Economy class tickets for Lunar New Year 2026 are scarce, prices are high

Flight tickets for Lunar New Year 2026 have only been on sale for 4 days, but many routes are already short of economy seats, with prices increasing from 500,000 to 2.5 million VND compared to Tet 2025 flights.

Flight tickets for Tet 2026 will be available for sale from September 3. After only 4 days, there has been a shortage of tickets on flights that are always "hot" during holidays and Tet.

Ticket prices are high.

Tickets for flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi ; Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh (Nghe An), Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa), Cat Bi (Hai Phong) of airlines during Tet 2026 are currently scarce; some days, economy and premium economy tickets are sold out. To travel, customers can only choose business class with prices up to nearly 18 million VND/round-trip ticket.

A survey conducted on the morning of September 6 by VTC News on online ticket sales websites and airline websites showed that round-trip tickets for the Ho Chi Minh City-Hanoi route departing on January 30, 2026 and returning on February 20, 2026 (December 13 - January 4 of the Lunar calendar) by Vietnam Airlines ranged from 7.82 - 8.45 million VND/ticket (including taxes and fees), an increase of more than 1.5 - 2.7 million VND compared to the same time of Tet 2025.

Bamboo Airways' Ho Chi Minh City-Hanoi route costs VND7.53 - 8.15 million (including taxes and fees), an increase of VND530,000 - 1.5 million compared to the same period of Tet 2025; Vietravel Airlines costs VND7.6 - 8.3 million, an increase of about VND600,000 - 1.5 million.

Vietjet Air alone has the "softest" price, ranging from 4.06 - 5.67 million VND, 300 - 800 thousand VND higher than the price at the same time of Tet 2025.

Also on the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route, the closer it gets to Tet, the higher the price, and many airlines have even sold out of economy and premium economy tickets. If on February 3, 2026 (December 16), Vietjet's cheapest ticket price is 4.05 million VND, then passengers who want to fly on February 11 (ie 24th of Tet) and return on February 22 (ie 6th of Tet) will have to pay 6.25 million VND, an increase of more than 2.2 million VND.

At the same time, Bamboo Airways tickets cost 7.53 - 8.30 million VND; Vietravel Airlines tickets cost 7.60 million VND, an increase of about 200-500 thousand VND compared to 1 week ago. However, the number of economy tickets of these airlines is still very limited.

Pacific Airlines has sold out all economy class tickets, leaving only business class tickets with a round-trip fare of 17,792 million VND. Vietnam Airlines has also sold out all economy class and premium economy class tickets, leaving only business class tickets with a round-trip fare of 17,792 million VND.

Some other flight routes also have ticket prices increased from 1.2 to 2.5 million VND compared to the same time of Tet 2025, such as the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Cat Bi, Tho Xuan, Vinh.

Ticket prices for these routes departing on January 30, 2026 and returning on February 20, 2026 (December 13 - January 4, 2026) range from VND5.5-8.9 million, depending on flight time. Specifically, Vietjet Air's ticket prices range from over VND5.5-6.7 million; Bamboo Airways' prices range from VND7.61 million; Vietnam Airlines' prices range from VND7.8 million.

Similarly, passengers flying the Ho Chi Minh City - Quy Nhon route have to pay the cheapest price of 4.8 million VND from Vietjet, while the price of Vietnam Airlines is up to 9.1 million VND. The ticket price for the Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang route is also at 3.6-8.6 million VND. The Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang route costs about 4.4-6 million VND.

This price is also 200-500 thousand VND higher than the same time of Tet flight in 2025.

On the contrary, flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City are much cheaper. For example, the cheapest flight ticket (excluding taxes and fees) on February 16 (ie 29th of Tet) is only 490,000 VND, equal to 25% of the return ticket price. The price of 490,000 VND is also maintained throughout February 17-18 (ie 1st-2nd of Tet).

Just two days after opening for sale, many airlines have sold out of economy class tickets, while round-trip business class tickets cost more than 17 million VND including taxes and fees. (Screenshot taken on the evening of September 4).

Is there real scarcity?

Vietnam Airlines Group (including Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines and VASCO) announced that it has officially opened early sales of tickets for the Lunar New Year 2026 with a total of more than 3.5 million seats from February 3, 2026 to March 2, 2026 (ie December 16, 2025 to January 13). The number of supplies increased by nearly 20% compared to the same period last year. From September 3, passengers can buy tickets for the Lunar New Year 2026.

Vietjet Air also opened early sales of 2.5 million flight tickets from February 3, 2026 to March 2, 2026, i.e. December 16, the year of the Dragon, to January 13, the year of the Horse. Accordingly, ticket prices from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc are only from VND 610,000 (excluding taxes and fees). Flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, Nha Trang, Buon Ma Thuot, etc. are priced from VND 1 million (excluding taxes and fees).

“Tickets on flights to Hanoi, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong... are priced from VND1,610,000 (excluding taxes and fees). In the opposite direction, ticket prices start from only VND0 (excluding taxes and fees), meeting the needs of spring travelers to travel and explore new lands and new experiences during the spring days,” Vietjet Air said.

Just 2 days after opening for sale, many airlines only have business class tickets left. (Photo: Civil Aviation Authority)

Although airlines sell Tet flight tickets early, customers still complain that it is difficult to buy economy class tickets. Mr. Pham Ba Quang, a businessman in Ho Chi Minh City, said that because this year his wood processing export company plans to send 50% of its workers, more than 100 officers and employees, to the North to travel and return home for Tet, he has made plans with a travel agency to book flight tickets.

“I know that two new airlines have opened early Tet ticket sales since September 3, with departure dates from February 3, 2026 to March 2, 2026 (ie December 16 to January 13). Therefore, my company plans to book all flight tickets early to help employees have time to rest and return home early at low prices. However, we were informed by a travel company that Tet flight tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi are not cheap, with prices ranging from 5-8 million VND/round trip ticket,” said Mr. Quang.

Regarding Tet ticket prices, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thien Tong, an aviation expert, said that Tet ticket prices are usually 30-40% higher than regular tickets and are within the regulated ceiling price. The reason is that one-way flights are full, while the return flights are often empty. Therefore, airlines have to increase one-way ticket prices to compensate for the empty flights.

“However, airlines that have just opened Tet ticket sales 1-2 days early, are the tickets sold out that quickly? It is necessary to clarify whether the number of economy class tickets on some hot routes is really scarce or not. When customers book tickets now, if the competent authorities such as the Civil Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Construction or the Inspection Agency check the system, they will immediately know how many tickets have been booked, who booked them, and when.

Airlines also need to be transparent about the number of tickets booked to avoid the situation where tickets are scarce at the beginning of sales, but later, especially near Tet, the prices become cheaper, which both frustrates customers who book early and reduces the revenue of airlines," said expert Nguyen Thien Tong.

Domestic airlines recommend that, to ensure schedules and suitable prices, passengers should proactively book tickets early to avoid shortages and price hikes near Tet; and should only buy tickets through ticket offices, official agents or on the airline's application to avoid the risk of fake tickets.

Vietnam Airlines Group said it will continue to monitor market demand, balance aircraft resources and allocate slots to open the next sales rounds, helping people more conveniently plan their travel during Tet.

Peak flights will be concentrated between the three major cities of Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and key provinces such as Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Hue, Gia Lai, Ninh Thuan, Kien Giang...

PHAM DUY

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/ve-bay-hang-pho-thong-tet-nguyen-dan-2026-khan-hiem-gia-tang-cao-ar963690.html