Vietnam Airlines is expanding its fleet with the addition of three new aircraft in December 2024, offering over 100,000 additional seats for the Tet holiday season. The carrier received the A320neo with the registration number VN-A515 on December 7 and the Boeing 787-10 with the registration number VN-A877 on December 8, with plans to add another A320neo to its fleet by the end of the month. With these additions, the airline will operate a total of 103 aircraft, including 31 wide-body jets.
According to the national carrier, the Boeing 787-10 will service domestic and Northeast Asian routes, while the Airbus A320neo will focus on domestic destinations.
Vietjet Air is also growing its fleet, having recently welcomed its 111th A321neo ACF aircraft. The airline expects to receive three more planes in December and will lease 6-10 aircraft on a short-term wet lease for the Tet holiday. Bamboo Airways and Vietravel Airlines are also expanding their fleets through wet leasing, with Bamboo Airways adding an A320, bringing its total fleet to eight aircraft.
Data from the Vietnam Aviation Authority reveals that flights from Ho Chi Minh City to northern and central provinces during the days leading up to Tet are already 90-100% booked. Specifically, routes from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue, Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, and Quy Nhon are almost fully booked for January 25, 2025 (the 26th day of the last lunar month).
Airfares for the Tet holiday have surged, with prices for the Ho Chi Minh City-Hanoi route ranging from VND 2.9 million to VND 3.7 million per one-way trip, depending on the carrier. Notably, some airlines have increased their fares by up to 20% for flights closer to the holiday period. Shorter routes, such as Ho Chi Minh City-Hue or Ho Chi Minh City-Quy Nhon, also command prices of no less than VND 2.37 million per one-way trip.
The Vietnam Aviation Authority stated that the total number of seats offered during the 2025 Tet holiday season is expected to reach nearly 7 million, a 4% increase compared to the previous year. Of these, domestic routes account for 4.8 million seats, a 3.5% increase, while international routes offer over 2.1 million seats, a 4.6% rise. The authority is closely monitoring demand to adjust capacity, especially on routes with high booking rates.
