Airfares for the 2027 Lunar New Year travel season have begun rising again after easing in late August, with ticket prices on many domestic routes increasing by between 10 and 20 per cent.
Passengers on an international Vietnam Airlines flight (Photo: Q.N).
According to a ticket agency in Ho Chi Minh City, prices on several routes are now significantly higher than they were a month ago.
For example, a round-trip ticket between Ho Chi Minh City and Hue on Vietnam Airlines that previously cost around VND 5 million (USD 192) is now approximately VND 1 million (USD 38) more expensive.
Data collected on September 22 showed that a one-way Vietjet ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi departing on February 4, 2027, currently costs about VND 3.3 million (USD 127), compared with around VND 2.8 million (USD 108) a month earlier.
On the same route and departure date, one-way fares offered by Vietravel Airlines and Sun PhuQuoc Airways range from VND 3.5 million to VND 3.6 million (USD 135-138), while Vietnam Airlines tickets start at around VND 3.7 million (USD 142).
During peak travel periods, prices are even higher. On February 1, 2027, one-way fares from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh are priced at around VND 3.5 million (USD 135) on Vietjet and VND 3.7 million (USD 142) on Vietnam Airlines.
The Ho Chi Minh City-Thanh Hoa route is also seeing elevated fares. Vietnam Airlines is currently listing economy-class tickets at approximately VND 4.3 million (USD 165) one way, premium economy at VND 4.4 million (USD 169), and business class at VND 6.5 million (USD 250). Flight options on the route have become increasingly limited.
For flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Chu Lai on the same peak travel date, Vietjet is offering one-way fares of around VND 2.3 million (USD 88), while Vietnam Airlines tickets range from VND 3.1 million to VND 3.7 million (USD 119-142), depending on cabin class.
Routes serving holidaymakers are also experiencing relatively high prices. One-way tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat and Nha Trang are currently priced at approximately VND 1.7 million to VND 1.9 million (USD 65-73).
In the opposite direction, flights from Hanoi to Danang cost around VND 2 million (USD 77) on Vietjet and between VND 2.3 million and VND 2.4 million (USD 88-92) on Vietnam Airlines, Vietravel Airlines and Sun PhuQuoc Airways.
The increase comes amid a sharp rebound in aviation fuel prices linked to ongoing tensions and conflicts in the Middle East. Jet A1 fuel recently climbed to between USD 184 and USD 188 per barrel, significantly higher than the roughly USD 170 per barrel recorded only days earlier.
Industry executives, however, say the recent rise in fares does not necessarily mean prices will continue climbing until the Lunar New Year holiday.
Speaking to Dantri Newspaper, an airline executive said ticket prices remain heavily influenced by supply and demand. If airlines add more aircraft and increase flight frequencies in the coming months, fares on some routes could decline as seat capacity grows faster than passenger demand.
Vietnamese airlines have already begun expanding capacity in preparation for the year-end peak season and the 2027 Lunar New Year holiday.
Vietravel Airlines recently added an Airbus A321 with 228 seats to its fleet, with commercial operations scheduled to begin on October 1. The carrier also plans to launch new routes linking Ho Chi Minh City with Haiphong and Thanh Hoa.
Vietjet has released approximately 3.1 million tickets for travel between January 22 and February 20, 2027, an increase of 6 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier. Around two million of those seats are allocated to domestic routes.
Vietnam Airlines is also planning to increase seat capacity by between 6 and 13 per cent during the Lunar New Year travel period compared with the previous year.
Analysts say the expansion of fleets and seat availability could help ease supply constraints during the holiday peak, making airfare movements increasingly dependent on market demand rather than fuel costs alone.
