Brian Jeffrey
Overview of Tet Flight Demand
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has acknowledged observations from airlines about the increased number of empty flights during the Tet holiday period.
Flight Preferences Before and After Tet
There is a notable rise in flight demand traveling from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) to northern regions and central provinces as Tet approaches, particularly towards Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Thanh Hoa. Conversely, the interest in flights returning to HCMC climbs after Tet.
From January 25, 2025, just a few days prior to Tet, flights from HCMC are seeing an impressive occupancy rate exceeding 50%. Certain routes, like HCMC to Hue, exhibit almost full capacity (99.3%), while others such as HCMC to Pleiku and Quy Nhon are at full occupancy (100%).
Ticket Prices Before and After Tet
Ticket prices for flights around Tet were analyzed on November 26, revealing that for the date of January 21, 2025 (eight days before Tet), average fares from HCMC to Hanoi were about VND2.9-3 million via low-cost airlines like Vietjet and Vietravel. Premium airlines like Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways offered prices around VND3.7 million one way.
Post-Tet, fares for routes returning to HCMC also reflect higher price points, mostly between VND3.6-3.7 million for one-way flights. In contrast, routes from HCMC to places like Hue and Quy Nhon are less expensive, costing around VND2.37-2.4 million.
Interestingly, during this period, one-way airfares are comparable to round-trip prices at regular times due to high demand.
Unused Capacity on Return Flights
On the other hand, flights heading towards HCMC from various provinces show significantly lower occupancy rates. For instance, flights from Hue and Pleiku have booking rates of only 12.2% and 12.8% respectively, while Tuy Hoa and Quy Nhon have even lower rates at 7.7% and 5.66%.
Due to this low demand, airlines are offering these routes at very economical prices.
Affordable Travel Options for Passengers
Travelers looking to utilize these less frequented flights during Tet can benefit from substantially lower fares. For example, a ticket from Hue to HCMC may cost between VND900,000-1 million with Vietjet, or VND1.1-1.7 million with Vietnam Airlines. The fare from Quy Nhon to HCMC could be as low as VND600,000-700,000 one way.
Airlines Adjusting Capacity for Tet
To accommodate the festive travel surge, domestic airlines are planning to enhance their flight capacity. Vietjet Air intends to deploy six additional aircraft, while Vietnam Airlines will add five.
