Tet flights home would eat up more than 70% of my year's savings

I and my spouse work year-round, paying bills month by month and keeping spending to a minimum. After all necessary expenses, we manage to save about VND5 million (US$193) each month, around VND60 million a year, money accumulated through constant calculation and restraint.

When I checked round-trip flight prices to my hometown for the end of 2025, I could only sigh. Tickets were already VND11 million per person. For my family of four people, that amounts to VND44 million, not including taxi fares, gifts, or unexpected costs. Faced with that figure, I reluctantly decided to stay where I am.

Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City is crowded ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday in January 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Some people suggested taking a train or bus instead. But those options are no longer cheap either. Travel takes much longer, motion sickness is unavoidable, and my family would arrive home exhausted. Once home, there is little time to rest -- cleaning, visiting relatives, and hosting guests would quickly follow.

For many, Tet in the countryside can be more physically demanding than regular workdays in Ho Chi Minh City. The idea that returning home for Tet is purely about rest and reunion is only partly true. For many families, it also brings financial strain, health challenges, and psychological pressure.

Of course, who doesn't want to go home for Tet? Returning without having to count every expense, without worrying about the months ahead, enjoying village life, old friendships, and traditional meals -- these are things most people deeply cherish. Choosing to stay behind is not a lack of affection, but a quiet sadness that many people understand all too well.

After much consideration, and with lingering regret, I made the difficult decision to put my immediate family first. Sometimes, circumstances force people to make choices that feel emotionally cold, even when they are practically necessary.

Every year, stories about whether to return home for Tet resurface. Those in similar situations empathize, while others feel the discussion is repetitive. Yet the repetition itself reflects a reality: rising travel costs are steadily eroding the meaning of Tet reunions for many migrant workers.

When a year's savings can barely cover a few days of travel, staying put becomes an increasingly common choice.

I hope that one day, with more complete highway networks and the development of high-speed rail, returning home for Tet will no longer be such a heavy financial burden. Only then can Tet truly return to its rightful meaning.