Soaring Airfare Prices

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has released a report on booking trends and airfare prices during the National Day holiday (September 2nd).

According to the authority, from August 30th to September 3rd, domestic airlines operated a total of 4,257 flights, averaging 840 flights per day, a 3% increase compared to the previous holiday week and a 3.5% rise year-on-year.

The average number of domestic flights was 600 per day, a 5% increase from the previous holiday week and a 2.8% rise year-on-year. International flights averaged 241 per day, a 2% decrease from the previous holiday week but a 5.1% increase year-on-year.

The routes connecting the three major cities of Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City were the most frequently served by airlines, with an average of 241 flights per day, an 8% increase from the previous holiday week and a 14.9% rise year-on-year.

Domestic tourism routes to destinations such as Vinh, Binh Dinh, Dalat, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc averaged 171 flights per day, a 2% increase from the previous holiday week.

The additional flights during the holiday period allowed airlines to increase seat capacity. As a result, the total number of seats offered on these routes from August 30th to September 3rd exceeded 885,000, with an average of 178,000 seats per day, representing a 3.2% increase year-on-year.

Notably, the authority’s survey of airfare data on August 29th revealed that prices during the National Day holiday were approximately 20% higher than the previous week and 40% higher than the average low-demand period.

For example, on August 31st, Vietnam Airlines offered tickets for the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route ranging from 2.3 to 3.5 million VND one-way (including a meal), an increase of 23%-28%. Vietjet Air’s prices varied from 1.5 to 2.4 million VND, a 25% increase. Bamboo Airways’ tickets ranged from 1.7 to 2.5 million VND, a 24% rise, while Vietravel Airlines’ fares were around 1.7 million VND, a 19% increase compared to the low-demand period.

On the Hanoi-Da Nang route, Vietnam Airlines’ fares were approximately 2.5 million VND, a 40% increase. Vietjet Air’s prices were around 2.4 million VND, a 60% rise, while Bamboo Airways offered tickets for 2.2 million VND, a 42% increase.

For the Hanoi-Nha Trang route, Vietnam Airlines’ fares ranged from 2.5 to 3.2 million VND, similar to the previous period. Vietjet Air’s prices were 2.6 to 3.5 million VND, a roughly 33% increase, while Bamboo Airways’ fares were approximately 3.2 million VND, a 14% rise.

Other domestic tourism routes also experienced price increases, such as the Hanoi-Phu Quoc route, with fares ranging from 2.5 to 4 million VND, a more than 60% surge. The Hanoi-Quy Nhon route saw prices of about 2.4 million VND, a 25% increase.

“This is why the authority always advises passengers to plan their travels early and book their flights in advance to have more options and secure more affordable fares,” the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam stated.

According to the authority, as of August 29th, the booking rate for domestic routes during the National Day holiday period averaged over 65%. A “lopsided” pattern emerged, with higher booking rates at the beginning of the holiday period and lower rates towards the end.

For flights departing from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to other provinces, higher booking rates were observed at the start of the holiday and lower rates at the end.

On the last day of the holiday (September 3rd), booking rates were generally lower, with only a few routes exceeding 60%, such as Hanoi-Dalat, Hanoi-Can Tho, Hanoi-Pleiku, Ho Chi Minh City-Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City-Pleiku, and Ho Chi Minh City-Dong Hoi. Notably, the Hanoi-Tuy Hoa route reached a booking rate of 92.6%.