Airlines prepare for Tet surge with over 7 million seats available

As of now, many flights during the peak travel days of Lunar New Year 2025 are fully booked. However, for the first day of the holiday (January 25, 2025), the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi has only reached 62% capacity, leaving a significant number of tickets still available.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) reports that domestic and international airlines are offering over 7 million seats on flights from January 14 to February 12, 2025, marking a 5% increase compared to the Lunar New Year 2024 season.

High demand on many routes

In the period leading up to the holiday (January 21–28, 2025), the seat occupancy rate on flights from Ho Chi Minh City to other provinces and cities has surpassed 50% for most routes.

Certain routes, such as those from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue, Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, Quy Nhon, Quang Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Vinh, are witnessing occupancy rates of 90–100% between January 23 and 26, 2025.

Meanwhile, routes from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi and Da Nang still have ample availability, with occupancy rates ranging from 20% to 50%. The route from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi on January 25, 2025—the last working day before the holiday—has the highest booking rate, at 62%.

On the return leg from other provinces to Ho Chi Minh City, occupancy rates remain relatively low, ranging from 15% to 30%.

Toward the end of the holiday period (February 1–7, 2025), bookings for flights returning to Ho Chi Minh City surge, with occupancy rates exceeding 90% on some days. Routes from Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, Thanh Hoa, Quy Nhon, Chu Lai, Dong Hoi, and Buon Ma Thuot to Ho Chi Minh City are nearly or fully booked.

Ticket prices peak at VND3.7 million 

Regarding ticket prices, a representative of the CAAV noted that fares for flights from Ho Chi Minh City to other regions before the holiday are significantly higher than those for the return leg.

A survey of economy-class ticket prices (including taxes and fees) for January 21, 2025, shows that one-way fares on the Ho Chi Minh City-Hanoi route - Vietnam’s busiest north-south corridor - range from VND3.7 million (Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways) to approximately VND3.1 million (Vietjet Air) and VND3.1–3.4 million  (Vietravel Airlines).

For the opposite direction, from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, ticket prices are much lower. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air offer fares between VND1.1 and 1.4 million, Bamboo Airways offers fares around VND1.1 million, and Vietravel Airlines prices tickets as low as VND900,000.

Flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Thanh Hoa see fares of up to VND3.7 million with Vietnam Airlines, while Vietjet Air offers tickets at approximately VND3.1 million. On the reverse route, fares range from VND900,000 (Vietnam Airlines) to VND600,000 (Vietjet Air, post-tax).

For the Ho Chi Minh City–Quy Nhon route, ticket prices are around VND2.5 million (Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways) and VND2.4 million (Vietjet Air). Return flights from Quy Nhon to Ho Chi Minh City are cheaper, with Vietnam Airlines pricing tickets at VND800,000 and Vietjet Air offering post-tax fares as low as VND600,000.

Fares for January 25, 2025, show a slight price increase of 10–20% compared to earlier dates. For example, one-way tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi are priced at VND3.7 million (Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietjet Air, Vietravel Airlines). However, fares for the reverse route remain low and unchanged.

As the holiday ends, ticket prices increase sharply for flights returning to Ho Chi Minh City. On February 2, 2025, one-way fares from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City reach VND3.7 million (Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Vietravel Airlines). Conversely, flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi during this period are more affordable, costing between VND1.5 and 2 million.

For the Vinh–Ho Chi Minh City route, ticket prices are set at VND3.7 million (Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways). In contrast, fares for flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh range from VND1.9 to 2.1 million (Vietnam Airlines), VND1.2 million (Vietjet Air), and VND3.1–3.7 million (Bamboo Airways).

The CAAV has assured passengers that they will continue monitoring market trends and coordinate with airlines and airports to increase flights on high-demand routes, thereby managing ticket prices and ensuring sufficient travel options during the peak Lunar New Year season.