Airfares during Reunification Day holidays surge

By Hoai Anh March 15, 2024 | 07:50 pm PT

Tourists prepare to get on boats for their tour to explore Nha Trang islands, February 2024. Photo by Nhan Bui

Airfares during the Reunification Day and May Day (April 30-May 1), normally the second largest holiday in Vietnam after the Lunar New Year, have increased by 50% from normal days.

Van Thinh of Hanoi’s Thanh Xuan District was looking for flights to visit the central beach city of Quy Nhon with his family, leaving on April 27 and returning on May 1.

But he was surprised to see the cheapest ticket cost VND5 million for a round trip.

"Around VND3.5-4 million might have been reasonable, but VND5 million for a flight with a bad departure time made me hesitate," he said.

According to data from travel firm BestPrice, flights on the Hanoi-Quy Nhon route during the holidays is more than 1.5 times the normal rate.

On the Hanoi-Da Nang route the cheapest ticket is VND4.8 million, 1.4 times the fare now.

Early morning and late-night flights from Hanoi to Phu Quoc cost VND5 million, nearly twice the normal fare, while fares for flights at more convenient hours cost up to VND8.6 million.

The Hanoi- Nha Trang fare is VND4.7 million, also nearly 50% up.

From HCMC the cheapest tickets to Phu Quoc and Nha Trang have doubled to VND3.8 million and VND4.6 million.

HCMC-Hanoi trips cost around VND4.3 million, VND1 million higher than normal weekday fares.

Demand for hotel rooms is not high.

Travel agencies do not expect hotels at destinations accessible mainly by air to have high occupancy rates since vacationers are likely to travel to nearby destinations by car to reduce costs.

Le Trung Tin, director of HCMC’s Tin Viet Travel Company, said the number of bookings has decreased by 50% from last year because of the soaring airfares.

People usually choose early-morning or late-night flights to get lower fares, but this year ticket prices have not "decreased much" at any time of the day, he added.