of four, airfare alone would cost around 40 million VND, excluding other expenses such as accommodation, meals, and entrance fees, bringing the total cost of the trip to nearly 70 million VND.
“Due to the high airfare, which accounted for 60% of the total trip cost, we had to opt for a road trip to Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa instead, which cost us less than 20 million VND for a four-day trip,” Mr. Tan shared.
Falling airfare gets people excited about traveling again.
Mr. Tan further shared that he had been monitoring airfare prices for the upcoming summer break and noticed a significant drop compared to the 30/4-1/5 holiday period.
“With the current airfare rates, my family was able to book round-trip tickets from Hanoi to Phu Quoc for just 4.8 to 5.5 million VND per ticket, almost 50% cheaper than the 30/4-1/5 holiday. We took advantage of the lower prices and booked our summer vacation to Phu Quoc for late July,” he added.
Similarly, Ms. Tran Mai Phuong from Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, is also planning a summer vacation for her family and is considering Nha Trang or Dalat as their destination due to the attractive airfare prices.
“Airfare for a one-way trip from Hanoi to Cam Ranh is as low as 1.6 million VND; Hanoi to Danang is 1.3 million VND; Ho Chi Minh City to Danang and Hue is 1.3 million VND; Ho Chi Minh City to Quy Nhon is 1.2 million VND, and Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc, Dalat, and Nha Trang are all 1.2 million VND per trip… These prices are very appealing compared to the peak season around 30/4, so my family is leaning towards the Hanoi-Nha Trang route,” Ms. Phuong said.
A survey by VTC News on May 26 revealed that airfare prices for the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route during the first week of June to early September 2024 have dropped significantly. Economy-class tickets for this route offered by Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, and Vietjet Air range from 1.4 million to over 1.9 million VND for a one-way trip, an 800,000 to 1.5 million VND decrease compared to the 30/4-1/5 holiday period.
Another route that has seen a considerable drop in airfare is Hanoi-Phu Quoc. For flights between June and October 2024, the one-way ticket prices offered by Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, Vietjet Air, and Vietnam Airlines range from 2.6 to 3.5 million VND (including taxes and fees), a decrease of 3 to 5 million VND compared to the 30/4-1/5 holiday period.
Why have airfares dropped so significantly?
To meet the travel demands of the summer holiday season and the upcoming year-end period, the Vietnam Aviation Authority has requested airlines to increase the number of flights, seats, and operating hours to help lower airfare prices.
Airlines are responding by increasing the frequency of night and early morning flights and developing promotional programs and discounts.
Airlines are increasing flights to meet passenger demand. (Photo: Vietnam Aviation Authority)
They are also offering more flights during the late-night hours after 9 pm daily, focusing on popular tourist destinations such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Nha Trang, and Quy Nhon, to cater to the needs of travelers.
Passengers are advised to plan their trips in advance to take advantage of the lower airfare prices.
“Currently, Vietnam Airlines has increased its daily operating hours from 10 to 11 hours and will further extend it to 12 hours during the peak season. Vietjet Air has increased its daily operating hours from 12.8 to over 13.2 hours and plans to expand it to 14 hours after slot adjustments at airports. Other airlines, such as Bamboo Airway and Vietravel Airlines, have also increased their daily operating hours from 11-12 hours to 12.5 hours,” shared Mr. Dinh Viet Thang, Director of the Vietnam Aviation Authority.
Vietnam Airlines aims to provide nearly one million seats on night flights across domestic routes in June, July, and August 2024 by optimizing its fleet.
Specifically, Vietnam Airlines will increase night and early morning flights during the summer peak season from 2,200 to 5,200 flights, a 134% increase compared to last year. The airline will also introduce various promotional programs to stimulate demand and encourage early booking (such as group discounts of 10-15% for groups of 4 and 8 passengers, early bird specials, and discounts on night flights…).
Vietjet Air is also increasing its night flights by approximately 35% compared to regular operations, offering 2,200 night flights across routes from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, and Nha Trang to other provinces. The airline is promoting night flights from Ho Chi Minh City to northern provinces such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Vinh, and Thanh Hoa…
Vietjet Air is also offering attractive deals and promotions for the upcoming months, including a special 0 VND fare (excluding taxes, fees, and surcharges) for flights in September through December.
From October to December, the airline will offer 0 VND fares on the Hanoi-Phu Quoc route, with approximately 10 days of 0 VND fares each month. For the Phu Quoc-Hanoi route, there will be 15 days of 0 VND fares in December out of 31 days. Affordable fares are also available on other routes, such as Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi-Dalat.
Bamboo Airways is implementing an 8% discount for flights during the late-night hours of 10 pm to 2 am on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until the end of 2024.
Vietravel Airlines is offering an ultra-low fare of 8,000 VND (excluding taxes, fees, and surcharges) for domestic routes.
